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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

117 acting

0 crew

Popularity

0.6

Known For

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