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 films of the 1930s and 1940s. Although several sources state that for years he was billed only as “Sleep n' Eat,” Best received credit under this moniker instead of his real name in only six movies: his first film as a bit player (Harold Lloyd's Feet First) and in Up Pops the Devil (1931), The Monster Walks (1932), Kentucky Kernels and West of the Pecos (both 1934), and Murder on a Honeymoon (1935). Best was first loved as a great clown, then later in the 20th century reviled and pitied, before being forgotten in the history of film. Hal Roach called him one of the greatest talents he had ever met. Comedian Bob Hope similarly acclaimed him as “the best actor I know,” while the two were working together in 1940 on The Ghost Breakers. As a supporting actor, Best, like many black actors of his era, was regularly cast in domestic worker or service-oriented roles (though a few times he played the role echoing his previous occupation as a private chauffeur). He was often seen making a brief comic turn as a hotel, airline or train porter, as well as an elevator operator, custodian, butler, valet, waiter, deliveryman, and at least once as a launch pilot (in the 1939 movie Mr. Moto in Danger Island). Willie Best received screen credit most of the time, which was unusual for “bit players,” most in the 1930s and '40s were not accorded due credit. This also happened to white actors in small roles, but black actors were not credited even when their roles were larger. In more than 80 of his movies, he was given a proper character name (as opposed to simple descriptions such as “room service waiter” or “shoe-shine boy”), beginning with his second film. Best played “Chattanooga Brown” in two Charlie Chan films —The Red Dragon in 1945 and Dangerous Money in 1946. He also played the character of “Hipp” in three of RKO’s six Scattergood Baines films with Guy Kibbee: Scattergood Baines (1941), Scattergood Survives a Murder (1942), and Cinderella Swings It in 1943. (Actor Paul White, who played a young version of Best’s “Hipp” in the first film, went on to play “Hipp” in the next three films. Best returned to the role in the last two.) After a drug arrest ended his film career, he worked in television for a while and became known to early TV audiences as “Charlie the Elevator Operator” on CBS's My Little Margie, from 1953 to 1955. He also played Willie, the house servant, handyman and close friend of the title character of ABC’s The Trouble with Father, for its entire run from 1950 to 1955.
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 films of the 1930s and 1940s. Although several sources state that for years he was billed only as “Sleep n' Eat,” Best received credit under this moniker instead of his real name in only six movies: his first film as a bit player (Harold Lloyd's Feet First) and in Up Pops the Devil (1931), The Monster Walks (1932), Kentucky Kernels and West of the Pecos (both 1934), and Murder on a Honeymoon (1935). Best was first loved as a great clown, then later in the 20th century reviled and pitied, before being forgotten in the history of film. Hal Roach called him one of the greatest talents he had ever met. Comedian Bob Hope similarly acclaimed him as “the best actor I know,” while the two were working together in 1940 on The Ghost Breakers. As a supporting actor, Best, like many black actors of his era, was regularly cast in domestic worker or service-oriented roles (though a few times he played the role echoing his previous occupation as a private chauffeur). He was often seen making a brief comic turn as a hotel, airline or train porter, as well as an elevator operator, custodian, butler, valet, waiter, deliveryman, and at least once as a launch pilot (in the 1939 movie Mr. Moto in Danger Island). Willie Best received screen credit most of the time, which was unusual for “bit players,” most in the 1930s and '40s were not accorded due credit. This also happened to white actors in small roles, but black actors were not credited even when their roles were larger. In more than 80 of his movies, he was given a proper character name (as opposed to simple descriptions such as “room service waiter” or “shoe-shine boy”), beginning with his second film. Best played “Chattanooga Brown” in two Charlie Chan films —The Red Dragon in 1945 and Dangerous Money in 1946. He also played the character of “Hipp” in three of RKO’s six Scattergood Baines films with Guy Kibbee: Scattergood Baines (1941), Scattergood Survives a Murder (1942), and Cinderella Swings It in 1943. (Actor Paul White, who played a young version of Best’s “Hipp” in the first film, went on to play “Hipp” in the next three films. Best returned to the role in the last two.) After a drug arrest ended his film career, he worked in television for a while and became known to early TV audiences as “Charlie the Elevator Operator” on CBS's My Little Margie, from 1953 to 1955. He also played Willie, the house servant, handyman and close friend of the title character of ABC’s The Trouble with Father, for its entire run from 1950 to 1955.
