Willie Best

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William "Willie" Best (May 27, 1913 - February 27, 1962) was an American actor. Best was one of the first well-known African-American film actors, although his work, like that of Stepin Fetchit, is today reviled because he was often called upon to play stereotypically lazy, illiterate, and simple-minded Black characters in films. Best's characterization of the stereotype of the lazy Black man earned him the stage name "Sleep 'n' Eat"; indeed, many of his films bill him under this name, if they billed him at all.

[edit] Biography

Best was a native of Sunflower, Mississippi, appeared in numerous films throughout the 1930s and 1940s. He began his performing career with a traveling show in California, then became a regular character actor in Hollywood. Best was alternately loved as a great clown, then reviled, then pitied, finally virtually forgotten. Hal Roach called him one of the greatest talents he had ever met.

He died on February 27, 1962 in Hollywood, California of cancer, at age forty-eight.

[edit] Filmography

His extensive film credits include:

Deep South (1930) his film debut
Ladies of Leisure (1930) uncredited, as Elevator Operator
Feet First (1930) with Harold Lloyd, as Charcoal the Janitor (later changed to Charlie)
The Virtuous Husband (1931) as Luftus
Up Pops the Devil (1931) uncredited, as Laundryman
The Monster Walks (1932) as Exodus
Kentucky Kernels (1932) as Buckshot
West of the Pecos (1934) as Jonah
Little Miss Marker (1934) as Dizzy Memphis , with Shirley Temple
The Littlest Rebel (1935) as James Henry, also with Shirley Temple
Murder on a Honeymoon (1935) as Willie, the Porter
The Nitwits (1935) as Sleepy
The Arizonia (1935) as Pompey
Jalna (1935) as Sam, the Janitor
Hot Tip (1935) as Apollo
Annie Oakley (1935) uncredited, Second Cook
To Beat the Band (1935) uncredited, as Elevator Operator
Dog Blight (1936) as Sleepy
Muss 'em Up (1936) as Janitor
The Lady Consents (1936) as Sam
Silly Billies (1936) as Excitement
Two in Revolt (1936) as Old Eph
Murder on a Bridle Path (1936) as 'High-Pockets'
The Bride Walks Out (1936) as Smokie
The Green Pastures (1936) uncredited, as Henry, the Angel
Thank You, Jeeves! (1936) as The Sax Player
Down the Stretch (1936) as Noah
Make Way for a Lady (1936) uncredited, as William Townley
General Spanky (1936) as Henry
Night Waitress (1936) as Black Passerby
We Who Are About to Die (1937) as Airport Porter
Deep South (1937)
Criminal Lawyer (1937) as Servant at Party
Racing Lady (1937) as Brass
Breezing Home (1937) as Speed
You Can't Buy Luck (1937) as Airline Porter
Meet the Missus (1937) as Mose
Super-Sleuth (1937) as Warts
The Lady Fights Back (1937) as McTavish
Saturday's Heroes (1937) as Sam
Crashing Hollywood (1938) as Train Porter
Everybody's Doing It (1938) as Jasper Gold is Where You Find It (1938) as Joshua
Merrily We Live (1938) as George W. Jones
Goodbye Broadway (1938) as Jughead
Vivacious Lady (1938) as Train Porter
Youth Takes a Fling (1938) as George
Straight Place and Show (1938) as Hannibal
Blondie (1938) as Hotel Porter
The Saint Strikes Back (1939) as Algernon
Mr. Moto in Danger Island (1939) as Launch Pilot
Nancy Drew...Trouble Shooter (1939) as Apollo Johnson
Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation (1939) as Driver
Way Down South (1939) as Chimney Sweep
Blackmail (1939) as Bunny, the Janitor
At the Circus (1939) as Redcap
The Covered Trailer (1939) as Baltimore
Private Detective (1939) as Norton's Valet
Miracle on Main Street (1939) as Duke
The Ghost Breakers (1940) with Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard, as Alex
Money and the Woman (1940) as George Washington Jones
Who Killed Aunt Maggie? (1940) as Andrew
High Sierra (1941) with Humphrey Bogart, as Algernon
West of the Rockies (1941)
Flight from Destiny (1941) as George
Road Show (1941) as Willie
Scattergood Baines (1941) as Hipp
The Lady from Cheyenne (1941) as George
Kisses for Breakfast (1941) as Arnold
Smiling Ghost (1941) as Clarence
Minstrel Days (1941) as Singer
Nothing But the Truth (1941) as Samuel
The Body Disappears (1941) as Willie
Whispering Ghosts (1942) as Euclid White Brown
Juke Girl (1942) as Jo-Mo
Maisie Gets Her Man (1942) as Sam
A Haunting We Will Go (1942) with Laurel and Hardy, as Waiter
Buses Roar (1942) as Sunshine
Scattergood Survives a Murder (1942) as Hipp
The Powers Girl (1943) as Waiter
Cinderella Swings It (1943) as Hipp
Cabin in the Sky (1943) as Second Idea Man
Dixie (1943) as Steward
The Kansan (1943) as Bones
Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943) as Soldier
The Adventures of Mark Twain (1944) as George
Home in Indiana (1944) as Mo' Bum
The Girl Who Dared (1944) as Woodrow
Music for Millions (1944) as Red Cap
The Monster and the Ape (1944) as Flash
Hold That Blonde (1945) as Willie Shelley
Red Dragon (1945) as Chattanooga Brown
The Face of Marble (1946) as Shadrach
The Bride Wore Boots (1946) as Joe
Dangerous Money (1946) as Chattanooga Brown
Suddenly It's Spring (1947) as Porter on Train
The Red Stallion (1947) as Jackson
Half Past Midnight (1948) as Andy Jones
Jiggs and Maggie in Jackpot Jitters (1949) as Willie
High and Dizzy (1950) as Wesley
South of Caliente (1951) his final film