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Willie Best

Willie Best

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 le

Born

May 27, 1913

Sunflower, Mississippi, USA

Died

Nov 27, 1962

Known For

Acting

Movies

118 acting

0 crew

Popularity

0.7

Known For

High Sierra
High Sierra
1941 as Algernon
★ 7.1
Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter
Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter
1939 as Apollo Johnson
★ 6.2
Vivacious Lady
Vivacious Lady
1938 as Porter
★ 7.0
Blondie
Blondie
1938 as Porter
★ 7.0
The Shanghai Chest
The Shanghai Chest
1948 as Willie Best
★ 6.6
At the Circus
At the Circus
1939 as Redcap (uncredited)
★ 6.4
movie
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
1976 as Self - Tribute Montage (archive footage)
The Ghost Breakers
The Ghost Breakers
1940 as Alex
★ 6.5
Hold That Blonde!
Hold That Blonde!
1945 as Willie Shelley
★ 6.3
Dixie
Dixie
1943 as Steward (uncredited)
★ 5.0
Hot Tip
Hot Tip
1935 as Apollo
★ 7.0
The Green Pastures
The Green Pastures
1936 as Henry - the Angel (uncredited)
★ 6.3
The Littlest Rebel
The Littlest Rebel
1935 as James Henry
★ 6.4
Ellis in Freedomland
Ellis in Freedomland
1952 as Male Model
Cabin in the Sky
Cabin in the Sky
1943 as Second Idea Man
★ 6.5
Little Miss Marker
Little Miss Marker
1934 as Dizzy Memphis (uncredited)
★ 6.5
Nothing but the Truth
Nothing but the Truth
1941 as Samuel
★ 7.3
Racing Lady
Racing Lady
1937 as Brass
★ 6.0
The Red Dragon
The Red Dragon
1945 as Chattanooga Brown
★ 6.6
Merrily We Live
Merrily We Live
1938 as George
★ 6.9
A-Haunting We Will Go
A-Haunting We Will Go
1942 as Waiter
★ 6.2
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975 as Self (archive footage)
★ 6.3
Juke Girl
Juke Girl
1942 as Jo-Mo
★ 7.2
Super-Sleuth
Super-Sleuth
1937 as Warts, Martin's manservant
★ 5.6
Ladies of Leisure
Ladies of Leisure
1930 as George (uncredited)
★ 6.2
Night Waitress
Night Waitress
1936 as Black Pedestrian
★ 6.4
Virtuous Husband
Virtuous Husband
1931 as Luftus
★ 8.0
Thank Your Lucky Stars
Thank Your Lucky Stars
1943 as Soldier in "Ice Cold Katie" Number (uncredited)
★ 6.2
Muss 'em Up
Muss 'em Up
1936 as Janitor at Spivali's Bar (uncredited)
★ 6.2
Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation
Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation
1939 as Driver (uncredited)
★ 6.6
You Can't Buy Luck
You Can't Buy Luck
1937 as Airline Porter (uncredited)
★ 4.7
Gold Is Where You Find It
Gold Is Where You Find It
1938 as Joshua
★ 7.0
The Adventures of Mark Twain
★ 7.0
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
2004 as Self (archive footage)
★ 5.3
Dangerous Money
Dangerous Money
1946 as Chattanooga Brown
★ 5.9
Murder on a Bridle Path
Murder on a Bridle Path
1936 as 'High-Pockets'
★ 5.4
Breakdowns of 1941
Breakdowns of 1941
1941 as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
★ 7.0
The Monster and the Ape
The Monster and the Ape
1945 as Flash
★ 6.8
I Take This Woman
I Take This Woman
1940 as Sambo
★ 5.9
Blondie on a Budget
Blondie on a Budget
1940 as Newsboy (uncredited)
★ 6.2
Highway West
Highway West
1941 as Bub Wellington
★ 6.6
The Arizonian
The Arizonian
1935 as Pompey
★ 8.0
The Kansan
The Kansan
1943 as Bones
★ 6.0
Harold Lloyd's World of Comedy
Harold Lloyd's World of Comedy
1962 as Charlie (archive footage)
★ 7.3
The Powers Girl
The Powers Girl
1943 as Men's Room Attendant (uncredited)
★ 7.0
Money and the Woman
Money and the Woman
1940 as George Washington Jones
★ 4.4
Spring Madness
Spring Madness
1938 as Porter on Train
★ 4.9
Murder on a Honeymoon
Murder on a Honeymoon
1935 as Willie (as Sleep 'n' Eat)
★ 6.5
Thank You, Jeeves!
Thank You, Jeeves!
1936 as Drowsy
★ 6.4
Kisses for Breakfast
Kisses for Breakfast
1941 as Arnold
★ 6.3
Blondie Brings Up Baby
Blondie Brings Up Baby
1939 as Hotel Janitor (uncredited)
★ 6.9
Way Down South
Way Down South
1939 as Chimney Sweep
★ 6.4
Up Pops the Devil
Up Pops the Devil
1931 as Laundryman