External links
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/nm0079008
Wikipedia: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3569064
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Filmography (Movies)
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:01/01/2004
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:06/08/1975
Harold Lloyd's World of Comedy
Character:Charlie (archive footage)
Release Date:04/12/1962
Ellis in Freedomland
Character:Male Model
Release Date:15/06/1952
South of Caliente
Character:Willie, Stable Boy
Release Date:15/10/1951
The Shanghai Chest
Character:Willie Best
Release Date:11/07/1948
Half Past Midnight
Character:Andy Jones
Release Date:01/03/1948
The Red Stallion
Character:Jackson
Release Date:16/08/1947
Suddenly It's Spring
Character:Porter on Train
Release Date:13/02/1947
Dangerous Money
Character:Chattanooga Brown
Release Date:12/10/1946
The Bride Wore Boots
Character:Joe
Release Date:05/06/1946
The Face of Marble
Character:Shadrach
Release Date:19/01/1946
She Wouldn't Say Yes
Character:Porter (uncredited)
Release Date:29/11/1945
Hold That Blonde!
Character:Willie Shelley
Release Date:23/11/1945
The Red Dragon
Character:Chattanooga Brown
Release Date:01/08/1945
Pillow to Post
Character:Lucille, Colonial Auto Court Porter
Release Date:09/06/1945
The Monster and the Ape
Character:Flash
Release Date:20/04/1945
Music for Millions
Character:Red Cap (uncredited)
Release Date:18/12/1944
The Mark of the Whistler
Character:Men's Room Attendant (uncredited)
Release Date:09/10/1944
The Girl Who Dared
Character:Woodrow
Release Date:05/08/1944
The Adventures of Mark Twain
Character:Butler
Release Date:20/07/1944
Home in Indiana
Character:Mo' Rum (uncredited)
Release Date:15/06/1944
Thank Your Lucky Stars
Character:Soldier in "Ice Cold Katie" Number (uncredited)
Release Date:25/09/1943
The Kansan
Character:Bones
Release Date:10/09/1943
Dixie
Character:Steward (uncredited)
Release Date:23/06/1943
Cabin in the Sky
Character:Second Idea Man
Release Date:24/03/1943
Cinderella Swings It
Character:Hipp
Release Date:22/01/1943
The Powers Girl
Character:Men's Room Attendant (uncredited)
Release Date:15/01/1943
The Hidden Hand
Character:Eustis, the chauffeur
Release Date:07/11/1942
Scattergood Survives a Murder
Character:Hipp
Release Date:01/10/1942
Busses Roar
Character:Sunshine
Release Date:19/09/1942
A-Haunting We Will Go
Character:Waiter
Release Date:07/08/1942
Maisie Gets Her Man
Character:Sam (Uncredited)
Release Date:01/06/1942
Juke Girl
Character:Jo-Mo
Release Date:30/05/1942
Whispering Ghosts
Character:Euclid White Brown
Release Date:17/05/1942
The Body Disappears
Character:Willie
Release Date:22/11/1941
Breakdowns of 1941
Character:Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Release Date:14/11/1941
Nothing But the Truth
Character:Samuel
Release Date:10/10/1941
The Smiling Ghost
Character:Clarence
Release Date:06/09/1941
Minstrel Days
Character:Singer
Release Date:06/09/1941
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company "B"
Character:Hot-Breath Harry (voice) (uncredited)
Release Date:31/08/1941
Highway West
Character:Bub Wellington
Release Date:07/08/1941
Kisses for Breakfast
Character:Arnold
Release Date:05/07/1941
The Lady from Cheyenne
Character:George
Release Date:11/04/1941
Scattergood Baines
Character:Hipp
Release Date:21/02/1941
Road Show
Character:Willie
Release Date:18/02/1941
Flight from Destiny
Character:George
Release Date:08/02/1941
High Sierra
Character:Algernon
Release Date:23/01/1941
Who Killed Aunt Maggie?
