Honoring Black Hollywood Legends by telling stories that matter.

Cambridge Players shines a light on African American stories, creating productions, plays, and documentaries for diverse audiences.

A Star Without A Star: The Untold Story of Juanita Moore

This award-winning documentary follows a group of unknowns as they unravel why a legendary actress, Juanita Moore, had no star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Juanita Moore began her stage career dancing in the chorus of numerous shows ranging from the thriving nightclubs of Harlem in the 1930’s to the London Palladium and the Moulin Rouge in Paris at the age of 17.the 1980’s, Moore became a founding member of The Cambridge Players (named for actor-director Edmund J. Cambridge) which also included Esther Rolle, Helen Martin, Lynn Hamilton and Royce Wallace, with supporting players, Isabel Sanford, Maya Angelou and Beah Richards.

Juanita Moore began her stage career dancing in the chorus of numerous shows ranging from the thriving nightclubs of Harlem in the 1930’s to the London Palladium and the Moulin Rouge in Paris at the age of 17, where she was back chorus dancer of Josephine Baker.

Returning home to Los Angeles, because of the untimely death of her mother, she took a job working in a chicken restaurant frequented by Marlon Brando, Burt Lancaster and Gary Cooper who became her friend, she took acting classes with numerous soon-to-be-famous actors (including Norma Jean Baker -"Marilyn Monroe", Jessica Tandy and so many). she would share her lunch with Norma Jean as the other students were not kind to Norma Jean. Juanita's most famous role was as housekeeper Annie Johnson in the 1959 remake of Imitation of Life. Moore's portrayal of the broken-hearted Annie, whose daughter Sarah Jane (Susan Kohner) passes for white won her a nomination for an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Laurel Awards for "Best Supporting Actress". She is the fourth Black Actress to be nominated for an Academy Award in any category, and the third in the Supporting Actress category. She joined the Black-founded Ebony Showcase Theatre with founder Nick Stewart "Lightnin" on "Amos and Andy" Fame" and performed with them for decades. In the 1980’s, Moore became a founding member of the Cambridge Players (named for actor-director Edmund J. Cambridge) which also included Esther Rolle, Helen Martin, Lynn Hamilton and Royce Wallace, with supporting players, Isabel Sanford, Maya Angelou and Beah Richards. The legacy continues today under the stewardship of CEO-President Kirk E. Kelleykahn and Artistic Director Lynn Hamilton with the award winning "Cambridge Players".

About Juanita Moore

Tune In

Please tune in to the 2026 NAACP IMAGE AWARDS on February 28, 2026 as A Star Without A Star is nominated for Outstanding Documentary (Television)