<P> Warfield was also accomplished in acting and poetry recitation . He played the character De Lawd in a celebrated Hallmark Hall of Fame television production of The Green Pastures , a role he played twice on live TV ( both versions survive as kinescopes ) . He appeared in two Hollywood films , including a star - making performance as Joe in Metro - Goldwyn - Mayer 's 1951 Technicolor remake of Show Boat . His other film was an overlooked item called `` Old Explorers '' , starring James Whitmore and José Ferrer . In a nod to `` Show Boat '' , Warfield played a cameo role as a tugboat captain . Footage of Warfield in `` Show Boat '' has been included in several TV shows and / or films , notably That 's Entertainment ! . Warfield played his Show Boat role in two other productions of the musical -- the 1966 Lincoln Center production , and a 1972 production in Vienna . He sang Ol ' Man River in three different record albums of the show -- the 1951 motion picture soundtrack album on MGM Records , a 1962 studio album featuring Barbara Cook and John Raitt on Columbia Masterworks , and the RCA Victor album made from the Lincoln Center production . </P>
<P> Warfield was also accomplished in acting and poetry recitation . He played the character De Lawd in a celebrated Hallmark Hall of Fame television production of The Green Pastures , a role he played twice on live TV ( both versions survive as kinescopes ) . He appeared in two Hollywood films , including a star - making performance as Joe in Metro - Goldwyn - Mayer 's 1951 Technicolor remake of Show Boat . His other film was an overlooked item called `` Old Explorers '' , starring James Whitmore and José Ferrer . In a nod to `` Show Boat '' , Warfield played a cameo role as a tugboat captain . Footage of Warfield in `` Show Boat '' has been included in several TV shows and / or films , notably That 's Entertainment ! . Warfield played his Show Boat role in two other productions of the musical -- the 1966 Lincoln Center production , and a 1972 production in Vienna . He sang Ol ' Man River in three different record albums of the show -- the 1951 motion picture soundtrack album on MGM Records , a 1962 studio album featuring Barbara Cook and John Raitt on Columbia Masterworks , and the RCA Victor album made from the Lincoln Center production . </P>
who sang ol man river in showboat 1951
who sang ol man river in showboat 1951
Warfield
Warfield