Willie Best
Acting
William “Willie” Best (May 27, 1916 - February 27, 1962), sometimes known as “Sleep n' Eat,” was an American television and film actor. Best was one of the first African-American film actors and comedians to become well known. In the 21st century, his work, like that of Stepin Fetchit, is sometimes reviled because he was often called upon to play stereotypically lazy, illiterate, and/or simple-minded characters in films. Of the 124 films he appeared in, he received screen credit in at least 77, an unusual feat for an African-American bit player. Willie Best appeared in more than one hundred…
Filmography
80
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
2004
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
1976
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975
Harold Lloyd's World of Comedy
1962
Waterfront
1954
Meet the O'Briens
1954
My Little Margie
1952
Ellis in Freedomland
1952
South of Caliente
1951
Racket Squad
1951
The Stu Erwin Show
1950
The Shanghai Chest
1948
Half Past Midnight
1948
The Red Stallion
1947
Suddenly It's Spring
1947
Dangerous Money
1946
The Bride Wore Boots
1946
The Face of Marble
1946
She Wouldn't Say Yes
1945
Hold That Blonde!
1945
The Red Dragon
1945
Pillow to Post
1945
The Monster and the Ape
1945
Music for Millions
1944
The Mark of the Whistler
1944
The Girl Who Dared
1944
The Adventures of Mark Twain
1944
Home in Indiana
1944
Thank Your Lucky Stars
1943
The Kansan
1943
Dixie
1943
Cabin in the Sky
1943
Cinderella Swings It
1943
The Powers Girl
1943
The Hidden Hand
1942
Scattergood Survives a Murder
1942
Busses Roar
1942
A-Haunting We Will Go
1942
Maisie Gets Her Man
1942
Juke Girl
1942
Whispering Ghosts
1942
The Body Disappears
1941
Breakdowns of 1941
1941
Nothing but the Truth
1941
The Smiling Ghost
1941
Minstrel Days
Minstrel Days
1941
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company "B"
1941
Highway West
1941
Kisses for Breakfast
1941
The Lady from Cheyenne
1941
Scattergood Baines
1941
Road Show
1941
Flight from Destiny
1941
High Sierra
1941
Who Killed Aunt Maggie?
1940
Money and the Woman
1940
The Ghost Breakers
1940
Blondie on a Budget
1940
I Take This Woman
1940
Slightly Honorable
1939
Private Detective
1939
The Covered Trailer
1939
Blondie Brings Up Baby
1939
At the Circus
1939
Blackmail
1939
Way Down South
1939
Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation
1939
Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter
1939
Mr. Moto in Danger Island
1939
The Saint Strikes Back
1939
Blondie
1938
Spring Madness
1938
Straight, Place and Show
1938
Youth Takes a Fling
1938
I'm from the City
1938
Vivacious Lady
1938
Goodbye Broadway
1938
Merrily We Live
1938
Gold Is Where You Find It
1938
Everybody's Doing It
1938