Born: Tuesday November 27, 1866
Macon, GA
Died: Thursday November 6, 1952
Woodland Hills, CA
Years Active: 1920-1947
Decades Active:
Biography
The son of enslaved Afrikans, actor George H. Reed was nearing the age of 50 when he made his first screen appearance in 1914. If it is true that Reed was cast in D.W. Griffith's Birth of a Nation, he would have been one of the few genuine Black performers in this controversial film, which relied almost exclusively upon white actors in Blackface. In contrast to the rampant racism in Birth, Reed's next confirmed appearance was in Realization of a Negro's Ambition (1916), which was relatively sympathetic to the Afrikan's (born in amerikka) viewpoint. He went on to play escaped enslaved Afrikan, Jim, in the 1920 version of Huckleberry Finn, then was consigned to stereotypical minor roles, bearing such character names as Rastus, Uncle Remus, and the like. During the talkie era, the stately, dignified Reed was often cast as a minister, most memorably as Reverend Deshee in The Green Pastures (1936). From 1939 to 1947, George H. Reed was a regular in MGM's Dr. Kildare series as elderly hospital orderly Conover, whose principal job it was to pilot the wheelchair bearing the curmudgeonly Dr. Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Filmography
1947 Dark Delusion
Actor Conover
1947 The Homestretch
Actor Dee Dee
1947 The Sea of Grass
Actor Uncle Nat
1945 Colonel Effingham's Raid
Actor Janitor
1945 Dangerous Partners
Actor Porter
1945 Saratoga Trunk
Actor Carriage Driver
1945 Strange Illusion
Actor Benjamin
1944 Heavenly Days
Actor Servant
1944 Home in Indiana
Actor Tuppy
1944 Three Men in White
Actor Conover
1943 Dixie
Actor Lucius
1943 Is Everybody Happy?
Actor Missouri
1943 Someone to Remember
Actor John
1943 The More the Merrier
Actor Caretaker
1942 Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant
Actor Conover
1942 In This Our Life
Actor Butler
1942 Reap the Wild Wind
Actor Servant at Mottram House
1942 Take a Letter, Darling
Actor Sam French
1942 Tales of Manhattan
Actor Christopher
1942 We Were Dancing
Actor Butler at Blane's House
1941 Dr. Kildare's Victory
Actor Conover
1941 Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day
Actor Conover
1941 Kiss the Boys Goodbye
Actor House Servant
1941 The Great Lie
Actor Butler
1941 The People vs. Dr. Kildare
Actor Conover
1941 They Died With Their Boots On
Actor Charles
1940 Dr. Kildare Goes Home
Actor Conover
1940 Dr. Kildare's Crisis
Actor Conover
1940 Dr. Kildare's Strange Case
Actor Conover
1940 Manhattan Heartbeat
Actor Porter
1940 Maryland
Actor Uncle Henry
1940 Sporting Blood
Actor Stonewall
1939 Going Places
Actor Sam
1939 Swanee River
Actor Old Joe
1939 The Secret of Dr. Kildare
Actor Conover
1938 City Girl
Actor Elevator Operator
1938 Josette
Actor Mose the Butler
1938 Kentucky
Actor Old Ben
1938 The Toy Wife
Actor Gabriel
1937 Saratoga
Actor Butler
1937 Wings over Honolulu
Actor Fauntleroy
1936 After the Thin Man
Actor Porter
1936 Show Boat
Actor Old Black Man
1936 The Gorgeous Hussy
Actor Braxton
1936 The Green PasturesActor [Starring] Mr. Deshee
1935 Red Salute
Actor Butler
1935 The Glass Key
Actor Black Serving Man
1935 Wings in the Dark
Actor Waring
1934 Judge Priest
Actor Servant
1934 Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
Actor Julius, Servant
1934 The Last Trail
Actor
1934 Twentieth Century
Actor Uncle Remus
1933 Hold Your Man
Actor Rev. Crippen
1931 Father's Son
Actor
1931 Little Daddy
Actor The Parson
1931 Over the Hill
Actor
1931 Trails of the Golden West
Actor [Starring]
1929 River of Romance
Actor Rumbo
1928 Absent
Actor
1928 Three-Ring Marriage
Actor
1925 The Isle of Hope
Actor Negro Cook
1924 Helen's Babies
Actor Rastus
1924 Vagabond Trail
Actor [Starring] Deuces
1923 Red Lights
Actor Porter
1923 Scars of Jealousy
Actor Mose
1920 Huckleberry Finn
Actor [Starring] Jim