Leonard R. Bluett

1919 - 2016

BORN

1919

DIED

2016

Leonard Bluett Obituary

Name: Memorial service for Leonard R. Bluett
Start: 2016-01-21T19:00:00.000Z
Location: First AME Church

January 21, 1919 - January 1, 2016 Lennie passed away peacefully in Los Angeles on New Year's Day just shy of his 97th birthday. He was a musician, entertainer, and Black rights trailblazer. He was born to Mae Henrietta Jones and Fred Bluett in his grandparents' house in the Jefferson Park area of LA. In his late teens he sang at parties at Humphrey Bogart's house, where his mother was a cook for 30 years. Lennie befriended Lauren Bacall among others. He was cast in the Hepburn/Tracy movie "State of the Union" and was a singer/dancer in movies with Lena Horne and Dorothy Dandridge, to name only a few. In "Gone with the Wind" Lennie questioned Clark Gable about the outdoor potties with discriminatory signs stating either COLORED or WHITE ONLY. The signs came down. During World War II Lennie entertained troops in Hawaii. For years he sang for a major cruise line, visiting numerous cities, including a favorite, Casablanca. In Los Angeles he spent mornings at a donut shop reading the paper and enthusiastically greeting everyone. Councilman Tom LaBonge called him the "Mayor of Los Feliz." At 90 he recorded CD's, entertained locally and auditioned for acting roles, landing a speaking part at 95 in an ad aired at the Super Bowl. Lennie was a member of AFM and SAG. He was featured in the LA Times, The Sentinel, People Magazine, and Jazz Times and has videos on YouTube. Lennie is survived by a daughter Nicole Bluett and a niece Michelle Bluett. Memorial service at First AME Church, 2270 S. Harvard Blvd 90018, Jan. 21 (Thurs.), 11:00 A.M.

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Published by Los Angeles Times on Jan. 13, 2016.

Memories and Condolences
for Leonard Bluett

8 Entries

December 11, 2018

Dear Lennie,

You are surely missed. I think about you often and I miss the telephone calls and the joyous conversations we had.

Thanks for all of your thoughtfulness; the cards, People Magazine; (I truly enjoyed the article they wrote about you as one of the, First Black Actors), the DVD you sent me of some of your acting roles. I cheris it. It was great viewing the snipets of the movies.You were talented. You also did a great job during the Chrysler 100 years campaign.

I appreciate and thank Your Daughter, Nicole for the unrelenting care she provided to you to help with getting all of that information mailed out for you.

You thought the World of her and she is very deserving of it. I Thank Nicole for getting the word to me of your father passing even though I was experiencing a whirlwind of a crisis. Believe it or not I am somewhat able to begin bringing resolution to the situation now.

I love you Nicole, your father has left a great Legacy of his work and I have been sharing it with others.

You take care of yourself.
Your cousin, Margaret Bluett

Jim Wolfe

March 9, 2016

I just found out about the loss of my dear friend Lennie. I met him in Yosemite National Park many years ago, and we struck up a friendship that my wife Dee and I will always treasure. I enjoyed calling him on the phone and loved talking to him. We are blessed to know such a wonderful man.

Deborah Chiccoa

January 18, 2016

Charles and I are so very happy to have had one last visit with Lennie a couple of months ago. We sat around, had lunch and watched a few DVDs of movies he danced in. What a great dancer he was!

I've kept letters, post cards and Christmas cards he's sent over the years with updates of where he was and always something funny to say.

I've never met anyone as carefree and in good spirits at Lennie. My condolences to Nicole and Michelle. He will be missed.

January 18, 2016

Charles and I are very happy to have had one last visit with Lennie a couple of months ago. We had lunch and watched a few DVD's of movies in which he was dancing.

Over the years, I've kept all of his letters, post cards and Christmas cards with the wonderful (and funny) updates and pictures.

I've never met anyone as carefree and in good spirits as Lennie. What a wonderful life he's lived.

Our condolences to Nichole and Michelle. He will be missed.

January 18, 2016

Charles and I are happy to have had one last visit with Lennie just a couple of months ago. As always, he would recount the numerous stories surrounding his experiences. We watched a few DVDs of him dancing in movies.

I still have his letters, post cards and Christmas cards he sent throughout the years. He always had something special (and funny) to say.

I've never met anyone as carefree and in good spirits each time we spoke. What a wonderful life he's lived.

Our condolences to Nicole and Michelle. He will be missed,

Kathy (Lutz) Hauser

January 16, 2016

What a wonderful man Lenny was. He stayed with us several years back when he came to visit my mother. Wonderful stories were told to our family from my Father and Mother about Lenny and then meeting him in person and in turn him telling us stories and memories will be with us forever. He will be greatly missed by all. My thoughts and prayers go out to Nicole.
God Bless you
Kathy Hauser (Lutz)

clent bowers

January 15, 2016

To my Dear Friend Lennie,

I miss you already So happy we have been close these past few years. Thank you for making me a part of your family of friends. You are a beloved Mentor of mine, just as Dini Clarke is... He brought us together so that I could continue to be loved and find understanding as an artist. God Speed on your next adventure. Love Pancho AKA Clent

John Lutz

January 15, 2016

My condolences go out to the Bluett family. My father (Jack Lutz) was a friend of Lennie during their younger days. My father would tell me stories about Lennie, Frederick, and Boggie. I had the opportunity of meeting Lennie when he visited my mother on occasion. Lennie was one class act. RIP Lennie...

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