Character:Andrew
Release Date:01/11/1940
Money and the Woman
Character:George Washington Jones
Release Date:17/08/1940
The Ghost Breakers
Character:Alex
Release Date:21/06/1940
Blondie on a Budget
Character:Newsboy (uncredited)
Release Date:29/02/1940
I Take This Woman
Character:Sambo
Release Date:02/02/1940
Slightly Honorable
Character:Art, Elevator Operator
Release Date:22/12/1939
Private Detective
Character:Norton's Valet
Release Date:09/12/1939
The Covered Trailer
Character:Baltimore
Release Date:10/11/1939
Blondie Brings Up Baby
Character:Hotel Janitor (uncredited)
Release Date:08/11/1939
At the Circus
Character:Redcap (uncredited)
Release Date:20/10/1939
Blackmail
Character:Bunny - the Janitor (uncredited)
Release Date:08/09/1939
Way Down South
Character:Chimney Sweep
Release Date:21/07/1939
Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation
Character:Driver (uncredited)
Release Date:07/07/1939
Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter
Character:Apollo Johnson
Release Date:17/06/1939
Mr. Moto in Danger Island
Character:Launch Pilot
Release Date:07/04/1939
The Saint Strikes Back
Character:Algernon, Simon's Butler (Uncredited)
Release Date:08/03/1939
Blondie
Character:Porter
Release Date:30/11/1938
Spring Madness
Character:Porter on Train
Release Date:11/11/1938
Straight, Place and Show
Character:Hannibal
Release Date:30/09/1938
Youth Takes a Fling
Character:George
Release Date:22/09/1938
I'm from the City
Character:Train Porter
Release Date:05/08/1938
Vivacious Lady
Character:Porter
Release Date:13/05/1938
Goodbye Broadway
Character:Jughead
Release Date:01/04/1938
Merrily We Live
Character:George
Release Date:04/03/1938
Gold Is Where You Find It
Character:Joshua
Release Date:12/02/1938
Everybody's Doing It
Character:Jasper - Elevator Operator
Release Date:14/01/1938
Crashing Hollywood
Character:Train Porter (uncredited)
Release Date:07/01/1938
Saturday's Heroes
Character:Sam
Release Date:08/10/1937
The Lady Fights Back
Character:McTavish
Release Date:01/10/1937
Mississippi Moods
Character:
Release Date:19/07/1937
Super-Sleuth
Character:Warts, Martin's manservant
Release Date:16/07/1937
Meet the Missus
Character:Bootblack
Release Date:04/06/1937
You Can't Buy Luck
Character:Airline Porter (uncredited)
Release Date:30/04/1937
Breezing Home
Character:Speed
Release Date:01/02/1937
Racing Lady
Character:Brass
Release Date:12/01/1937
We Who Are About to Die
Character:Airport Porter (uncredited)
Release Date:08/01/1937
Deep South
Character:
Release Date:01/01/1937
Night Waitress
Character:Black Pedestrian
Release Date:18/12/1936
General Spanky
Character:Henry
Release Date:11/12/1936
Thank You, Jeeves!
Character:Drowsy
Release Date:04/10/1936
Mummy's Boys
Character:Catfish
Release Date:02/10/1936
Down the Stretch
Character:Noah
Release Date:18/09/1936
The Green Pastures
Character:Henry - the Angel (uncredited)
Release Date:01/08/1936
The Bride Walks Out
Character:Smokie
Release Date:10/07/1936
Murder on a Bridle Path
Character:'High-Pockets'
Release Date:17/04/1936
Two in Revolt
Character:Eph
Release Date:03/04/1936
Silly Billies
Character:Excitement
Release Date:20/03/1936
Muss 'em Up
Character:Janitor at Spivali's Bar (uncredited)
Release Date:13/02/1936
The Littlest Rebel
Character:James Henry
Release Date:27/12/1935
To Beat the Band
Character:Elevator Operator
Release Date:23/11/1935
Hot Tip
Character:Apollo
Release Date:20/08/1935
Jalna
Character:Sam
Release Date:09/08/1935
The Arizonian
Character:Pompey
Release Date:27/06/1935
The Nitwits
Character:Sleepy
Release Date:07/06/1935
Hit and Rum
Character:Shoe Shine Man (uncredited)
Release Date:25/04/1935
Raised and Called
Character:
Release Date:22/03/1935
Murder on a Honeymoon
Character:Willie (as Sleep 'n' Eat)
Release Date:22/02/1935
Horse Heir
Character:
Release Date:01/02/1935
West of the Pecos
Character:Jonah (as Sleep 'n' Eat)
Release Date:27/12/1934
Kentucky Kernels
Character:Buckshot (as Sleep 'n' Eat)
Release Date:02/11/1934
Little Miss Marker
Character:Dizzy Memphis (uncredited)
Release Date:01/06/1934
The Monster Walks
Character:Exodus (as Sleep n' Eat)
Release Date:07/02/1932
The Guilty Generation
Character:Club Merlin Doorman (uncredited)
Release Date:19/11/1931
Up Pops the Devil
Character:Laundryman
Release Date:19/05/1931
Virtuous Husband
Character:Luftus
Release Date:12/04/1931
Feet First
Character:Janitor
Release Date:30/10/1930
Ladies of Leisure
Character:George (uncredited)
Release Date:05/04/1930
Television Appearances
Images
