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Stage, TV and screen actor William Marshal dies at 78
1 hour, 34 minutes ago
LOS ANGELES - Actor William Marshall, who played a variety of roles, from Shakespeare's "Othello" on stage, to "Blacula" in the camp movie classic, has died. He was 78.
Marshall, who suffered in recent years from Alzheimer's disease, died Wednesday in a Los Angeles rest home.
The actor appeared in several dozen films and in popular television series such as "Star Trek" in the 1960s and "The Jeffersons" in the 1980s. But he was in love with theater and taught acting workshops on college campuses and at the Mufandi Institute in Watts. He was director of the institute in the 1960s.
He also brought a number of prominent African American figures to the stage.
He portrayed singer Paul Robeson and the statesman Frederick Douglass, a role he spent 15 years researching. He eventually played the part of the famed abolitionist on television.
Marshall was born in Gary, Ind., and studied acting at the Actors Studio and the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City after spending several years as an art student at New York University.
Douglass was not the only role that Marshall reprised. He played the Moorish king in "Othello" in Europe and the United States. The London Sunday Times once hailed him as "the best Othello of our time."
Marshall played a different kind of character in the 1972 movie, "Blacula" and its sequel, "Scream, Blacula, Scream!", but he brought the same dignity to the title role of the African prince.
Originally conceived as a dimwitted count, Marshall modeled the character on the original Count Dracula, the tormented Eastern European royal in Bram Stoker's 19th century novel.
Marshall is survived by three sons and one daughter. His life partner of 42 years, Sylvia Jarrico, said a memorial service will be held this summer.
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And also, one of the great manly voices. Man,i wish i had his pipes.....
Depressing.
Interesting, hearing how he changed the role of Manuwalde from a drip to an actual character. Never knew that.
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The man was the embodiment of Class, with a captial C! He will be missed.
Cullen wrote:
> Depressing.
>
> Interesting, hearing how he changed the role of Manuwalde from
> a drip to an actual character. Never knew that.
Really? That's an old fact....I read about that SO many years ago. It was also Marshall who got the bit into the beginning of the film about Mamuwalde going to Castle Dracula to initiate talks about ending the slave trade....that was Marshall's idea. Remembered I had the trailer and threw this quickie gif together...
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