Onest Conley

Born in Evanston Illinois his mother was the pioneering AfricanAmerican film actress Madame SulTeWan née Nellie Crawford and his father was Robert Reed Conley He had two brothers Odel and Otto His father abandoned the family shortly after Conleys birth leaving his actress mother to raise the three boys Like his mother Onest Conley gravitated toward the acting profession and began taking bit parts in films His first film appearance was a minor role in the 1926 Frank Borzagedirected The Dixie Merchant a film adaptation of the Barry Benefield novel The ChickenWagon Family The film starred Jack Mulhall and Madge Bellamy Despite limitations for AfricanAmerican actors within the film industry during the 1920s and 1930s Onest Conley appeared in films during the era often typecast in stereotypical roles as natives and shoeshine boys Conley appeared alongside his brother Odel as warriors in the 1933 boxoffice hit King Kong in which their mother also appeared in an uncredited role as a native handmaiden Conley also appeared alongside his mother in the 1930 Richard Thorpedirected film The Thoroughbred as the character Ham Tolliver His most recognizable roles include George Harris in the 1933 Cecil B DeMilledirected crimedrama This Day and Age Neptune in the 1935 John S Robertsondirected romantic drama Grand Old Girl and Mose in the 1935 Sam Newfielddirected adventure film Racing Luck By the early 1940s however Conleys career faltered and he received fewer and fewer roles His last appearance as an actor was on an episode of the 1950s television series Soldiers of Fortune as a voodoo drummer From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia