Arthur "Dooley" Wilson (April 3, 1886 – May 30, 1953) was an American actor, singer and musician who is best remembered for his portrayal of Sam in the 1942 film Casablanca. In that romantic drama, he performs its theme song "As Time Goes By".
Wilson was a drummer and singer[1] who led his own band in the 1920s, touring nightclubs in London and Paris. In the 1930s he took up acting, playing supporting roles onstage on Broadway and in a series of modest films. His role in Casablanca was by far his most prominent, but his other films included My Favorite Blonde (1942) with Bob Hope, Stormy Weather (1943) with Lena Horne and the Nicholas Brothers, and the Western Passage West (1951).[2][3]
Arthur Wilson was born in Tyler, Texas,[3] the youngest of five children. At age seven, the year of his father's death, he began to earn a living by performing in churches in Tyler. When he was eight years old he was earning $18 a week, singing and playing in tent shows. By 1908 he was in Chicago in the repertory company of the Pekin Theatre, the first legitimate black theatre in the United States. By then he had earned the nickname "Dooley", for his whiteface impersonation of an Irishman singing a song called "Mr. Dooley".[4]: 142–143
Wilson as Fat Joe in the Federal Theatre Project revival of Eugene O'Neill's The Long Voyage Home, comprised in the production One-Act Plays of the Sea (1937)
Part of the emerging African American theatre scene, Wilson worked with the Anita Bush company in New York City in 1914 and with Charles Gilpin's stock company at the Lafayette Theatre in Harlem in 1915.[4]: 143 He performed in James Reese Europe's band, and after World War I he toured Europe with his own band, The Red Devils, throughout the 1920s.[3]
Working in the U.S. again during the Great Depression, Wilson starred in Conjur' Man Dies (1936) and other plays for the Federal Theatre Project's Negro Theatre Unit, then under the direction of John Houseman. His breakthrough role came in 1940, with his portrayal of Little Joe in the Broadway musical Cabin in the Sky. This won him a contract with Paramount Pictures in Hollywood. He found himself playing Pullman porters while his stage role in the MGM film adaptation of Cabin in the Sky was played by Eddie "Rochester" Anderson.[4]: 143–144
Casablanca
Wilson as the nightclub singer Sam in Casablanca (1942)
In May 1942, Warner Bros. was casting its production of Casablanca and borrowed Wilson from Paramount Pictures for seven weeks at $500 a week. Per the studio custom of the day, Wilson received his contract salary, $350 per week, and Paramount kept the balance.[4]: 144
Wilson was cast in the role of Sam, a singer and pianist employed by nightclub owner Rick (Humphrey Bogart). Wilson performs the Herman Hupfeld song "As Time Goes By", a continuing musical and emotional motif throughout the film. According to Aljean Harmetz, Variety singled out Wilson for the effectiveness of the song, and The Hollywood Reporter said he created "something joyous". The phrase "Play it again, Sam", commonly believed to be a quote from the film, is never heard in Casablanca. The line was, "Play it, once, Sam." In the film, Wilson as Sam performs several other songs for the cafe audience: "It Had To Be You", "Shine", "Knock on Wood", "Avalon" and "Parlez-moi d'amour".[5]
Wilson was a singer and drummer, but not a pianist. The piano music for the film was played off-screen, either by Elliot Carpenter or Jean Plummer, and dubbed.[6]
Later life and career
Wilson was cast in the film version of Stormy Weather (1943), as Gabe Tucker, the best friend of Bill Williamson (Bill "Bojangles" Robinson). It was the second all-black cast motion picture made by a major studio in the 1940s, after Cabin in the Sky.[7]
Back on Broadway, Wilson played Pompey, an escaped slave, in the musical Bloomer Girl (1944–46).[8] His performance of the song "The Eagle and Me" in this show was selected by Dwight Blocker Bowers for inclusion in a Smithsonian recordings compilation, American Musical Theatre.[9] Later, Wilson played the role of Bill Jackson on the televisionsituation comedyBeulah during its 1951–52 season.[10] Wilson was on the executive board of the Negro Actors Guild of America.[3]
Death and legacy
Wilson died May 30, 1953 of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles. He had become ill two years earlier while performing in a New York stage production of Harvey.[11][12] He is buried at the Rosedale Cemetery in Los Angeles.[13] He was survived by his wife, Estelle (née Williams).[14][15]
In January 2017, Wilson's hometown of Tyler, Texas dedicated a memorial marker to him on its Half Mile of History.[16]
^"Obituaries: Dooley Wilson". Variety. June 10, 1953. p. 83. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
^Otfinoski, Steven (May 14, 2014). African Americans in the Performing Arts. Checkmark Books. pp. 244–245. ISBN978-0816078387. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
