It is with great sadness that we share news of the passing of a family patriarch, Charles Weldon. His smile lit up the room and brightened up all of our lives. It was so contagious. We hear his song. His heart so strong with all the love he gave to his children, his grandchildren and his dear friends. He had a commitment to the Arts and he was cherished and adored by many for his hard work as an actor in the theater and movies. Well done is the only way to describe his life. He was born on June 1, 1940 in Wetumka, Oklahoma to Beatrice and Roosevelt Weldon. The Weldon family relocated to Bakersfield, California in 1944 . He attended Bakersfield schools while working in nearby cotton fields until the age of seventeen, when he joined the local doo-wop group, The Paradons.
After the success of their 1960 hit single, “Diamonds and Pearls,” The Paradons dissolved, and Weldon went on to perform with the soul group, Blues For Sale, before discovering his love of acting. His sister Ann introduced him to the theater group Dialogue Black/White and playwright Oscar Brown, Jr. After appearing in the musical Hair at the Geary Theater in San Francisco, California, Weldon accepted Brown’s invitation to perform in Buck White, appearing alongside Muhammad Ali in his only Broadway appearance. In 1970, Weldon joined the Negro Ensemble Company and performed in Joseph Walker’s Ododo. In 1973, he starred in Paul Carter Harrison’s The Great MacDaddy and played Skeeter in Joseph Walker’s The River Niger. Weldon reprised the role in the 1976 film adap