William Greaves

Known for: Directing
Born: October 8, 1926, New York City, New York, USA
Died: August 25, 2014
Movies: 50

William Greaves (October 8, 1926 – August 25, 2014) was a documentary filmmaker and a pioneer of African-American filmmaking. He produced more than two hundred documentary films, and wrote and directed more than half of these. Greaves garnered many accolades for his work, including four Emmy nominations, one of which he won for his work as executive producer on the African-American news program Black Journal.

Description above from the Wikipedia article William Greaves, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Upcoming William Greaves Movies

Once Upon a Time in Harlem

2026

October 16, 2026

Best-Known Movies

6.9

Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One

1968

5.9

Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take 2½

2005

6.6

Lost Boundaries

1949

5.2

Sepia Cinderella

1947

7.5

Miracle in Harlem

1948

7.0

Souls of Sin

1949

8.0

Nationtime: Gary

1972

8.0

The Fight Never Ends

1948

7.0

Discovering William Greaves

2006

7.0

The First World Festival of Negro Arts

1966

Filmography

2026	Once Upon a Time in Harlem	Self (archival footage)
2017	The Man Who Built Cambodia	Self
2007	Our Paul: Remembering Paul Robeson	Self
2006	Discovering William Greaves	Self
2005	Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take 2½	Self
1989	That's Black Entertainment	Host/Narrator
1986	Black Power in America: Myth or Reality?	Narrator/Interviewer
1968	Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One	Self - Director
1966	The First World Festival of Negro Arts	Narrator
1949	Souls of Sin	Isaiah 'Alabama' Lee
1949	Lost Boundaries	Arthur 'Art' Cooper
1948	Miracle in Harlem	Bert Hallam
1948	The Fight Never Ends
1947	Sepia Cinderella	Patron

Directing, Writing & Producing

2026	Once Upon a Time in Harlem	Director
2005	Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take 2½	Director, Writer, Producer
2001	Ralph Bunche: An American Odyssey	Writer, Producer, Director
1989	Ida B. Wells: A Passion for Justice	Producer, Director, Writer
1989	That's Black Entertainment	Director
1988	The Deep North	Director, Producer
1988	The Best of Black Journal	Director
1986	Black Power in America: Myth or Reality?	Director, Writer, Producer
1985	Frederick Douglass: An American Life	Producer, Director, Writer
1984	Fighter for Freedom: The Frederick Douglass Story	Director, Producer, Screenplay
1982	Booker T. Washington: The Life and the Legacy	Writer, Producer, Director
1981	Space For Women	Director, Producer, Writer
1979	Where Dreams Come True	Director
1976	Just Doin’ It (A Tale of Two Barbershops)	Producer, Writer, Director
1975	The Marijuana Affair	Director, Producer, Writer
1974	From These Roots	Director
1974	The Fighters	Producer, Director
1974	Whose Standard English?	Director
1974	The Fight	Director
1972	Nationtime: Gary	Producer, Writer, Director
1972	On Merit	Director
1971	Voice of La Raza	Writer, Producer, Director
1970	Black Journal: 26; Alice Coltrane	Producer
1970	Black Journal: 23; New-Ark	Producer
1969	Black Journal: 18	Director
1969	Black Journal: 9	Director
1969	In the Company of Men	Director
1968	Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One	Director, Writer, Producer
1968	Still A Brother: Inside the Negro Middle Class	Director, Producer
1966	The First World Festival of Negro Arts	Director, Producer, Writer
1964	Wealth of a Nation	Director, Producer, Writer
1960	Four Religions	Director
1959	Emergency Ward	Director
1959	High Arctic	Writer
1958	Smoke and Weather	Producer, Writer, Director
1957	Putting It Straight	Director

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