Hattie McDaniel on "The Ed Wynn Show" (15 December, 1949)

[gvt2u]

Wonderful singing. Great performer. Totally at home under the lights and in front of an audience.

[ksteiger]

@Limekiln71 The world has a sad history. America changed it that's all. look at it in a positive way.

[storrs19]

Excellent. This was of course live television so the only copy we have of it is this kinescope. No need to apologize for the quality. I imagine not a lot of people saw this in 1949 as television was a rather new medium. Thanks so much for sharing with us.

[Juliaflo]

Tragically, breast cancer took Miss McDaniel away from the world in 1952.

[Juliaflo]

Leopold--Ed Wynn, ne Edwin Isaac Leopold.



[boomerang905]

We have to realize the roles available then. Then we should appreciate Ms. Hattie for her rising to the occasion. The lady had a gift and she was a wonderful actress with a world of dignity. I am black and I certainly would work as a maid for $700 a week these days! And would have played one then too. It's about what you feel about yourself and financial security. Yes, I am a realistic who loves entertainment and don't fault anyone for doing what they had to do.

[linafelina]

is he in merry poppins...i think he is, the one who cant stop laughing??

[MattTheSaiyan]

@linafelina Yep, he played Uncle Albert in that film. He also had a voice role in "Alice in Wonderland" and appeared in, I think, a couple of other old Disney films.

[Lampshade51]

I think she once said "Look, I have two choices. I can PLAY a maid for $700 a week or I can BE a maid for $20 a week!". She was one of the greats.

[DrMBA28]

@Lampshade51 lol yeah great quote

[jcextra]

its great to see her in a comedy role, God Rest Her

[Pocketrocklife]

She totally took that role and transformed it. She totally took it over and made it a platform that actually exposed the average American to blacks in their living rooms on an entertainment program in a time when black actors could get little to no work.

[JohnSilverfan01]

I've just realized that this is the very first time I've seen Hattie without one of those scarves on her head. I love her with those scarves, but I love her much better without it. ^^ God rest her soul.

[JohnSilverfan01]

I love the way Hattie spoke. Heck I love her acting, her singing, her attitude, everything about her! She was awesome!!

[TheLizzie12]

Is this the earliest surviving American TV appearance of an African American woman? The earliest surviving British TV appearance of an African American woman predates this by two years: ADELAIDE HALL in an extract from the BBC's variety show Variety in Sepia (October 1947) . Coincidentally among the songs Adelaide sings is 'Some of These Days'!!! (you can see it on You Tube)

[NYVoice]

It's so true; that scene is earth shattering. That may have been what really clinched the Oscar for her. who else could match that? Ya know Gable appreciated her, they were great friends off screen. And she could sing. Holy cow, what an entertainer.

[Blackjesus3]

amazing actress

[MikeBlitzMag]

One of the most charismatic and most beloved actresses to ever grace the screen. She is greatly missed.

[iwtricapecod]

The first African American to win an Oscar for "Mammy" in Gone With The Wind.

[JohnSilverfan01]

@iwtricapecod And boy did she deserve it. What a talent!

[waynebrasler]

She got a dream contract for "Beulah" which would have insured financial stability the rest of her life. The first offer was not to her liking and she raised the ante and the sponsors met it. She was strong and smart and talented.

[Shanniquitie]

i LOVE the mammy archetype, and dont consider myself racist for it. i want to be a mammy. and i'm a white dude. so yep, fucked up and trans gender-queer, but racist? HAH! neva.

[Kaysing84]

Amazing!

[MattTheSaiyan]

On a side note, Hattie also appeared in 7 episodes of the TV adaptation of "Beulah". Though well-recieved, she had to leave the show from ill-health (in fact, the entire programme was constantly changing cast, with the title character being played by four different actresses in less than 5 years).

[Kady81]

Really??? I thought there were only three Beulahs.

[jvbrown1995]

On television there was three. On both radio and TV, there was seven, including two men: Marlin Hurt, Bob Corley, Hattie McDaniel, Ethel Waters, Louise Beavers, and the Randolph sisters, Lillian and Amanda.

[saphopoem]

Hattie was so talented!