Duane Jones

Duane Jones
Jones in Night of the Living Dead
Born	February 2, 1936(1936-02-02) New York City, New York
Died	July 22, 1988(1988-07-22) (aged 52) Mineola, New York
Other names	Duane L. Jones
Occupation	Actor, Director, Teacher
Years active	1968-1988

Duane L. Jones (February 2, 1936 – July 22, 1988) was an American actor, best known for his role as Ben in the 1968 horror film Night of the Living Dead.^[1] He was director of the Maguire Theater at the State University of New York at Old Westbury. He was the artistic director of the Richard Allen Center for Culture and Art in Manhattan.^[2]

Biography

He was born on February 2, 1936, and he had a sister, Marva Jones Brooks.^[2] A graduate of the Sorbonne, Jones studied acting in New York City.

Jones alongside Judith O'Dea in Night of the Living Dead.

His role in 1968 movie Night of the Living Dead marked the first time an African American actor was cast as the star of a horror film. He was executive director of the Black Theater Alliance, a federation of theater companies, from 1976 to 1981.^[2]

He taught acting styles at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. As executive director of the Richard Allen Center for Culture and Art (RACCA), he promoted African-American theater. After leaving the American Academy of Dramatic Arts he taught a select group of students privately in Manhattan, by invitation only. His hand-selected students were of diverse ethnic backgrounds.

He died of cardiopulmonary arrest at Winthrop-University Hospital on July 22, 1988.^[2]

Legacy

The Duane L. Jones Recital Hall at State University of New York at Old Westbury is named after him.^[2] Up until his death, he proclaimed that he had never watched any of the other "Dead" films, nor any other George Romero picture, claiming that Night of the Living Dead was "his" time.

In the zombie graphic novel The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman one of the characters is named Duane Jones as an homage.

Filmography

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1968	Night of the Living Dead	Ben
1973	Ganja and Hess	Doctor Hess Green	Also released as "Blood Couple"
1982	Losing Ground	Unknown
1984	Beat Street	Robert
1986	Vampires	Charles Harmon
1988	Negatives	Paul
	Fright House	Charles Harmon
1989	To Die For	Simon Little

External links

Biography portal

• Duane Jones at the Internet Movie Database
• Duane Jones at Find a Grave
• Reminiscences about Duane Jones

References

1. ^ "Interview: George Romero - Film director". New York Times. March 6, 2010. http://news.scotsman.com/entertainment/Interview-George-Romero--Film.6126019.jp. Retrieved 2010-12-23. "Daringly for the time, it featured a black actor, Duane Jones, in the lead, whose casual shooting by an all-white posse in the shocking climax seemed to reflect the rifts violently appearing in late-1960s American society." 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Duane L. Jones, 51, Actor and Director Of Stage Works, Dies". New York Times. July 28, 1988. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB071FF63D5E0C7B8EDDAE0894D0484D81. Retrieved 2010-12-23. "Duane L. Jones, a director and actor, died Friday in Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola, L.I. He was 51 years old and lived in Westbury, L.I. Marva Jones Brooks, Mr. Jones's sister and the City Attorney of Atlanta, said death was caused by cardiopulmonary arrest. Mr. Jones was director of the Maguire Theater at the State University College at Old Westbury and artistic director at the Richard Allen Center for Culture and Art in Manhattan." 

Persondata
Name	Jones, Duane
Alternative names	Jones, Duane L.
Short description	Actor
Date of birth	February 2, 1936
Place of birth	New York City, New York
Date of death	July 22, 1988
Place of death	Mineola, New York