Lennie Bluett

Biography

Singer, dancer, and pianist Lennie Bluett was a native of Los Angeles; his mother worked as a cook for Humphrey Bogart while his father was a chauffeur for Buster Keaton. Lennie graduated from Manual Arts High School in Los Angeles, and tried to find work in the motion picture industry, getting work as an extra in 1938's "Gone With the Wind," and not much else. A gifted and versatile piano player, he auditioned for the role of "Sam" in the movie "Casablanca," but was turned down due to his youth (he was in his twenties). He performed in all-Black movies, and played piano on cruise ships and in clubs, and stays as active as he can, well into his nineties.