^ abcdeCharles, John. "Biography for Dooley Wilson". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
^"Casablanca (1942) Soundtrack and Complete List of Songs". What-song. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
^Wallace, Robert. "Who Played It Again, Sam? The Three Pianists of 'Casablanca'". American Federation of Musicians; Local 47. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrs"Dooley Wilson". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
^Schildcrout, Jordan (September 4, 2019). In the Long Run: A Cultural History of Broadway's Hit Plays. Routledge. ISBN978-0429560392. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
^"Dooley Wilson (1886–1953)". Find a Grave. October 26, 2001. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
^Rea, E. B. (April 17, 1943). "Dooley Wilson, Newest Star to Rise in Film Skies, Gets Eighth Good Role". The Afro American. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
^Harper, Faith (January 10, 2017). "Dooley Wilson, actor known as Sam in Casablanca, honored with downtown marker". Tyler Morning Telegraph. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
dooley, wilson, arthur, dooley, wilson, april, 1886, 1953, american, actor, singer, musician, best, remembered, portrayal, 1942, film, casablanca, that, romantic, drama, performs, theme, song, time, goes, wilson, 1945bornarthur, wilson, 1886, april, 1886tyler,. Arthur Dooley Wilson April 3 1886 May 30 1953 was an American actor singer and musician who is best remembered for his portrayal of Sam in the 1942 film Casablanca In that romantic drama he performs its theme song As Time Goes By Dooley WilsonWilson in 1945BornArthur Wilson 1886 04 03 April 3 1886Tyler Texas U S DiedMay 30 1953 1953 05 30 aged 67 Los Angeles California U S Resting placeAngelus Rosedale CemeteryOccupationsActor singer musicianYears active1893 1952Spouse s Estelle Williams m 19 his death 1953 Wilson was a drummer and singer 1 who led his own band in the 1920s touring nightclubs in London and Paris In the 1930s he took up acting playing supporting roles onstage on Broadway and in a series of modest films His role in Casablanca was by far his most prominent but his other films included My Favorite Blonde 1942 with Bob Hope Stormy Weather 1943 with Lena Horne and the Nicholas Brothers and the Western Passage West 1951 2 3 Contents 1 Early life and career 2 Casablanca 3 Later life and career 4 Death and legacy 5 Filmography 6 References 7 External linksEarly life and career Edit Wilson starring in the Federal Theatre Project production of The Show Off 1937 Arthur Wilson was born in Tyler Texas 3 the youngest of five children At age seven the year of his father s death he began to earn a living by performing in churches in Tyler When he was eight years old he was earning 18 a week singing and playing in tent shows By 1908 he was in Chicago in the repertory company of the Pekin Theatre the first legitimate black theatre in the United States By then he had earned the nickname Dooley for his whiteface impersonation of an Irishman singing a song called Mr Dooley 4 142 143 Wilson as Fat Joe in the Federal Theatre Project revival of Eugene O Neill s The Long Voyage Home comprised in the production One Act Plays of the Sea 1937 Part of the emerging African American theatre scene Wilson worked with the Anita Bush company in New York City in 1914 and with Charles Gilpin s stock company at the Lafayette Theatre in Harlem in 1915 4 143 He performed in James Reese Europe s band and after World War I he toured Europe with his own band The Red Devils throughout the 1920s 3 Wilson as Androcles in the Federal Theatre Project production of Androcles and the Lion 1938 Working in the U S again during the Great Depression Wilson starred in Conjur Man Dies 1936 and other plays for the Federal Theatre Project s Negro Theatre Unit then under the direction of John Houseman His breakthrough role came in 1940 with his portrayal of Little Joe in the Broadway musical Cabin in the Sky This won him a contract with Paramount Pictures in Hollywood He found himself playing Pullman porters while his stage role in the MGM film adaptation of Cabin in the Sky was played by Eddie Rochester Anderson 4 143 144 Casablanca Edit Wilson as the nightclub singer Sam in Casablanca 1942 In May 1942 Warner Bros was casting its production of Casablanca and borrowed Wilson from Paramount Pictures for seven weeks at 500 a week Per the studio custom of the day Wilson received his contract salary 350 per week and Paramount kept the balance 4 144 Wilson was cast in the role of Sam a singer and pianist employed by nightclub owner Rick Humphrey Bogart Wilson performs the Herman Hupfeld song As Time Goes By a continuing musical and emotional motif throughout the film According to Aljean Harmetz Variety singled out Wilson for the effectiveness of the song and The Hollywood Reporter said he created something joyous