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Dooley Wilson
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Actor, Songwriter Born: April 3, 1886 in Tyler, TX Death: May 30, 1953 in Los Angeles, CA Biography:African-American actor/musician "Dooley Wilson" led a very popular band from 1919 through 1930, in which he soloed on the drums. He shied away from film work until 1942, when he was signed for a contract at Paramount Pictures. At the same time, Warner Bros. was looking for a black actor to play Sam, the philosophical pianist at Rick's Cafe Americain in their upcoming production "Casablanca." Wilson won out over top contender "Clarence Muse" (who'd later play Sam on a '50s TV adaptation of "Casablanca"), but his services cost Warners dearly. Though Wilson received only $500 per week, the cost Paramount imposed on Warners' for the loanout resulted in Wilson being the most expensive of "Casablanca's" supporting cast. The film represented perhaps Wilson's best movie work, a role that immortalized him to filmgoers of future years--even though he was never really able to play "As Time Goes By," and had to... Full Biography
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