★ 5.0
Slightly Honorable
Slightly Honorable
1939 as Art, Elevator Operator
★ 5.1
The Bride Walks Out
The Bride Walks Out
1936 as Smokie
★ 5.4
The Body Disappears
The Body Disappears
1941 as Willie
★ 6.1
Crashing Hollywood
Crashing Hollywood
1938 as Train Porter (uncredited)
★ 6.0
Private Detective
Private Detective
1939 as Norton's Valet
★ 6.8
Mr. Moto in Danger Island
Mr. Moto in Danger Island
1939 as Launch Pilot
★ 6.7
Music for Millions
Music for Millions
1944 as Red Cap (uncredited)
★ 6.7
The Hidden Hand
The Hidden Hand
1942 as Eustis, the chauffeur
★ 6.7
The Lady from Cheyenne
The Lady from Cheyenne
1941 as George
★ 5.7
West of the Pecos
West of the Pecos
1934 as Jonah (as Sleep 'n' Eat)
★ 7.0
The Girl Who Dared
The Girl Who Dared
1944 as Woodrow
★ 6.1
Pillow to Post
Pillow to Post
1945 as Lucille, Colonial Auto Court Porter
★ 5.5
The Saint Strikes Back
The Saint Strikes Back
1939 as Algernon, Simon's Butler (Uncredited)
★ 5.8
Kentucky Kernels
Kentucky Kernels
1934 as Buckshot (as Sleep 'n' Eat)
★ 6.4
To Beat the Band
To Beat the Band
1935 as Elevator Operator
★ 10.0
The Nitwits
The Nitwits
1935 as Sleepy
★ 6.7
Everybody's Doing It
Everybody's Doing It
1938 as Jasper - Elevator Operator
★ 6.0
The Red Stallion
The Red Stallion
1947 as Jackson
★ 10.0
Cinderella Swings It
Cinderella Swings It
1943 as Hipp
★ 9.0
Feet First
Feet First
1930 as Janitor
★ 6.7
The Guilty Generation
The Guilty Generation
1931 as Club Merlin Doorman (uncredited)
★ 6.2
The Bride Wore Boots
The Bride Wore Boots
1946 as Joe
★ 6.1
Maisie Gets Her Man
Maisie Gets Her Man
1942 as Sam (Uncredited)
★ 6.7
Meet the O'Briens
Meet the O'Briens
1954 as Willie
Half Past Midnight
Half Past Midnight
1948 as Andy Jones
★ 7.0
The Monster Walks
The Monster Walks
1932 as Exodus (as Sleep n' Eat)
★ 4.2
Mummy's Boys
Mummy's Boys
1936 as Catfish
★ 5.0
She Wouldn't Say Yes
She Wouldn't Say Yes
1945 as Porter (uncredited)
★ 6.4
The Mark of the Whistler
The Mark of the Whistler
1944 as Men's Room Attendant (uncredited)
★ 6.2
Road Show
Road Show
1941 as Willie
★ 5.6
South of Caliente
South of Caliente
1951 as Willie, Stable Boy
★ 9.0
Flight from Destiny
Flight from Destiny
1941 as George
★ 5.8
Whispering Ghosts
Whispering Ghosts
1942 as Euclid White Brown
★ 6.8
Busses Roar
Busses Roar
1942 as Sunshine
★ 6.6
Scattergood Survives a Murder
★ 5.9
Home in Indiana
Home in Indiana
1944 as Mo' Rum (uncredited)
★ 5.9
Goodbye Broadway
Goodbye Broadway
1938 as Jughead
★ 10.0
Blackmail
Blackmail
1939 as Bunny - the Janitor (uncredited)
★ 6.9
We Who Are About to Die
We Who Are About to Die
1937 as Airport Porter (uncredited)
★ 7.0
movie
Hit and Rum
1935 as Shoe Shine Man (uncredited)
★ 7.0
Youth Takes a Fling
Youth Takes a Fling
1938 as George
★ 5.5
Scattergood Baines
Scattergood Baines
1941 as Hipp
★ 7.0
I'm from the City
I'm from the City
1938 as Train Porter
★ 7.0
The Smiling Ghost
The Smiling Ghost
1941 as Clarence
★ 6.7
Down the Stretch
Down the Stretch
1936 as Noah
★ 6.0
Suddenly It's Spring
Suddenly It's Spring
1947 as Porter on Train
★ 4.3
Two in Revolt
Two in Revolt
1936 as Eph
★ 7.0
Jalna
Jalna
1935 as Sam
★ 5.1
movie
★ 10.0
Breezing Home
Breezing Home
1937 as Speed
★ 6.0
Straight, Place and Show
Straight, Place and Show
1938 as Hannibal
★ 7.0
General Spanky
General Spanky
1936 as Henry
★ 5.8
The Face of Marble
The Face of Marble
1946 as Shadrach
★ 4.6
movie
Who Killed Aunt Maggie?
Who Killed Aunt Maggie?
1940 as Andrew
★ 5.5
Silly Billies
Silly Billies
1936 as Excitement
★ 8.5
movie
The Lady Fights Back
1937 as McTavish
★ 7.0
Saturday's Heroes
Saturday's Heroes
1937 as Sam
★ 8.0
The Covered Trailer
The Covered Trailer
1939 as Baltimore
★ 7.0
Meet the Missus
Meet the Missus
1937 as Bootblack
★ 6.5
Deep South
★ 7.3
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company "B"
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company "B"
1941 as Hot-Breath Harry (voice) (uncredited)
★ 6.6
movie
Minstrel Days
1941 as Singer
★ 7.0