Bell was born in Lexington Kentucky. Prior to his Hollywood career, Bell worked as a chauffeur. He costarred with comedian Larry Semon in several of his silent comedies, notably Wizard of Oz as Snowball, Rastus, and the Cowardly Lion. During the 1930s, Bell regularly appeared in the Mickey McCuire Film Series. He briefly ran an acting troup in Harlem. Bell died from complications from stomach surgery on August 18, 1935.
That paragraph is what one would read if they googled Spencer Bell. They would see just a simple list of movies he played in and the years he was born and died. No where does it say this man is a comedian worth noting. No where does it say that all the action movies and funny movies that have black actors as main characters wouldn't exist without this one man.
It's like the saying, "one vote can make a difference". Bell voted on himself, that he could achieve his dream. Maybe he was never able to achieve it fully because of the time period and all the racism, and he didn't live to see the difference that he made. He died without ever knowing that he made a lot of future young men's dreams come true.
That paragraph is what one would read if they googled Spencer Bell. They would see just a simple list of movies he played in and the years he was born and died. No where does it say this man is a comedian worth noting. No where does it say that all the action movies and funny movies that have black actors as main characters wouldn't exist without this one man.
It's like the saying, "one vote can make a difference". Bell voted on himself, that he could achieve his dream. Maybe he was never able to achieve it fully because of the time period and all the racism, and he didn't live to see the difference that he made. He died without ever knowing that he made a lot of future young men's dreams come true.