American singer, actor, producer, and activist who was a key figure in the folk music scene of the 1950s and was also involved in various social causes, notably the civil rights movement.
He served in the U.S. Navy in the mid-1940s and studied drama at Erwin Piscator’s Dramatic Workshop, where a singing role led to nightclub engagements and a recording contract as a pop singer.
He then became a folk singer, learning songs at the Library of Congress’s American folk song archives. He sang Caribbean folk songs as well, in nightclubs and theatres; his handsome appearance added to his appeal as a frequent performer on television variety programs. He initiated a fad for calypso music and became known as the King of Calypso and also made a Broadway debut; winning a Tony award for his performance. He also starred in films and a TV special, earning an Emmy. In the 1960s he became the first African American television producer.