Gordon Heath
(1918 - 1991) U.S.A.
African American actor and folk singer
Born in New York, he first came to prominence with his critically acclaimed appearance in the Bradway play Deep Are the Roots (1945). In 1947 Heath went to London's West End with the production and received more critical acclaim. Deciding to stay in Europe, Heath enjoyed popularity in Britain and France.
From the late 1940s, Heath lived in Paris with his lover, Lee Payant. For many years the two men ran a popular Left Bank café called "L'Abbaye". One of their friends, Leslie Schenk, remembers:
In 1949 Gordon's partner Lee Payant joined him in Paris. They'd been having a relationship in America for seven years. Lee was a wonderful guy. A sweetheart. He gave up his life for Gordon. They had a great deal of love for each other and they both liked Paris. It was such an exciting place in those days and, when it came to race and your private life, you were left completely alone. So Gordon taught Lee a few chords and songs, and they stayed in Paris, singing duets in L'Abbaye, a "club" they eventually took over. It became an institution.
...
As for his acting career, here were very few roles worthy of his attention and that is why he eventually became a theatre director in Paris, doing American plays by people like Arthur Miller.
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Gordon and Payant were together for a very long time, over twenty years. But when Lee died in 1976, it was a terrible blow for Gordon. In fact he decided he couldn't continue with L'Abbaye.
Heath died in Paris from an Aids-related illness.
Excerpts from: Aldrich R. & Wotherspoon G., Who's Who in Contemporary Gay and Lesbian History, from WWII to Present Day, Routledge, London, 2001
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