EUGENE OSBORNE SMITH

1927 - 2021

SMITH--Eugene Osborne "Oz", singer, actor, poet, composer, and filmmaker, died in New York City on July 19, 2021, at 94. He was the recipient of the Negro Actors Guild's Paul Robeson Protege Award, the W.C. Handy's "Star of Tomorrow" award for Best Singer/ Composer, and the Theodore Roosevelt Award for Poetry and Scholarship. He performed in and composed music for Alice Childress's Gold Through the Trees, and composed the music for Ian Hugo's award-winning Ai-Ye, which won Best Musical Score at the Venice and the Edinburgh Film Festivals. He created the role of Persil Le Noir in David Merrick's original Broadway production of Irma La Douce (directed by Peter Brook), appearing in over 800 performances and the original cast recording. He also appeared in the State Department's tour of Porgy and Bess in Europe and North America. His credits included the classical blues album The Wizardry of Oz Smith (Capitol Records) and The Eyes of Love (Argo). He wrote, produced, directed, and narrated his film Just Like You, which won a Chris Awards for Best Short Film. Osborne was born on February 14, 1927, in Miami, FL, to Osborne Smith and Olive Clark-Smith. He is survived by his wife, Loretta Rotunno, his children David O. Smith, Dr. Victoria N.O. Niklas, Megan A. J. Smith, Amanda J. Barnette, their mother, Pamela Lloyd, seven grandchildren, and the many friends and colleagues who loved this incredible man. Early in his career, he wrote: "The first step toward anything is the greatest honor a man can ever have. And the greatest honor a man can ever have is a chance to give." These words define his legacy. A memorial in New York City is planned for this coming Fall.