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Alvin Childress 1907 - 1986

Alvin Childress of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA was born on September 15, 1907 in Meridian, Lauderdale County, Mississippi United States, and died at age 78 years old on April 19, 1986 in Inglewood, Los Angeles County, CA. Alvin Childress was buried on April 25, 1986 at National Harmony Memorial Park 7101 Sheriff Rd, in Hyattsville, Prince George's County, MD.
Alvin Childress
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA 90043
September 15, 1907
Meridian, Lauderdale County, Mississippi, United States
April 19, 1986
Inglewood, Los Angeles County, California, United States
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Alvin Childress' History: 1907 - 1986

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  • Introduction

    Alvin Childress - Wikipedia Alvin Childress (September 15, 1907 – April 19, 1986) was an American actor, who is best known for playing the cab driver Amos Jones in the 1950s television comedy series Amos 'n Andy.
  • 09/15
    1907

    Birthday

    September 15, 1907
    Birthdate
    Meridian, Lauderdale County, Mississippi United States
    Birthplace
  • Professional Career

    Alvin Childress is best remembered for his role as the philosophical easy-going character Amos on the Amos n’ Andy show, a popular all-black cast sitcom of the early 1950s that depicted the antics of three friends in Harlem. Childress was born on September 15, 1907, in Meridian, Mississippi. Childress began his career on stage, appearing in such productions as Sweet Land (1931) and Savage Rhythm (1931). A year later, he embarked on a successful film career, appearing in such films as Out of the Crimson Fog and Harlem is Heaven and went on to appear in several minor film roles throughout the 1930s. In the 1940s, he concentrated on a career in theater and worked as an instructor for the American Negro Theater in Harlem. In 1951, Childress returned to the screen when he landed the role of the leading character Amos on the short-lived Amos n’ Andy sitcom. The TV show was canceled after two years because the NAACP protested the series as fostering racial stereotypes, even though many of the episodes showed blacks with professional and entrepreneurial backgrounds. Once the Amos n’ Andy show was canceled, Childress used his degree in sociology to work as a social worker for the Los Angeles County Civil Service Commission. He returned to acting occasionally, appearing in a variety of sitcoms (including Perry Mason, The Jeffersons, and Sanford and Son) and movies including the 1959 version of Anna Lucasta and Maya Angelou’s 1982 television film Sister, Sister where he played opposite Irene Cara, Diahann Carroll, Rosalind Cash, and Paul Winfield. Alvin Childress died of Parkinson’s disease and diabetes in 1986 in Inglewood, California.
  • 04/19
    1986

    Death

    April 19, 1986
    Death date
    Diabetes.
    Cause of death
    Inglewood, Los Angeles County, California United States
    Death location
  • 04/25
    1986

    Gravesite & Burial

    April 25, 1986
    Funeral date
    National Harmony Memorial Park 7101 Sheriff Rd, in Hyattsville, Prince George's County, Maryland 20785, United States
    Burial location
  • Obituary

    Alvin Childress Famous Memorial Birth 10 Sep 1907 Meridian, Lauderdale County, Mississippi, USA Death 19 Apr 1986 (aged 78) Inglewood, Los Angeles County, California, USA Burial National Harmony Memorial Park Cemetery Hyattsville, Prince George's County, Maryland, USA Memorial ID 6107382 · View Source Memorial Photos 2 Flowers 531 Actor. Born in Meridian, Mississippi, he was an African American actor fondly remembered for the role of cab driver Amos Jones on the popular TV series "Amos 'n' Andy" in the early 1950s. He began his career on the New York stage in 1931 and made his feature film debut in "Hell's Alley" (1931). His other film credits included "Anna Lucasta" (1958), "High Time" (1960), "Thunderbolt and Lightfoot" (1974), "Dark Town Strutters" (1975), and "The Main Event" (1979). For television, he also appeared as a regular on "Sanford and Son," "The Jeffersons," "Perry Mason" and "Good Times." He died at age 78 in Inglewood, California. Family Members Parents John Cooper Childress 1884–1931 Beatrice C. Windham 1882–1969 Spouse Alice Childress Herndon Woodard 1916–1994 (m. 1935)
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5 Memories, Stories & Photos about Alvin

Alvin Childress
Alvin Childress
Amos in Amos and Andy.
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
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Alvin Childress
Alvin Childress
Alvin was the cab driver as Amos Jones on Amos and Andy.
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
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Alvin Childress
Alvin Childress
Alvin played Amos Jones the cab driver on Amos 'n Andy.
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Alvin Childress
Alvin Childress
His gravestone.
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Alvin Childress
Alvin Childress
Amos 'n Andy, was one of the funniest shows during the 1950s.
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Alvin Childress' Family Tree & Friends

Alvin Childress' Family Tree

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Friendships

Alvin's Friends

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1 Follower & Sources
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Other Biographies

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