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Melvin Van Peebles

Melvin Van Peebles

Actor, writer, director, composer, producer and editor · Died September 21, 2021, aged 89 · Chicago, Illinois, USA

Melvin Van Peebles (born Melvin Peebles; August 21, 1932 – September 21, 2021) was an American actor, filmmaker, writer, and composer. His feature film debut, The Story of a Three-Day Pass (1967), was based on his own French-language novel La Permission and was shot in France, as it was difficult for a black American director to get work at the time. The film won an award at the San Francisco International Film Festival which gained him the interest of Hollywood studios, leading to his American feature debut Watermelon Man, in 1970. Eschewing further overtures from Hollywood, he used the successes he had so far to bankroll his work as an independent filmmaker. In 1971, he released his best-known work, creating and starring in the film Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, which led to the creation of the blaxploitation genre. although critic Roger Ebert did not consider this example of Van Peebles' work to be an exploitation film. He followed this up with the musical, Don't Play Us Cheap, based on his own stage play, and continued to make films, write novels and stage plays in English and in French through the next several decades; his final films include the French-language film Le Conte du ventre plein (2000) and the absurdist film Confessionsofa Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha (2008). His son, filmmaker and actor Mario Van Peebles, appeared in several of his works and portrayed him in the 2003 biographical film Baadasssss!.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 21, 1932
Died
September 21, 2021 (aged 89)
From
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Works as
Actor, writer, director, composer, producer and editor
Titles
28 on MovieCove · 54 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 156 days to Oct 27Down 41% in 30 days

What are Melvin Van Peebles' films like?

Across their 21 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Society and Self.

Genres

Comedy6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 40th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 49th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Documentary4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 27th percentile
: browse their Action movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Society
26%
Self
23%
Power
16%
Morality
13%
Bonds
13%
Ideas
5%
Survival
3%
Community7 titles, browse their movies with this themeOppression4 titles, browse their movies with this themePrejudice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom3 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 20 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 10 · Serious 6 · Dark 4

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 12 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 4

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 6 · Charged 10 · Intense 4

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 7 · Shifting 10 · Whiplash 3

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 8 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 5

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 7 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 7 · Engaged 12 · Full focus 1

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 13 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

3 analyzed roles
Hero
1 of 3
Threshold guardian
1 of 3
Mentor
1 of 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
14
Absurd
6
Contemplative
6
Hopeful
6
Melancholic
5
Other
20

How their films linger

Thought-provoking8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteInfuriating3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet12
  • Ambiguous4

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Melvin Van Peebles' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 19 of their 28 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (9).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Melvin Van Peebles' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

54 credits, 28 with a MovieCove page; 19 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Armed(2018)

    as Grandpa V.

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Peeples(2013)

    as Grandpa Peeples

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Redemption Road(2010)

    as Elmo

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Infiltrating Hollywood: The Rise and Fall of the Spook Who Sat by the Door (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Actor

  • Confessions of a Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Director · Writer · as Melvin Van Peebles

  • Blackout (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as George

  • Hard Luck(2006)

    as Hospital Prophet

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • SMUT (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Elmoore

  • How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (and Enjoy It)(2005)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Baadasssss!(2003)

    Book

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The Hebrew Hammer(2003)

    as Sweetback

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Real Deal: What It Is (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Director · as Self

  • Girlfriends(2000)

    Show 2 episodes · as Kenneth Daly

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Bellyful (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Director · Composer · Executive Producer · Novel · Writer

  • Love Kills (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Able

  • Classified X (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Writer · as Self

  • Riot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Vernon

  • The Shining(1997)

    Show 2 episodes · as Richard Hallorann

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all shows

  • Calm at Sunset(1996)

    as Mr. Bucket

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Gang in Blue(1996)

    Director · Producer · as Andre Speier

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Tales of Erotica (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Director · Writer

  • Panther(1995)

