Editing Bill Duke (section)

==Early life and education==
Duke was born in [[Poughkeepsie, New York]], the son of Ethel Louise (''[[Maiden and married names|née]]'' Douglas) and William Henry Duke Sr.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/23/Bill-Duke.html|title=Bill Duke Biography (1943–)|work=filmreference.com|access-date=August 18, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800019247/bio|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060430190208/http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800019247/bio |url-status=dead |title=Bill Duke Biography – Yahoo! Movies<!-- Bot generated title -->|archive-date=April 30, 2006}}</ref> He attended Franklin D. Roosevelt High School in [[Hyde Park, New York|Hyde Park]]<ref name="thomas">{{cite news |last1=Thomas |first1=Nick |title=Bill Duke recounts steps to success |url=https://eu.thespectrum.com/story/entertainment/2018/11/16/bill-duke-recounts-steps-success/1903983002/ |access-date=December 19, 2019 |publisher=The Spectrum |date=November 16, 2018}}</ref> and later received his first instruction in the performing arts and in creative writing at [[Dutchess Community College]] in Poughkeepsie.<ref name="thomas"/> Duke worked menial jobs seven days a week to cover his living expenses and intended to halt his education until Dr. James Hall, the first president of DCC, gave Duke a personal check to cover room, board and books for his next three years at [[Boston University]], where (Duke) had secured an academic-based scholarship, intending to pursue medical school after graduation, to please his parents. He later switched to English Education and then instruction in dance and drama for the completion of his [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]]<ref name="thomas"/>

After graduating, Duke went on to study at [[New York University]]'s [[Tisch School of the Arts]].<ref name="thomas"/> Unable to secure enough acting work, he pan-handled, as well as shop-lifted groceries.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}} He did, however, appear on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] in the 1971 [[Melvin Van Peebles]] musical ''[[Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death]]''.<ref name="simonson">{{cite news |last1=Simonson |first1=Robert |title=Death Lives as Harlem Revival of Van Peebles Work Begins Sept. 29 |url=http://www.playbill.com/article/death-lives-as-harlem-revival-of-van-peebles-work-begins-sept-29-com-122174 |access-date=December 18, 2019 |publisher=Playbill |date=September 29, 2004}}</ref> With acting roles dried up, Duke next attended [[AFI Conservatory]] to study filmmaking.{{citation needed|date=September 2022}}