Willie Best
- Birthday
- May 27, 1913
Bio: African American actor Willie Best made his screen debut in Harold Lloyd's Feet First (1930). When Best, a veteran of a travelling show, came to Hollywood, he immediately fell prey to the stereotyping of the era. Promoted as a "new Stepin Fetchit," Best was transformed into a shuffling, "Yassuh boss" character billed as "Sleep 'N' Eat." Studio press releases of the… More Bio: African American actor Willie Best made his screen debut in Harold Lloyd's Feet First (1930). When Best, a veteran of a travelling show, came to Hollywood, he immediately fell prey to the stereotyping of the era. Promoted as a "new Stepin Fetchit," Best was transformed into a shuffling, "Yassuh boss" character billed as "Sleep 'N' Eat." Studio press releases of the 1930s made outrageous claims that not only did Best enjoy humiliating himself in "darkie" roles, but that the only compensation he wanted for his screen work was three square meals a day and a warm place to sleep. Despite the demeaning nature of his roles, Best performed them with consummate skill and razor sharp comic timing. Bob Hope, who worked with Best in The Ghost Breakers (1940) and Nothing But the Truth (1941), once referred to Willie as "the finest actor I knew." In the 1950s, Willie Best was a fixture at the Hal Roach Studios, playing supporting roles in such Roach-produced TV series as My Little Margie, The Stu Erwin Show and Mark Saber. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Most Popular
Filmography
-
World Of Comedy (1962)
- Actor
-
South of Caliente (1951)
- Willie
-
The Red Stallion (1947)
- Jackson
-
The Bride Wore Boots (1946)
- Joe
-
Dangerous Money (1946)
- Chattanooga
- See all 42 films
Willie Best Videos
High Sierra
3 minutes 40 seconds
The Littlest Rebel
2 minutes 33 seconds
The Adventures Of Mark Twain
30 seconds
Juke Girl
30 seconds
I Take This Woman
30 seconds
Born Today
- Hyun-kyoon Lee (33 years old)
- Reiko Ike (60 years old)
- Frank Oz (69 years old)
- Kunal Khemu (30 years old)
- Kick Gurry (35 years old)
- Lauryn Hill (38 years old)
- Anne Heche (44 years old)
- Demetri Martin (40 years old)
- Karan Johar (41 years old)
- Satsuki Yukino (43 years old)
- Juri Ueno (27 years old)
- Mike Myers (50 years old)
- Ethan Suplee (37 years old)
- Cillian Murphy (37 years old)
- Corbin Allred (34 years old)
- Neil Marshall (43 years old)
- Patti D'Arbanville (62 years old)
- Molly Sims (40 years old)
- Connie Sellecca (58 years old)
- Claude Akins (87 years old)
- Bill Robinson (135 years old)
- Ian McKellen (74 years old)
- Jamie Kennedy (43 years old)
- Kevin Heffernan (45 years old)
- See more (24)
