Frederick O'Neal

Frederick O'Neal (August 27, 1905 – August 25, 1992) was an American actor, theater producer and television director. He founded the American Negro Theater, the British Negro Theatre, and was the first African-American president of the Actors' Equity Association. He was also known for his work behind the scenes as a revolutionary trade unionist.

Early life and acting career Born Frederick Douglas O'Neal in Brooksville, Mississippi, he was named after abolitionist Frederick Douglass. His father was a teacher and merchant. He had seven brothers and sisters. In 1919, when his father died, the family moved to St. Louis where he started acting professionally in 1927.

O'Neal moved to New York in 1936 and worked as a laboratory assistant while studying acting at night. The show presented African-Americans as struggling musicians, not the usual slapstick comedy or the stereotypical mammy roles of the time. The cast included actresses Ruth Attaway and Jane White, and Frances Davis who was the first black ballerina to perform for the Paris Opera. The network couldn't get a sponsor, so the show was dropped.

In 1955, O'Neal played the role of a detective in the mystery drama Danger. That year he portrayed a witch doctor in the Broadway musical House of Flowers.

In 1958, O'Neal was named to Actors' Equity Association's council. He had lost the bid to become president, The organization paid a special tribute to him in 1990.

The NAACP named him 1979 Man of the Year. He was also honored by the National Urban League and the Black Heritage Association.

O'Neal received several honorary degrees, including an Honorary Doctor of Human Letters from St. John's University in 1981.

Death O'Neal died at the age of 86 in his home in Manhattan after a lengthy illness on August 25, 1992. He was survived by his wife Charlotte Talbot Hainey.