Willie Best
Biography
Willie Best was an American actor and comedian who became one of the first African American film performers to gain wide recognition. A native of Sunflower, Mississippi, he reached Hollywood as a chauffeur, stayed in the region, and began performing in a traveling show in southern California before a talent scout discovered him on stage and he found steady work as a character actor. He made more than one hundred films during the 1930s and 1940s, often in service roles, and received screen credit in at least 77 of them. Billed as Sleep n' Eat in only six movies, among them Feet First (1930) and The Monster Walks (1932), he later worked under his own name. His films included The Ghost Breakers (1940) and Dangerous Money (1946). On television he played Willie on The Trouble with Father from 1950 to 1955 and Charlie on My Little Margie from 1953 to 1955.
48years old at death
- Born Sunflower
- Died Woodland Hills
- Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20
- Also credited as William Best and Sleep 'n' Eat
Movie Career
- Films
- 16
- Career span
- 16 years1930 to 1946
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Big break
A talent scout found Best performing on stage, and after that he was hired often to play character parts in Hollywood movies.
About the name
Several sources claim Best was billed only as "Sleep n' Eat" for years, but he was credited under that moniker rather than his real name in just six movies, among them his first bit part, Harold Lloyd's Feet First.
Getting ready for a role
Best took on a straight character role in a Christmas episode of Racket Squad, his most surprising television work, playing it without any comedy or dialect.
Willie Best movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
James Burke appears in three of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
James Burke's page
Spencer Charters's page
Shirley Temple's page
Bonita Granville's page
Eddy Waller's page
Renie Riano's page
Also two films together2 more actors
- Frank McGlynn Sr.The Littlest Rebel (1935) and Little Miss Marker (1934)
- Lynne OvermanDixie (1943) and Little Miss Marker (1934)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.