Herb Jeffries
Date of Birth
Herb Jeffries was an actor and singer who starred in several early black western films as a singing cowboy dubbed "the Bronze Buckaroo."
Born Umberto Alejandro Ballentino in Detroit, Michigan, he was the son of a white mother and a father who at different times was reported to be of mixed Ethiopian, Portuguese, Sicilian, American Indian and Moorish roots. Although light-skinned, he chose not to try to "pass" as white, and instead identifed as black.
Herb Jeffries was an actor and singer who starred in several early black western films as a singing cowboy dubbed "the Bronze Buckaroo."
Born Umberto Alejandro Ballentino in Detroit, Michigan, he was the son of a white mother and a father who at different times was reported to be of mixed Ethiopian, Portuguese, Sicilian, American Indian and Moorish roots. Although light-skinned, he chose not to try to "pass" as white, and instead identifed as black.
He got his start as a singer in the 1930, collaborating with Earl Hines and his orchestra. In 1937 he starred in the film Harlem on the Prairie, which spawned a number of sequels. By 1940, he was singing with Duke Ellington's orchestra and in 1941 he had a hit single, “Flamingo,” which sold more than 14 million copies.
After a period of time in Europe he returned to the U.S. and continued to sing and act.
He also worked in television, with roles on such programs as I Dream of Jeannie, The Name of the Game, The Virginian, Where's Huddles?, Hawaii Five-O and The Cherokee Kid.
Jeffries died May 25, 2014, in Woodland Hills, California.
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