Egbert Austin Williams was one of the first black superstars of entertainment, not only was he funny and a strong singer, but he had abilities as a mime that made his work different from anyone else. In 1915 he was given authority to produce, write, direct, and star in two Biograph films, A Natural Born Gambler (1916) and Fish (1916), making him the first Black-American to have full control and produce his own films for a general audience. As a recording artist his signature number was 'Nobody', with words written by Alex Rogers.
