Laurence Criner

Acting

Laurence Criner

Known for

Acting

Credits

23 titles

In his time was considered one of the most popular Black actors of stage and screen from the 1920s to the early 1950s starring in close to 30 films. He started his career as one of the members of the famed acting group The Lafayette Players. In 1926, he first starred in independently produced silent productions "The Flying Ace" and "Black Gold." In 1927, he starred in legendary Black film-maker Oscar Micheaux's "The Millionaire" and then in 1928 co-starred on Broadway in the hit "Meek Mose." In the late 1930's to the early 1940's, Lawrence became a leading man of "race films," starring in 12 films produced by Hollywood's first Black studio, Million Dollar Productions, and his leading ladies …

Known for

The Jackie Robinson Story poster
6.3

Biography of Jackie Robinson, the first black major league baseball player in the 20th century. Traces his career in the negro leagues and the major leagues.

The Jackie Robinson Story

1950

Black Moon poster
5.5

Juanita returns to her childhood home on the fictional Caribbean island of San Christopher, accompanied by her husband Stephen, their daughter Nancy, and Stephen's secretary Gail. Traumatized and influenced by voodoo exposure from her past, Juanita becomes drawn into local rituals and is elevated by the islanders to the status of a voodoo goddess.

Black Moon

1934

King of the Zombies poster
5.2

During World War II, a small plane somewhere over the Caribbean runs low on fuel and is blown off course by a storm. Guided by a faint radio signal, they crash-land on an island. The passenger, his manservant and the pilot take refuge in a mansion owned by a doctor. The quick-witted yet easily-frightened manservant soon becomes convinced the mansion is haunted by zombies and ghosts.

King of the Zombies

1941

The Gang's All Here poster
5.4

Two friends take jobs as truck drivers, unaware that the trucking company is being targeted by a gang of saboteurs who will stop at nothing, including murder, to stop them.

The Gang's All Here

1941

The Flying Ace poster
6.1

A veteran World War I fighter pilot returns home a war hero and immediately regains his former job as a railroad company detective. His first case: recover a stolen satchel filled with $25,000 of company payroll, locate a missing employee, and capture a gang of railroad thieves.

The Flying Ace

1926

Law of the Jungle poster
5.6

Nona Brooks, former member of a stranded theatrical troupe, earns a temporary living singing in a café in Duakwa, British Rhodesia, Africa. The café owner is secretly in league with two foreign agents with a goal of making the natives restless. American explorer Larry Mason leaves for the jungle with his servant, Jeff and a safari. Nona escapes the café into the jungle but is followed by the agents as, unknowing to her, she is carrying a report of the agent's activities. She joins the safari just as all hands are captured by a tribe of natives

Law of the Jungle

1942

Film credits

1940s · 13 titles

King of the Zombies poster
5.2

During World War II, a small plane somewhere over the Caribbean runs low on fuel and is blown off course by a storm. Guided by a faint radio signal, they crash-land on an island. The passenger, his manservant and the pilot take refuge in a mansion owned by a doctor. The quick-witted yet easily-frightened manservant soon becomes convinced the mansion is haunted by zombies and ghosts.

King of the Zombies

1941

The Gang's All Here poster
5.4

Two friends take jobs as truck drivers, unaware that the trucking company is being targeted by a gang of saboteurs who will stop at nothing, including murder, to stop them.

The Gang's All Here

1941

Law of the Jungle poster
5.6

Nona Brooks, former member of a stranded theatrical troupe, earns a temporary living singing in a café in Duakwa, British Rhodesia, Africa. The café owner is secretly in league with two foreign agents with a goal of making the natives restless. American explorer Larry Mason leaves for the jungle with his servant, Jeff and a safari. Nona escapes the café into the jungle but is followed by the agents as, unknowing to her, she is carrying a report of the agent's activities. She joins the safari just as all hands are captured by a tribe of natives

Law of the Jungle

1942

What a Guy poster
7.0

Mantan Moreland's comedy feature.

What a Guy

1948

Gang War poster
6.3

Two mobs fight for control of the jukebox racket.

Gang War

1940

Miracle in Harlem poster
7.5

A crooked real estate tycoon tricks a trusting young woman out of her small candy store. When he is found dead, the girl is suspected of the crime.

Miracle in Harlem

1948

Up Jumped the Devil poster
10.0

Two ne'er-do-wells, Washington and Jefferson, just out of prison are looking for jobs so they won't get arrested for vagrancy. They find out that the wealthy Mrs. Brown is looking to hire a butler and a maid, and Jefferson talks Washington into dressing up as a woman so they can get both jobs. They get the jobs, but they soon run into Bad News Johnson, a crook they met in prison. They find out that Johnson is planning to pull a con on Mrs. Brown and he wants them to go in on it with him. Complications ensue.

Up Jumped the Devil

1941

Mr. Smith Goes Ghost poster
7.0

Mr. Smith Goes Ghost

Mr. Smith Goes Ghost

1940

Am I Guilty? poster
9.0

A young black doctor sets out to establish a free clinic in Harlem.

Am I Guilty?

1940

Freckles Comes Home poster
5.8

Freckles Winslow comes home from college and the sheriff accuses him of murder, gangsters put him on the spot, and his girl friend, Jane, falls in love with a confidence man.

Freckles Comes Home

1942

Four Shall Die poster
8.0

Helen Fielding, heir to the fortunes of the late millionaire Roger Fielding, Sr., has broken off her relationship with the unscrupulous Lew Covey to pursue a romance with reporter Bill Summers. Covey, determined to get at Helen's inheritance, vows to win her back.

Four Shall Die

1940

Pigmeat's Laugh Hepcats poster
NR

Pigmeat's Laugh Hepcats

Pigmeat's Laugh Hepcats

1947

While Thousands Cheer poster
7.0

Kenny Harrington, the star football player of Gilmore College, leads his team to many victories, raising hopes that Gilmore will play in the "Peach Bowl," the championship playoffs of the Western conference. Unknown to Kenny, Downey, the head of a gambling syndicate, has placed a $100,000 bet against the Gilmore team.

While Thousands Cheer

1940

1930s · 6 titles