Her death was confirmed by her grandson… Moore, who was a founding member of the Cambridge Players along with thesps such as Esther Rolle, was honored at the Black Theater Festival in North Carolina, her grandson said. AP. Kirk E. Kelleykahn, Actor: Beautiful Destroyer. The death of Moore's character sets up the sentimental ending. Her grandson is currently president and CEO of the Cambridge group. She appeared on Broadway in 1965 in James Baldwin's play The Amen Corner and in London in a production of Raisin in the Sun. 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Ms. Moore in "Imitation of Life" with, from left, Karin Dicker, Terry Burnham and Lana Turner. Moore received a supporting actress nomination for Douglas Sirk’s “Imitation of Life,” playing the housekeeper whose daughter passes for white, in the racially themed film that was based on the Fannie Hurst novel. Juanita Moore, Oscar-Nominated Actress, Dies at 99. Looking for some great streaming picks? Moore also had an active career in the theater, starting at Los Angeles' Ebony Showcase Theatre in the early 1950s, a leading black-run theater. '”, “She gave back to the community in so many ways,” he said. Moore was only the fifth black performer to be nominated for an Oscar, receiving the nod for the glossy Douglas Sirk film that became a big hit and later gained a cult following. As with other black actresses, many of Moore's early roles were as maids. Kahn said she was still running lines with him recently, and had planned to participate in a reading at the Saban Theater in a few weeks. Kirk E. Kelleykahn is an actor, known for, Tue, Oct 20 She is survived by her grandson and two nephews. She also was a member of the celebrated Cambridge Players, with other performers including Esther Rolle and Helen Martin. Juanita Moore passed away. You wouldn't accept it. She was 99, according to Kelleykahn. THMAX (553), Juanita Moore, star of Imitation of Life, dies aged 99, Oscar-nominated actress Juanita Moore dies at 99, Filmmaking relatives of Oscar nominated actors. The Kaweckis have said they are sharing their story in the hopes that it … Her step-grandson, actor Kirk Kahn, said she was 99. on Juanita Moore, who broke barriers for African-American actors and was Oscar-nommed for 1959’s “Imitation of Life,” died Tuesday at her home in Los Angeles. Accounts of her age have differed over the years. Her step-grandson… “She said, ‘If you’re no good, the play’s no good. 10:00 PM PDT Juanita Moore, who broke barriers for African-American actors and was Oscar-nommed for 1959's "Imitation of Life," died Tuesday at her home in Los Angeles. As IMDb celebrates its 30th birthday, we have six shows to get you ready for those pivotal years of your life ... your 30s. In addition to her grandson, she is survived by two nephews. It was not immediately known whether the grandson would face any charges. And I'm sure I would.". Among Moore's other films were The Girl Can't Help It, The Singing Nun, Paternity and The Kid. The 1959 tearjerker, based on a Fannie Hurst novel and a remake of a 1934 film, tells the story of a struggling white actress' rise to stardom, her friendship with a black woman and how they team up to raise their daughters as single mothers. on © Copyright 2020 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media, LLC. 3:55 AM PDT Kirk E. Kelleykahn is an actor, known for Beautiful Destroyer (2015), Private Number (2014) and It Just Came Out. Read Next: ‘Avengers’ Cast Assembles for Joe Biden Fundraiser, ‘Totally Under Control’ Director Alex Gibney on How NDAs and Political Posturing Devastated America’s Pandemic Response, How Julie Andrews Lost a Part But Won an Oscar for ‘Mary Poppins’, Brian Wilson Disavows Trump’s Beach Boys Benefit in California (EXCLUSIVE), Beastie Boys License a Song for an Ad for First Time Ever, for Joe Biden Spot Focused on Live Music Shutdown, ‘Avengers’ Cast Assembles for Joe Biden Fundraiser, ‘The Vow’: What Happened to Keith Raniere, Allison Mack and Other Key Figures, ‘The Vow’: What the Finale’s Surprise Twist Means for Season 2, Bruce Willis Stars in Commercial for ‘Die Hard’ Car Batteries, Vishal Bhardwaj Sets up Agatha Christie Indian Film Franchise (EXCLUSIVE). © 2020 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. “She didn’t candy-coat it for you,” he said. "The Oscar prestige was fine, but I worked more before I was nominated," Moore told the Los Angeles Times in 1967. NEW YORK (AP) — Juanita Moore, a groundbreaking actress and an Academy Award nominee for her role as Lana Turner's friend in the classic weeper Imitation of Life, has died. By the end, Turner's character is a star and her friend is essentially a servant. She had seven siblings (six sisters and one brother). Her first film appearance was as a nurse in the 1949 film Pinky. They couldn't possibly ask you to do one or two days' work. Born in Los Angeles, Moore got her start in show business as a chorus girl at New York's Cotton Club, then joined the Ebony theater. Check out some of the IMDb editors' favorites movies and shows to round out your Watchlist. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Actor Kirk Kelleykahn, her grandson, said Moore collapsed and died Wednesday at her home in Los Angeles. Actress was trailblazer for African-American thesps. Her TV credits include The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Adam-12, Judging Amy and ER. The obituary was featured in Legacy on January 1, 2014. She made her film debut in 1949’s “Pinky,” and often played a maid in 1950s films such as “The Girl Can’t Help It.” In the 1960s and ’70s, she played a nun in “The Singing Nun” and appeared in films including “Uptight,” “The Mack” and “Abby.” Though she didn’t work often through the 1980s, she began appearing onscreen again in later years on TV shows such as “E.R.” and “Judging Amy” and in films such as Disney’s “The Kid.”. Juanita Moore was born in Greenwood, Mississippi, the daughter of Ella (née Dunn) and Harrison Moore. She told the Times that "real parts, not just in-and-out jobs," were opening up for black performers. "Casting directors think an Oscar nominee is suddenly in another category. Born in Los Angeles, Moore was a chorus girl at the Cotton Club who started out as a film extra, then worked in theater at the Ebony Showcase Theater. "That's why we need to bring our youngsters into the theater.". Her family moved in the Great Migration to Los Angeles, where she was raised.Moore first performed as a dancer, part of a chorus line at the Cotton Club before becoming a film extra while working in theater. It brought supporting actress nominations for both Moore and Susan Kohner, who played Moore's daughter as a young adult attempting to pass as a white woman.