The Black Film Center/Archive
John West Collection
Biographical Note
John West was born June 21, 1970 in Chicago, Illinois. After graduating
from Paul Robeson High School in Chicago, Mr. West attended Alabama A&M
University and became a professional football player, playing one year
in the NFL with the Los Angeles Raiders, as well as stints in the Canadian
Football League with the Ottawa Rough Riders and the Shreveport Pirates.
Following his sports career, Mr. West decided to go into show business,
landing his first acting job in 1997 as a bailiff on the popular sitcom
“Martin.” He also had a recurring role on the police drama
“New York Undercover.”
Despite having no formal education in film production, in 2000 Mr. West
wrote, directed and starred in the film Bar-Be-Q, which played
theatrically in the South and Chicago. Mr. West currently resides in Los
Angeles.
Scope and Content Note
The bulk of this collection contains material related to the 2000 film
Bar-Be-Q, written and directed by John West. The collection includes
a 35mm print of the film, as well as the screenplay, a VHS cassette of
several television interviews with West at the time of the film’s
release, and an assortment of promotional materials and newspaper clippings
pertaining to the film.
Date of Donation
January 2005
Inventory List:
Bar-Be-Q (2000)
Series: 35mm film
-35mm print of film (6 reels)
Series: Promotional Material
-VHS cassette with two local television interviews from time of film’s
release (app. 30 min.)
-VHS sleeve for film
-screenplay with cast list and script breakdown
-poster reproduction (from laser printer)
-promotional postcard
-photograph of West standing in front of Bar-Be-Q poster
-signed poster (11x17) – laser printer – “To Indiana
U.”
-photograph – Tupac Shakur’s pastor, Akeni (radio personality,
Afeni Shakur (Tupac Shakur’s mother, and John West at film screening
Series: Newspaper Clippings
-various unattributed Xeroxed newspaper clippings
Series: Miscellaneous material
-To Have and to Hold (year unknown) DVD – 6 copies (1
with general collection)
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