    Novel · Producer · Screenplay · as Old Jail Bird

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Fist of the North Star(1995)

    as Asher

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • The Outer Limits(1995)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Vrooom Vrooom Vroooom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Director · Composer · Editor · Producer · Writer

  • Terminal Velocity(1994)

    as Noble

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Living Single(1993)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • Posse(1993)

    as Papa Joe

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Homicide: Life on the Street(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Bennett Jackson

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Boomerang(1992)

    as Editor

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Satchmo: The Life of Louis Armstrong (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Louis Armstrong (voice)

  • True Identity(1991)

    as Taxi Driver

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Dream On (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Norman Green

  • Identity Crisis (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Director · Editor · Producer · as The Inspector

  • 976-STUD (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Director

  • Sonny Spoon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 15 episodes · Actor

  • Taking Care of Terrific (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Hawk

  • Jaws: The Revenge(1987)

    as Mr. Witherspoon

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • O.C. and Stiggs(1985)

    as Wino Bob

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • The Day They Came to Arrest the Book (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Writer

  • America (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Man Interviewed

  • CBS Schoolbreak Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 36 episodes · Writer

  • The Sophisticated Gents (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 3 episodes · Teleplay · as Walter 'Moon' Porter

  • Greased Lightning(1977)

    Screenplay · Writer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Just an Old Sweet Song (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Writer

  • Don't Play Us Cheap(1972)

    Director · Composer · Editor · Producer · Screenplay · Songs · Theatre Play

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song(1971)

    Director · Composer · Editor · Producer · Screenplay · as Sweetback

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Watermelon Man(1970)

    Director · Composer · as Sign Painter (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Slogan(1969)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • The Story of a Three Day Pass(1967)

    Director · Composer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • 500 Francs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Director · Composer · Writer

  • Sunlight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Director · Actor

  • Three Pick-Up Men for Herrick (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Director · Writer

  • Hallmark Hall of Fame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Bucket

Career shape

Star power in the 90th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 54 titles from 1951 to 2018; peak year 1994.

Biggest box office

Terminal Velocity (1994)

$16M worldwide

Highest rated

The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 (2011)

Midcredits 94th

Most popular right now

The Shining (1997)

Film career

19512018

Peak 1994 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting37 of 54: 29 only acting, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score34thDirecting16 of 54: 3 only directing, 13 with another role · typical Midcredits score56thWriting18 of 54: 7 only writing, 11 with another role · typical Midcredits score56thProducing6 of 54: 0 only producing, 6 with another roleMusic7 of 54: 0 only music, 7 with another roleEditing4 of 54: 0 only editing, 4 with another roleOther crew1 of 54: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

54 titles, 15 with more than one role — acting and writing overlap on 4 of them.

By decade

1950s3 · 2 acting · 2 crew1960s3 · crew1970s5 · 2 acting · 5 crew1980s10 · 7 acting · 5 crew1990s19 · 15 acting · 6 crew2000s10 · 7 acting · 4 crew2010s4 · acting

Billing

usually 14th · top billed in 9% of 11 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Melvin Van Peebles' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 37th percentile, the median of all 23; across their 20 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 43rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

43rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 20

Approval · how many liked their films

42ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 20

Reach · how many have seen their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 20

Midcredits score across 28 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th11
  • Below 25th7

Shape of the crowd

18 of their 28 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser5
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed18

Most divisive · director, writer, producer, composer, editor

Don't Play Us Cheap (1972)

90th percentile spread · 45% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer

Baadasssss! (2003)

Midcredits 83rd · 76% liked

Reviewers score the acting 66/100 in their films, across 15 reviewed titles; fans 74, detractors 42. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Melvin Van Peebles' work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Sex & Nudity6 titles19–78 · median 56 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Melvin Van Peebles work with?

People who share at least 2 of Melvin Van Peebles' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Mario Van Peebles shares the most, 6.

Directors

Actors

Cinematographers

Mixed roles