Monte Hawley

Biography

Monte Hawley was the top black actor of stage and screen of his time of the independent black cast films and of Harlem's Golden Era. Monte Hawley was a handsome and talented actor, he was most used in black films than any other black actor. He was born October 25 1901, in Chicago and got an early start in Show Business. Richard B. Harrison who gained fame as "De Lawd" in "Green Pastures" spied Monte when he was still in his teens. He liked the youth's "get up and go" and his natural flair for acting. He took young Monte under his wing, becoming his first tutor. From then on it was show business for Monte. He was a member of the famous Lafayette Players who scored such successes both in Chicago and later on the West coast in Hollywood and Los Angeles. Monte's first big time shows were "Shuffle Along" and "Runnin' Wild," in addition to several strictly road shows. It was while he was a member of the Lafayette Players in Hollywood that he cracked silent movies, becoming known as "one shot Monte" because he never had to make a retake. Then followed films with Louise Beavers and Hattie McDaniel and even one with Lena Horne which was her first movie, incidentally - which was made when Hawley was already a veteran actor - the picture was The Duke is Tops, and Monte also did a glorious film Gang Smashers with another top Black actress of the time Nina Mae McKinney. In Vaudeville, Monte was teamed for long periods of time with Mantan Moreland and Eddie Rochester Anderson before those men struck it big. In between Monte sandwiched pictures with Warner Brothers, Republic and Columbia, but was too handsome and too talented for the Hollywood studios, and wouldn't play the stereotypical uncle-Tom roles. He appeared for many years with various stage shows at Chicago's Regal theater and in several hits on Broadway. Monte achieved his greatest screen fame working for Harry Popkin's Million Dollar Productions where he and Ralph Cooper were the top actors. He was very versatile and often played the role of a comedic policemen, relentless detective or tack-less gangster or gambler in kind of the same style of Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, Robert Taylor, Pat O'Brien and Clark Gable. When baseball star, Jackie Robinson, made his tour a couple of years ago, Monte was his emcee, as he was previously with the Scottsboro boys. In later years, he became affiliated with the play "Anna Lucasta," as stage manager and also acting in the play. He had signed a contract to take the current "Lucasta" group overseas when he was stricken in New York City on November 30 1950. Monte Hawley was laid to rest in Chicago, many black celebrities of the time attended. Famed band leader, songwriter Noble Sissle said the eulogy and Eubie Blake played appropriate selections on the piano.