James Baskett
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James Baskett (February 16, 1904–July 9, 1948) was an African American actor best known for his portrayal of Uncle Remus in the 1946 Disney feature film, Song of the South for which he was given an Honorary Academy Award, making him the first male performer of African descent to receive an Oscar. (Note: Sidney Poitier is the first male performer of African descent to receive an Academy Award in a competitive acting category).
After abandoning his studies of pharmacology for financial reasons, Baskett supported himself as an actor, moving to New York City, New York and joining the company of Bill Robinson, better known as Mr. Bojangles. With his reputation secure, he moved to Los Angeles, where he joined the cast of the Amos 'n' Andy radio show as lawyer Gabby Gibson and won roles in several films, including Harlem Is Heaven (1932), and Revenge of the Zombies (1943).
In 1945, he auditioned for a bit part voicing one of the animals in the new Disney feature film Song of the South, based on the Uncle Remus stories by Joel Chandler Harris. Walt Disney himself was so impressed with Baskett's talent, that he hired him on the spot for the lead role of Uncle Remus. As such, he was the first live actor hired by Disney to appear in a feature film. Baskett was so admired by Disney that he was also given the voice role of Brer Fox, one of the film's animated protagonists, and even filled in as the other main animated protagonist, Brer Rabbit, in one sequence.
Despite his stardom, the fact that Baskett was black in a racially divided America hindered him in many ways. For example, he was unable to attend the film's premiere in Atlanta, Georgia because no hotel in the city would give him a room for the night. In 1948 however, Baskett earned an honorary Academy Award for his performance as Uncle Remus. He died a few months later of heart disease.
He is buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, Indiana.