The phrase Play it again Sam commonly believed to be a quote from the film is never heard in Casablanca The line was Play it once Sam In the film Wilson as Sam performs several other songs for the cafe audience It Had To Be You Shine Knock on Wood Avalon and Parlez moi d amour 5 Wilson was a singer and drummer but not a pianist The piano music for the film was played off screen either by Elliot Carpenter or Jean Plummer and dubbed 6 Later life and career EditWilson was cast in the film version of Stormy Weather 1943 as Gabe Tucker the best friend of Bill Williamson Bill Bojangles Robinson It was the second all black cast motion picture made by a major studio in the 1940s after Cabin in the Sky 7 Margaret Douglass Wilson and Joan McCracken in the Broadway musical Bloomer Girl 1944 Back on Broadway Wilson played Pompey an escaped slave in the musical Bloomer Girl 1944 46 8 His performance of the song The Eagle and Me in this show was selected by Dwight Blocker Bowers for inclusion in a Smithsonian recordings compilation American Musical Theatre 9 Later Wilson played the role of Bill Jackson on the television situation comedy Beulah during its 1951 52 season 10 Wilson was on the executive board of the Negro Actors Guild of America 3 Death and legacy EditWilson died May 30 1953 of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles He had become ill two years earlier while performing in a New York stage production of Harvey 11 12 He is buried at the Rosedale Cemetery in Los Angeles 13 He was survived by his wife Estelle nee Williams 14 15 In January 2017 Wilson s hometown of Tyler Texas dedicated a memorial marker to him on its Half Mile of History 16 Filmography EditYear Title Role Sources1939 Keep Punching Baron Skinner 3 17 1942 My Favorite Blonde Porter 7 1942 Take a Letter Darling Moses 7 1942 Night in New Orleans Shadrach Jones 7 1942 Cairo Hector 7 1942 Casablanca Sam 7 1943 Two Tickets to London Accordionist 7 1943 Stormy Weather Gabe Tucker 7 1943 Higher and Higher Oscar 7 1944 Seven Days Ashore Jason 7 1948 Triple Threat Porter Offscreen credit 7 1948 Racing Luck Abe 7 1949 Knock on Any Door Piano player Offscreen credit 7 1949 Come to the Stable Anthony James 7 1949 Free for All Aristotle 7 1949 Tell It to the Judge Pullman porter Offscreen credit 7 1950 No Man of Her Own Dining car waiter Offscreen credit 7 1950 Father Is a Bachelor Blue Offscreen credit 7 1951 Passage West Rainbow 7 1951 1952 Beulah Bill Jackson TV series 10 References Edit Obituaries Dooley Wilson Variety June 10 1953 p 83 Retrieved December 26 2020 Otfinoski Steven May 14 2014 African Americans in the Performing Arts Checkmark Books pp 244 245 ISBN 978 0816078387 Retrieved December 26 2020 a b c d e Charles John Biography for Dooley Wilson Turner Classic Movies Retrieved November 5 2017 a b c d Harmetz Aljean November 26 1992 Round Up the Usual Suspects The Making of Casablanca Bogart Bergman and World War II New York Hyperion p 144 ISBN 978 1562829414 Casablanca 1942 Soundtrack and Complete List of Songs What song Retrieved November 5 2017 Wallace Robert Who Played It Again Sam The Three Pianists of Casablanca American Federation of Musicians Local 47 Retrieved December 26 2020 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Dooley Wilson AFI Catalog of Feature Films Retrieved February 25 2018 Bloomer Girl Internet Broadway Database Retrieved February 25 2018 Bowers Dwight Blocker ed American Musical Theatre Shows Songs and Stars Smithsonian Collection of Recordings Washington D C 1989 a b Brooks Tim Marsh Earle October 12 1988 The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946 Present 4th ed New York Ballantine Books p 77 ISBN 978 0345356109 Actor Dooley Wilson Dies at Age of 67 Yuma Sun United Press International June 1 1953 p 5 Schildcrout Jordan September 4 2019 In the Long Run A Cultural History of Broadway s Hit Plays Routledge ISBN 978 0429560392 Retrieved December 26 2020 Dooley Wilson 1886 1953 Find a Grave October 26 2001 Retrieved December 26 2020 Hardman Peggy June 15 2010 Arthur Dooley Wilson Handbook of Texas Online Texas State Historical Association Retrieved February 25 2018 Rea E B April 17 1943 Dooley Wilson Newest Star to Rise in Film Skies Gets Eighth Good Role The Afro American Retrieved February 25 2018 Harper Faith January 10 2017 Dooley Wilson actor known as Sam in Casablanca honored with downtown marker Tyler Morning Telegraph Retrieved December 26 2020 Keep Punching AFI Catalog of Feature Films Retrieved February 25 2018 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dooley Wilson Biography portalDooley Wilson at IMDb Dooley Wilson at AllMovie Dooley Wilson at the TCM Movie Database Dooley Wilson at the British Film Institute Dooley Wilson at the Internet Broadway Database Dooley Wilson at Find a Grave Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dooley Wilson amp oldid 1128163922, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
