Willie Best
(1916 - 1962)Another "My Little Margie" alumni (there are four on this page) with an illustrious career was Willie Best. He was born in Sunflower, Mississippi on May 27, 1916 (some sources say 1913). He began his performing career with a traveling show in California. Unfortunately, much like his contemporary "Stepin Fetchit", he was typecast as the dimwitted, slow-speaking black man so often that he took on the name "Sleep n' Eat" for a time. This did not diminish his natural talent for comedy. He built up a fine list of film and TV credits and worked with some of the best talent including: the Marx Brothers, Bob Hope, Laurel & Hardy and Shirley Temple. He was often criticized by Black Civil Rights groups for his portrayals as were most black actors of the times. Mr. Best and his fellow black actors pioneered the way for the Morgan Freemans, Denzel Washingtons and Halle Berrys of today. He was quite handsome, tall and lanky with wide, beautiful eyes. Among his impressive film credits are: "Deep South" (1930) his film debut; "Ladies of Leisure" (1930) uncredited, as Elevator Operator; "Feet First" (1930) as Janitor; "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 and "The Littlest Rebel" (1935) as James Henry, both with Shirley Temple; "Murder on a Honeymoon" (1935) as Willie, the Porter: "The Nitwits" (1935) as Sleepy; ""The Arizonian" (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; "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, 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 & 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 and "South of Caliente" (1951) his final film. On TV he was a regular on "My Little Margie" (1952-55) as Charlie, the elevator operator; "The Stu Erwin Show" (1950-55) as Willie and "Waterfront" (1953-56) as Willie Slocum. He died on February 27, 1962 of cancer in Hollywood, California.
From Great Character Actors, Page 1.
|
