6 Best Jester Hairston Movies

By Vlad Zakh · August 30, 2026

Jester Hairston, celebrated as much for his choral music arrangements as his acting, brought warmth and dignity to decades of Hollywood supporting roles. Lady Sings the Blues follows Billie Holiday’s rise and decline, Pete Kelly’s Blues threatens a 1920s jazz band with a mob boss, The Last Tycoon balances a studio executive’s genius and romance, and I’m Gonna Git You Sucka avenges a brother’s death. We’re Not Married! and Sundown round out the list.

I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988)

TMDB ★ 6.2

Jester Hairston features in this blaxploitation spoof about a veteran who sets out to avenge his brother's death by taking down the crime lord terrorising his old neighbourhood.

Directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans · 1h 28m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Last Tycoon (1976)

TMDB ★ 5.8

Jester Hairston appears in this adaptation of Fitzgerald's novel about a brilliant but overworked Hollywood studio executive who struggles to balance genius, romance and industry politics.

Directed by Elia Kazan · 2h 03m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Lady Sings the Blues (1972)

TMDB ★ 6.9

Jester Hairston is in this biopic about the rise and tragic decline of jazz singer Billie Holiday, from Harlem clubs to international stardom.

Directed by Sidney J. Furie · 2h 24m · Rated R

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Pete Kelly's Blues (1955)

TMDB ★ 6.4

Jester Hairston appears in this drama about a 1920s jazz cornet player whose band is threatened by a ruthless mob boss demanding protection money.

Directed by Jack Webb · 1h 35m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

We're Not Married! (1952)

TMDB ★ 6.3

Jester Hairston is in this comedy where a clerical error invalidates several marriages at once, forcing each couple to confront their true feelings.

Directed by Edmund Goulding · 1h 26m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Sundown (1941)

TMDB ★ 6.1

Jester Hairston appears in this wartime drama about a mysterious trader whose arrival at a remote African outpost threatens to expose a dangerous arms-smuggling plot.

Directed by Henry Hathaway · 1h 30m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus, Fandor Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best Jester Hairston Movies

I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988)

The Last Tycoon (1976)

Lady Sings the Blues (1972)

Pete Kelly's Blues (1955)

We're Not Married! (1952)

Sundown (1941)

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