Rupert Crosse
Crosse (center) withBill Cosby andBeah Richards onThe Bill Cosby Show, 1970
Born	(1927-11-29)November 29, 1927 New York City, U.S.
Died	March 5, 1973(1973-03-05) (aged 45) Nevis,British West Indies
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Bloomfield College
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1959–1972
Spouse	Chris Calloway ​ (m. 1970⁠–⁠1973)​
Children	1
Relatives	Cab Calloway (father-in-law)

Rupert Crosse (November 29, 1927 – March 5, 1973) was an American television and film actor^[1] noted as the firstAfrican American to receive a nomination for aBest Supporting ActorAcademy Award — for his role in the 1969 adaptation ofWilliam Faulkner'sThe Reivers.^[2]

Born Robert A. Crosse, Jr. inNew York City, Crosse was raised by his grandparents inNevis after the death of his father. He returned to the United States to serve in theArmy for two years before enteringBloomfield College. Crosse later worked atBrooklyn College as a counselor.

In 1970, Crosse married singer Chris Calloway, daughter ofCab Calloway. They had one son, Rupert Osaze Dia Crosse, who was nine months old at the time of Crosse's death.^[3] Their son died in 2002 from a heart condition brought on by prior drug abuse.^[4] Calloway died ofbreast cancer in August 2008.^[5]

Crosse died March 5, 1973, oflung cancer inNevis.^[6]

After studying acting underJohn Cassavetes, Crosse appeared in two of Cassavetes' films:Shadows (for which he won aVenice Film Festival Award) andToo Late Blues (1962).^[6]

A life member ofThe Actors Studio,^[7] Crosse made numerous guest appearances on television in the decade prior to landing the role of Ned McCaslin in the 1969 filmThe Reivers, directed by and starring fellow Studio membersMark Rydell andSteve McQueen, respectively. His last onscreen role was in the sitcomThe Partners, alongsideDon Adams.^[8] Shortly before his death, Crosse was cast as Mulhall inThe Last Detail (1973), withdrawing from the role after learning he suffered from terminal cancer.^[9] He was replaced byOtis Young.

• Rupert Crosse atIMDb

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