Birthday

1961-05-24

Place of Birth

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Biography

Stanley V. Henson, Jr. was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and lived the first year of his life, in the Annapolis, Maryland home of Abraham and Elizabeth Carr-Smith (owners of Carr's Beach) with his parents, who rented a room in the home. Carr's Beach was the east coast mecca for black entertainers in the 50's and 60's. Among the entertainers who performed at Carr's Beach were jazz legends such as Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, and Lionel Hampton, as well as soul artists Ray Charles, James Brown, Otis Redding and Jackie Wilson. Rock 'n' Roll pioneers Fats Domino and Buddy Holly also performed at Carr's Beach. On July 21, 1956, an estimated 70,000 people traveled to Carr's Beach to hear Chuck Berry perform, although only 8,000 made it past the gates because the grounds were filled beyond capacity. By the early 1960s, the list of popular entertainers included Little Richard, Lloyd Price, Etta James, Sam Cooke, The Temptations, Aretha Franklin, The Shirelles, The Coasters, and The Drifters. Henson was smitten by the Hollywood atmosphere and inspired by an encounter with MCA/Universal Pictures CEO, Lew Wasserman on the lot. Henson's intrigue for film and television production was ignited, his discovery of the works of Oscar Micheaux, Gordon Parks, Spike Lee and Berry Gordy as a film producer struck a chord. A new friend named Sean Collinson, would again remind Henson of the genius of Clarence Avant as a businessman and an offer to introduce him again. A conversation with the late Pablo Davis (former manager of L.A. and Babyface) , the late music legend Duffy Hooks and actor/football legend Joe Theismann, also encouraged him to pursue a film career. His friend, actor and neighbor Maurice Sneed ("The Color Purple" and "Malcolm X"), actress Lettie Battle and TV producer Al Douche' taught him the craft of film production and Stanislavsky Method Acting. This period marked a crossroads where Henson's creative journey intersected with remarkable individuals, setting the stage for his continued exploration into the world of entertainment and film production. Henson's young family members, cousins, nephews, nieces, and great-nephews are actors and producers in the entertainment business. Henson's nephew Jamaal Avery has been a producer for 17 years (Sister's son) produced the hit shows "The Jersey Shore", "Martha, and Snoop", "The Steve Harvey Show", "The Real" and "Vote or miss out" and his great-nephew Jamaal Avery, Jr. has starred as a regular on the hit show "Abbott Elementary", The new Steven Spielberg film "Color Purple" (Musical adaptation) as young Harpo, The Young Jedi Adventure and his niece, Naomi Avery stars in Abbot Elementary, Brandon Avery produces "Love Island", "Shaunie's Home Court" his cousin Monica Henson (Taraji P. Henson's aunt) and Taraji P. Henson are both actors who have appeared in Henson's films. Over the last 17 years, Henson earned an advanced certificate from Yale, a Doctorate, Masters, and Bachelors from Trinity University, and an Associates Degree from Los Angeles Valley College and has written endorsements from Congresswoman Maxine Waters, RCA and Warner Bros executive Lygia Guy, the late Sid Bernstein, the late Stanley Sheinbaum, The late Dick Gregory and the late William Haley, the son of Alex Haley.