Alice B. Russell


Alice Burton Russell was an African-American actress, producer, and the wife of director Oscar Micheaux. She appeared in several films directed by her husband.

Biography

She was born on June 30, 1889 in Maxton, North Carolina. Her parents were M. J. Russell and Robert Russell, who was a prominent newspaper editor, publisher, and politician. She had a sister, Julia Theresa Russell, who appeared in Oscar Micheaux's 1925 film Body and Soul.
Russell and Micheaux married on March 20, 1926, in Montclair, New Jersey.
She began her acting career in silent film, starring in her husband's The [Broken Violin (1928 film)|The Broken Violin]. She continued to act after talkies predominated. She was mentioned often as A. Burton Russell in credits. In the 1930s, she produced three films by her husband and worked as miscellaneous crew in two films. She was also credited as a presenter for The Betrayal. This would be the last film for her husband before his death and her final role as a feature film actress.
Living nearly 100 years, she died on the New Year's Day of 1985 in New Rochelle, New York. She was buried in an unmarked grave in Greenwood Cemetery in Rye, New York. Her gravesite is now marked with a stone honoring her achievements in the entertainment industry.

Filmography

As actress:
As producer:
As miscellaneous crew: