Leroy Haynes

Leroy Haynes (1914–1986) was an expat American restaurateur and actor who resided in Paris, France. As an actor, he appeared in The Butterfly Affair, Bons Baisers de Hong Kong, and Ace High. His restaurant, Chez Haynes was a well known and iconic restaurant which would be visited by well known actors and entertainers.

Background

Leroy "Roughouse" Haynes was born Leroy Howard Milton Haynes in Clinton, Kentucky on January 7, 1914 to parents Robert Haynes and M.C. Curine Lena.[1][2] A student of the arts,[3] he was a Morehouse graduate who got his Roughouse name from his football days. While in the army he came to Europe. While stationed in Germany, he would come to Paris. In 1949, he married Gabrielle Lecarbonnier, a young French woman. Together they opened "Gabby and Haynes", and later Chez Haynes. Later he acted in movies of the gangster genre. He was also the president of the American Fellowship for a period of time.[4] In Adrian Miller's book Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time, it mentioned a newspaper saying in 1966, that his restaurant and it's down home cooking and soul food would make Haynes America's unofficial ambassador to France.[5] A definite part of Parisian African-American Culinary History, he has been honored by Electra Weston in her performances.[6]

He died in 1986. His widow Maria dos Santos kept running the restaurant for 23 years after his death.[7]

Restaurant

His soul food restaurant was opened in August 1968.[8] They would serve fried chicken and chitlins, beans and rice, mashed potatoes, and corn bread.[9] The clientele include African Americans living in Paris as well as others visiting, also white Europeans wanting to try the food.

Actor

An early film role was in 1961, in Un nommé La Rocca, which was directed by Jean Becker.[10] He then appeared in Le gorille a mordu l'archevêque in 1962.[11] His last film was in 1975, the Yvan Chiffre directed Bons Baisers de Hong Kong.[12]

Filmography

Film
Title Role Director Year Notes #
Un nommé La Rocca Racketteur Jean Becker 1961
Le gorille a mordu l'archevêque Maurice Labro 1962
The Troops in New York Le chauffeur de taxi Jean Girault 1965
Trois chambres à Manhattan Marcel Carné 1965
Tendre voyou Le cuisinier du yacht Jean Becker 1966
I quattro dell'Ave Maria Prize boxer Giuseppe Colizzi 1968
Le cri du cormoran, le soir au-dessus des jonques Boubou Michel Audiard 1971
Popsy Pop Ponchette Jean Herman 1971
Petroleum Girls Marquis Christian-Jaque, Guy Casaril 1971
L'Atlantide Bamako Jean Kerchbron 1972
L'ange de la rivière morte Big Joe Edouard Logereau 1974
Bons Baisers de Hong Kong Le gros noir Yvan Chiffre 1975

[13]

References

  1. ↑ Cinemafrodiscendente.com Haynes, Leroy
  2. ↑ Celebrity BIrthdays Leroy Haynes
  3. ↑ From Harlem to Paris: Black American Writers in France, 1840-1980 By Michel Fabre Page 165 "Making It" in Postwar France
  4. ↑ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, July 22, 2010
    "Chez Haynes": Let's not forget this soul food restaurant in the Harlem of Paris' that was a delectable piece of Black history
  5. ↑ Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time, By Adrian Miller Page 105 Chitlins
  6. ↑ Discover Paris, February 2001 Newsletter Archives, African-American Culinary History in Paris by Monique Y. Wells
  7. ↑ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, July 22, 2010
    "Chez Haynes": Let's not forget this soul food restaurant in the Harlem of Paris' that was a delectable piece of Black history
  8. ↑ Jet, 7 Aug 1969 Paris Scratchpad BY Art Simmons
  9. ↑ I Feel So Good: The Life and Times of Big Bill Broonzy, By Bob Riesman Page 192
  10. ↑ Osobnosti.cz Leroy Haynes, Filmografie
  11. ↑ UNIFRANCE French Cinema Worldwide Le Gorille a mordu l'archevêque
  12. ↑ Cinememorial BONS BAISERS DE HONG KONG
  13. ↑ Imdb Leroy Haynes (1914–1986)
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