Lonne Elder III (December 26, 1927 – June 11, 1996) was an American actor, playwright and screenwriter. In 1973, he and Suzanne de Passe became the first African Americans to be nominated for the Academy Award for writing. Elder was nominated for Sounder, while De Passe was nominated for the film Lady Sings the Blues.
He was the first African American to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Screenplay for the feature film Sounder (1972); he and writer William H. Armstrong shared the writing credits for this film.
2
Originated the role of "Bobo" in Lorraine Hansberry's play, "A Raisin in the Sun".
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
I'll Fly Away
1992
TV Series written by - 1 episode
Runaway
1989
TV Movie screenplay
Thou Shalt Not Kill
1982
TV Movie story / teleplay
Bustin' Loose
1981
adaptation
A Woman Called Moses
1978
TV Series written for television by - 2 episodes
Sounder, Part 2
1976
Ceremonies in Dark Old Men
1975
TV Movie play / screenplay
Toma
1973
TV Series teleplay - 1 episode
Sounder
1972
screenplay
Melinda
1972
screenplay
N.Y.P.D.
1968
TV Series written by - 1 episode
Camera Three
1955
TV Series
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Pomroy's People
1973
TV Movie
Melinda
1972
Lt. Daniels (as Lonne Elder)
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Soul!
1970
TV Series
Himself
Won Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1979
WGA Award (TV)
Writers Guild of America, USA
Anthology Adaptation
A Woman Called Moses (1978)
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1973
Oscar
Academy Awards, USA
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium