The character of Chicken George Moore in the iconic 1977 miniseries Roots left an indelible mark on television history. His journey from slave to freeman encapsulated the heartbreaking tragedy and triumphant spirit of the African American experience. But who exactly brought this pivotal character to life? Let’s take a look at the talented actors who stepped into Chicken George’s shoes across Roots’ various adaptations.
Ben Vereen Rules the Roost in the Original Series
In the 1977 miniseries that started it all, the plum role of Chicken George went to none other than the versatile entertainer Ben Vereen. With his song and dance background on Broadway, Vereen brought a magnetic energy to the character. Chicken George’s flair for theatrics and gift of gab made him a natural born performer, and Vereen captured that perfectly.
Over the course of 3 episodes, Vereen took Chicken George on a poignant emotional journey From the cocky young man reveling in his fighting bird talents to the mature family man fighting for his freedom, Vereen’s emotional range shone through His tearful reunion with his mother Kizzy after decades apart never fails to pull at the heartstrings. For his powerful performance, Vereen received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
Ave Long Steps in for the Sequel
When NBC aired the sequel miniseries Roots: The Next Generations in 1979, a new actor was tapped for the later years of Chicken George. Ave Long took over the role of older Chicken George from Ben Vereen, depicting him as a free man starting over with his family after the Civil War.
A relative newcomer at the time Long brought a weathered grit and quiet dignity to elder Chicken George. Now a husband, father, and grandfather this version of the character grappled with building a new life and carrying on the family legacy. Just like Vereen, Long earned an Emmy nomination for his portrayal of Chicken George.
Rege-Jean Page Brings Youthful Vigor to the 2016 Remake
For the 2016 remake of Roots airing on the History Channel, producers cast Rege-Jean Page as the young Chicken George. This British actor was fresh off breaking out on the Shondaland series For the People.
Page captured Chicken George’s cockiness and magnetic energy in his fighting game heyday. But he also movingly showed the character’s journey to mature wisdom after experiencing crushing betrayal. Though the remake itself received mixed reviews, Page’s youthful and nuanced take on Chicken George was a highlight.
Three Talented Actors Leave Their Mark
While each actor made the role his own, Ben Vereen, Ave Long, and Rege-Jean Page all tapped into Chicken George’s essence – his wit, intelligence, fallibility, and enduring spirit Their collective performances have allowed Chicken George to become an iconic and unforgettable character representing generations of African American history.
Through the excellent acting in Roots’ various incarnations, Chicken George lives on as a powerful symbol of hardship endured and hope passing from one generation to the next. He exemplifies the resiliency and determination of the human spirit – qualities that speak far beyond any one character.
History[]
George was born into slavery in the winter of 1806 in Caswell, North Carolina to Kizzy and her master, Tom Lea, who named him “George” after his first slave, George. He was conceived when his mother was repeatedly raped by her new master after her arrival on the Lea Plantation from Virginia. Even though her son was born because of rape, Kizzy still loved and raised George.
At age 12, Lea moved George out of his mothers cabin to live at the gamecock pen where Uncle Mingo lives and trains fighting roosters for the master. Around age 14 or 15, George started to travel with Moore and Mingo, where he won in his first cockfight. At age 18, Lea promotes George as the new head trainer for cock fighting as he sees Georges potential to bring him wealth and fame. Uncle Mingo gives George a black derby hat with rooster feathers that would later became his trademark along with the green scarf. He earns the nickname “Chicken George” for his colorful, flamboyant personality and his amazing cock-fighting skills.
Although he was a ladies man, he met his future wife Matilda, a strong faithful Christian slave woman who once preached the gospel at freed blacks which scared them off where they were partying. They married and have eight children, including Tom and Lewis Murray.
Chicken George Years[]
Now a successful and number one cock fighter of Caswell County, Chicken George travelled across the southern states of America with Tom Lea, winning most, although he was conned out of money from cockfights. Due to Georges amazing skills in cockfighting, he and Master Moore became best friends.
One day, after winning a match in cockfights, George had a conversation with former slave about freedom, the latter told George that being free is better than anything. On their way back home, Chicken George driving & Massa Lea sleeping in the back of the wagon, they were confronted by three aristocrats. They asked George if he knows about a slave named Nat Turner and threatened to kill him if he does, George replied he didnt know anything about Turners rebellion. He was luckily saved by his master, whom the aristocrats insulted for being drunk. When they came back to the plantation, Mrs Moore, scared and paranoid, fired shots at George (one of them hits George in the right arm) after she thought he killed her husband. Kizzy warns Chicken George that he cant trust Massa Lea as his friend because he is a “toubob.” George tells Kizzy that Massa Lea is his friend. However Lea bursts into Georges family cabin with a shotgun threatening the family that if he sees any rebellion from the slaves, he will shoot them, He then orders them to retrieve everything to the Big House. This caused George to figure a way to buy freedom for his family and himself. Things went back to normal after Nat Turner was caught and hanged. George and Matilda discovered a dead remnant of Turner, Matilda asked George why the dead remnant is smiling.
Small untruth here, slavery was ruled to be unlawful in England as far back as 1706 (Smith v. Browne & Cooper) so could not be sent back to England aged 27. On his way to visit Tom Lea, Squire James sees Chicken George and his wife Matilda picking cotton. James tells George that he and Sir Eric Russell issued a challenge to Tom Lea in cockfighting and he also says that he would buy George to train other cock fighters and would free him and his family in five years, however Master Moore refused Squire James to buy George, which infuriates Chicken George making him understand that his mother was right about never to trust a crooked white man like Master Moore. Angered and betrayed by Tom Lea for denying any chance of freedom, George went back to the woods and picked up a gun from the dead remnant to kill Tom Moore, but Kizzy prevented him by revealing that Tom Lea was his father. Later, George confronted his father, saying how could Moore deny him, his own child, of his chance of being free. Master Moore replies that he has twenty children besides George in different counties by slave black women whom the master raped during his/their trips. When George told Moore that he wasnt fighting his chickens anymore, Master Moore threatens George that he would sell Georges son, Tom, or Matilda which gives George no choice but to continue cockfighting for Master Moore.
Before their match (which would be their last match together) against Squire James and Sir Eric Russell, Master Moore promises George that he would give him his freedom if they win their match against Sir Russell. Back on good terms with Tom Lea, their chickens fight Sir Russells chickens. During break, Tom Lea bet $20k against Sir Russell, Russell accepts, however one of Tom Leas chickens loses to Russells chicken. Tom Lea lends Chicken George to Sir Russell in order to pay the debts. Before he heads off to England to train other cock fighters, George encourages his family to stay strong and told the story of the African, known as Kunta Kinte, his grandfather. George would train other cock fighters for Sir Russell and after over 20 years of servitude to Sir Russell, Russell sends George back to America.
In 1861, Chicken George, aged 54, returned to the Moore Plantation only to find out that his family (except Kizzy) were sold off to Sam Harveys Plantation in Alamance County, North Carolina. George found one of his slave friends sitting in the grass, he asked her where his family was and she told him she knew where his mother was, and took him to a grave. George visited Massa Lea for one last time, he was stunned that his father had become a lonely, drunken, desperate man. Tom Lea told George that his mother, Kizzy, had passed away last spring. Chicken George reminded the master about the promise Tom Moore made of Georges freedom. Although Master Moore promised George that the latter would get his emancipation paper once he returned, he pretended that he never made a promise to his son. Then Massa Lea tried to persuade George to stay and help his daddy in fighting chickens again, George then replied that he didnt have a daddy. After the conversation, Tom Lea kept his words and gave the emancipation paper to George, making George the first member of the Kinte family to become a free man. After George received his emancipation paper, he left the Moore Plantation in search of his family. Chicken George reunites his family, however, due to a law that if any free man stays sixty days in a slave state, he or she will become a slave again. George circumvents this and pretends to be a giant black chicken once sixty days have passed to stay with his family. This allowed George to share the family tradition oral history with his son, Tom Harvey, about himself, his mother Kizzy, and his grandfather, the African, Kunta Kinte. After the Civil War and slavery ended in 1865, Chicken George reunited his family and told them about a new place in Tennessee that he settled, for them to live. Chicken George and his family devised a plan to scare Evan Brent who has been terrorizing the family since slavery ended. When they had Evan tied to a tree and Tom almost whipped him, George told Brent that if he tries to threaten his family again, George would kill him. Before they leave, his wife Matilda reminisced that all the sufferings and their lives in different plantations through slavery, it was never their home. George and the family leave North Carolina to start a new life at Henning, Tennessee. During their trip, Matilda told her husband that his mother, Kizzy and his grandfather, Kunta Kinte, are smiling above from the heavens.
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FAQ
What happened to Chicken George from Roots?
His wife Matilda died in 1883 after an argument between her son, Tom and his daughter Elizabeth.. George became depressed and embittered after his wife’s death. Chicken George was badly burned by fire in an accident and died shortly after, in 1890.
Who played Chicken George in Root?
Ben Vereen: Chicken George Moore.
Where is Chicken George buried?
How is Alex Haley related to Chicken George?
Roots author Alex Haley discusses his great-great-great grandfather, Chicken George, and his twelve-year search for his family roots with assembled …