---
name: "Jester Hairston"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/jester-hairston"
roles: ["Music arranger"]
born: "9 July 1901"
died: "18 January 2000"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-09-20T04:45:35.518937+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Jester Hairston

Music arranger. Born 9 July 1901 in Belews Creek, North Carolina, USA. Died 18 January 2000.

## Details

- **Work:** Music arranger
- **Born:** 9 July 1901, Belews Creek, North Carolina, USA
- **Died:** 18 January 2000
- **Active:** 1960–1967
- **Also known as:** Gester Hairston, Jasper J. Hairston, Jester J. Hairston, Jester Joseph Hairston
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 4: 2 acting, 1 crew, 1 other
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jester_Hairston, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5783279, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0354377/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/192330

## Streaming the US now

- **Tubi:** [*Lilies of the Field*](https://film.one/film/lilies-of-the-field.md) (70)
- **Pluto TV:** [*The Alamo*](https://film.one/film/the-alamo.md) (50)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Jester Joseph Hairston (9 July 1901 – 18 January 2000) was an American composer, songwriter, arranger, choral conductor and actor. He was regarded as a leading expert on African-American spirituals and choral music. His compositions include the song 'Amen' from the film *Lilies of the Field* (1963) and the Christmas song 'Mary's Boy Child'.

Hairston sang with the Hall Johnson Choir and moved to Hollywood in 1936. He collaborated for thirty years with composer Dimitri Tiomkin, arranging and collecting music for films. He also acted in more than twenty films, including *The Alamo* (1960) as Jethro, *To Kill a Mockingbird* (1962) as Spence Robinson (uncredited), and *In the Heat of the Night* (1967) as Endicott's Butler. In 1939 he married Margaret Swanigan.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (4)

### Performed in (2)

- *In the Heat of the Night* (1967), Fi1m 85, as Endicott's Butler — [page](https://film.one/film/in-the-heat-of-the-night.md)
- *The Alamo* (1960), Fi1m 50, as Jethro — [page](https://film.one/film/the-alamo.md)

### Crew (1) — the average rests on these

- *Lilies of the Field* (1963), Fi1m 70, as Homer Smith (singing voice) (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/lilies-of-the-field.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *To Kill a Mockingbird* (1962), Fi1m 84, as Spence Robinson (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/to-kill-a-mockingbird.md)

## Complete filmography (37)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *John Wayne's 'The Alamo'* (1992), as Jethro
- *Family Matters* (1989), series, as William 'Skippy' Thomas
- *I'm Gonna Git You Sucka* (1988), as Pop
- *Amen* (1986), series, as Rolly Forbes
- *Green Eyes* (1977), as Dirk Dubeck
- *The Last Tycoon* (1976), as Waiter in Stahr's Office (uncredited)
- *The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings* (1976), as Furry Taylor
- *Harry O* (1974), series, Actor
- *That's My Mama* (1974), series, as Wildcat
- *Lady Sings the Blues* (1972), as The Butler
- *Nichols* (1971), series, as Melville
- *Finian's Rainbow* (1968), as Passion Pilgrim Gospeller (uncredited)
- *In the Heat of the Night* (1967), as Endicott's Butler — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/in-the-heat-of-the-night.md)
- *Lilies of the Field* (1963), as Homer Smith (singing voice) (uncredited) · Music Arranger — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/lilies-of-the-field.md)
- *To Kill a Mockingbird* (1962), as Spence Robinson (uncredited) — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/to-kill-a-mockingbird.md)
- *Summer and Smoke* (1961), as Thomas (uncredited)
- *The Alamo* (1960), as Jethro — Fi1m 50, [page](https://film.one/film/the-alamo.md)
- *Thriller* (1960), series, as Papa Benjamin
- *Raymie* (1960), as Ransom
- *Rawhide* (1959), series, as Zachariah
- *The 20th Century Fox Hour* (1955), series, Actor
- *Gunsmoke* (1955), series, as Wellington
- *Pete Kelly's Blues* (1955), as Mourner (uncredited)
- *Tarzan's Hidden Jungle* (1955), as Witch Doctor
- *Studio 57* (1954), series, Actor
- *Tanganyika* (1954), Actor
- *Gypsy Colt* (1954), as Carl
- *So This Is Love* (1953), as Preacher
- *We're Not Married!* (1952), as Lead Christmas Caroler (uncredited)
- *Yes Sir, Mr. Bones* (1951), Actor
- *Amos 'n' Andy* (1951), series, as Mr. Phillips
- *Across the Pacific* (1942), as Passerby (uncredited)
- *In This Our Life* (1942), as Black Man in Jail (uncredited)
- *The Vanishing Virginian* (1942), Music Arranger
- *Sundown* (1941), as Native Boy (uncredited)
- *Deep South* (1937), Writer
- *The Green Pastures* (1936), as Member of Hall Johnson Choir (uncredited)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/jester-hairston