Frederick O’Neal; Headed Actors’ Equity

Frederick O’Neal, the resourceful, prize-winning actor who became the first black president of Actors’ Equity, died Tuesday at age 86. A spokesman for the actors union said he died after a long illness.

Born in Mississippi, O’Neal first acted professionally in St. Louis in 1927, then moved to New York in 1936, where he made his Broadway debut in 1944 in “Anna Lucasta.” Critics named him the most promising new actor of that season.

In 1940, he had been one of the founders of the American Negro Theatre and appeared in a number of its early productions, along with Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier and other performers who rose to fame.

O’Neal served as president of Actors’ Equity Assn. from 1964 to 1973, succeeding Ralph Bellamy. O’Neal was elected president of the Associated Actors and Artists of America in 1970 and served until 1988.

O’Neal performed in “Take a Giant Step,” “House of Flowers,” “Lost in the Stars” and “Ballad for Bimshire.” His television and movie work included “Pinky,” “No Way Out” and “Something of Value.”