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Moments in Black History – Black Actor
Fall, 1975:
African-American actors such as Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Will Smith, and Jamie Fox have made enormous contributions to the world of Hollywood cinema. They have accounted for numerous awards and starred in some of Hollywood's biggest blockbusters. However, their achievements would not exist had it not been for those great African-American pioneers of Hollywood before them. One of those great pioneers of cinema was a man named Curtis Evans. Although his name may not be recognizable to some, many remember him as the most deserving actor to never win an Academy Award: Curtis Evans was the first Black guy not killed first in a horror movie.
Before conquering Hollywood, Evans had starred in several made-for-television films throughout an often rocky acting career, including the after-school specials "Gimme my G.E.D." and "Who stole her purse?" Throughout his career, Evans normally played bit parts of janitors, drug dealers, ex-cons, or athletes. In the fall of 1975, however, he was offered a bit part in a Hollywood horror film as a young college student---most importantly, attending a predominately white university where he would not be a burglar or foreign exchange student from Africa.
"I was excited, even though there was no actual script, other than some stuff written on napkins and notebook paper, so I really didn't have anything to study. Besides, in my past experiences, the director would just tell me to act black, like say 'What's up?' or act mad when someone said something racial, and the other actors do all the acting. In fact, my agent told me this would be a quick job."
Similar to other Hollywood low budget films, "Co-Ed Blood Bath 2" featured no name actors, plenty of gore, a splash of nudity, little plot, little story, and a psychotic killer with a chainsaw. Several unknown actors were cast---none more than Curtis Evans.
"I didn't even know who he was until that day," admits Randy Henderson, who played the campus jock on the film. "But that day, wow, he simply stole the show. If you remember just one thing from 'Co-Ed', it would definitely be his presence on screen. Wow - he was brilliant."
The day Henderson recalls was the day that changed the face of Hollywood cinema for African-Americans everywhere.
On September ninth, shooting began for "Co-Ed Blood Bath 2". Director Tom Gordan set the first scene and gave his direction to the actors, including Evans, who was late to the set that day due to CPT. The scene would take place on the campus courtyard where the killer would emerge from the library and kill Evans' character who was spying on a cheerleader practice from the woods. "The scene would be rather quick with the killer offing Evans, and then attacking and ripping off a cheerleader's blouse....or two," said Gordan.
Instead, cinematic magic occurred when Gordan yelled action. He and the crew were completely shocked.
"Well, I was just watching those cheerleaders and getting into character when all the sudden I heard a chainsaw coming towards me,” recalled Evans. “Sh*t, my black ass took off! I was out!" Going from zero to sixty in seconds, Evans ran three miles without looking back or breaking stride.
Meanwhile, director Gordan, handcuffed by budget restraints, did not stop the scene. Instead the actors continued as the chainsaw maniac killed the next person in the scene, the blonde bombshell cheerleader Heidi Fields who was actually scheduled for a shower scene later that day. "It was just movie magic," said Gordan. "Curtis took off running. Completely out of the shot. His reaction was priceless. The fear, the honesty, the vulnerability. It was magic. Believe it or not, ten times better than any nude shower scene. Oscar quality."
Twenty minutes later after being chased by a grip driving a golf cart, Evans returned to the set, still visibly shaken. When he stepped onto the set, he was greeted with cheers and a standing ovation from the entire cast and crew. "They said my reaction was the best they'd ever seen. At first I was still a little nervous since I'd ruined the scene, but when Tom [the director] stood amongst the group cheering, I knew it was all good."
Great job indeed. As a reward, Evans was given additional scenes and eventually a script in a Trapper Keeper with lines.
During filming the next few weeks, Evans reacted in the same fashion on three occasions, thus postponing his cinematic death. "Sh*t, I was scared," reiterated Evans. Eventually, his character was killed by drinking a toxic soda during the final scenes.
Although Evans and "Co-Ed Blood Bath 2" were snubbed by Academy Award voters the next year, Hollywood took notice of their quiet accomplishments.
"He [Evans] was good, but we, as a society, just weren't ready," admitted an Academy chairman on "60 Minutes".
The Academy of Arts may have silenced Curtis Evans, but history did not as African-Americans, following in Evans' footsteps, have thrived in cinema. Today, more than seven Black actors can proclaim they were not killed first in a major Hollywood feature.
Finally, justice for all.
This is a Moment in Black History.
"I wasn't going to be one of those people who died wondering what if I would keep putting my dreams to the test - even though it meant living with uncertainty and fear of failure. This is the shadowland of hope, and anyone with a dream must learn to live there." Alex Haley
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