Charles Olden (May 5, 1892 – September 29, 1943) was an actor on stage and screen in the United States. He had a leading role in a pair of films made with African American casts. He was also in theatrical performances with other prominent African American actors of stage and screen including

Evelyn Preer Evelyn Preer (née Jarvis; July 26, 1896 – November 17, 1932), was an African Americans, African American pioneering screen and stage actress, and jazz and blues singer in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood during the late-1910s through the ea ...

. Olden portrayed Florian Slappey in two films. The films and character were adapted in

Al Christie Charles Herbert Christie (April 13, 1882 – October 1, 1955) and Alfred Ernest Christie (November 23, 1886 – April 14, 1951) were Canadian motion picture entrepreneurs. Early life Charles Herbert Christie was born between April 13, ...

productions of Octavus Roy Cohen's "Darktown Birmingham" comedy series published in the ''

Saturday Evening Post ''The Saturday Evening Post'' is an American magazine published six times a year. It was published weekly from 1897 until 1963, and then every other week until 1969. From the 1920s to the 1960s, it was one of the most widely circulated and influ ...

''. He was part of the Ethiopian Art Theatre group in New York City. Olden won plaudits for his role in an adaptation of William Shakespeare's ''

Comedy of Errors ''The Comedy of Errors'' is one of William Shakespeare's early plays. It is his shortest and one of his most farce, farcical Shakespearean comedy, comedies, with a major part of the humour coming from slapstick and mistaken identity, in addit ...

'' and as George in an adaptation of

Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Fflahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish author, poet, and playwright. After writing in different literary styles throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular and influential playwright ...

's Salome.

Theater

*''

'' (1923), an adaptation of William Shakespeare's play *''

Salome Salome (; , related to , "peace"; ), also known as Salome III, was a Jews, Jewish princess, the daughter of Herod II and princess Herodias. She was granddaughter of Herod the Great and stepdaughter of Herod Antipas. She is known from the New T ...

'' (1923), by

, as "A Cappadocian/First Jew". Performed at the Frazee Theatre.

Lionel Monagas Lionel John Monagas (June 26, 1889 – September 3, 1945) was an American actor originally from Caracas, Venezuela. A member of the original Lafayette Players company of Harlem, he appeared in theatrical and film productions. Theatre credits ...

and

were also in the show. It was his Broadway debut. *''Runnin' Wild'' (1923), a musical comedy with music by James Johnson, lyrics by

Cecil Mack Cecil Mack (November 6, 1873 – August 1, 1944) was an American composer, lyricist and music publisher. Biography Born as Richard Cecil McPherson in Portsmouth, Virginia, he attended the Norfolk Mission College and Lincoln University in Pennsy ...

, choreographed by Lyda Webb, and book by F. E. Miller and Aubrey L. Lyles. Performed at the New Colonial Theatre. As head waiter. Cast also included Ralph Cooper and

Monte Hawley Monte Hawley (25 October 1901 – 30 November 1950) was an American actor from Chicago, Illinois. Biography He began his entertainment career as one of the original Lafayette Players. He studied under Richard B. Harrison and, after moving to N ...

Filmography

*''

The Framing of the Shrew ''The Framing of the Shrew'' is a 1929 American comedy film. It features an African American cast. It was produced by Al Christie and the story was by Octavus Roy Cohen. It was directed by Arvid E. Gillstrom. The plot depicts a husband who gets ...

'' (1929) as Florian Slappey *''

The Melancholy Dame ''The Melancholy Dame'' is a 1929 American comedy short film by an African-American cast. Al Christie based it on the Octavus Roy Cohen comedy series called "Darktown Birmingham", published in the ''Saturday Evening Post''. Arvid Gillstrom dire ...

'' (1929) as Florian Slappey

External links

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Olden, Charles 1892 births 1943 deaths 20th-century American male actors 20th-century African-American male actors