Blue Washington

Blue Washington was born on February 12 1898 in Los Angeles California as Edgar Hughes Washington He was an actor known for There It Is 1928 Beggars of Life 1928 and Haunted Gold 1932 He was married to Marion Lenán He died on September 15 1970 at Mira Loma Hospital in Lancaster California He was laid to rest at Evergreen Memorial Park in Los Angeles His son Kenny Washington was buried beside him in 1971 Edgar Blue Washington was also a ballplayer in the Negro League for the Los Angeles White Sox and briefly the Kansas City Monarchs He was a childhood friend of Frank Capra and appeared as John Waynes sidekick in Haunted Gold 1932 but it wasnt always clear he was headed for Hollywood  He played professional baseball in the 1910s and 1920s for two of the most glamorous African American teams in existence and for a time it must have seemed obvious that this was his vocation  In the end he chose a different path  It certainly wasnt easier Hollywood at that time was only marginally more accepting of black contributions than the white major leagues  The nickname Blue came from Frank Capra one of his best pals in the ethnically diverse surroundings of Lincoln Heights Los Angeles