Ruby Dandridge and Hattie McDaniel

Hattie McDaniel is Beulah and Ruby Dandridge is Oriole in a clip from "The Beulah Show" (1952). Throughout their careers McDaniel and Dandridge were rarely offered roles that transcended the mammy stereotype. Visit: http://black-face.com/blackface-actors.htm

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Beulah
• Hattie McDaniel
• Ruby Dandridge
• blackface
• comedy

[awarren92]

Aww Ruby's voice is soo adorable!!! Is that her real voice?

[ikachina]

@awarren92

Oh no, that was a character voice that she used throughout her career. You can hear her real voice on this video: "Ruby Dandridge and Lizabeth Scott in Dead Reckoning (1947)" available on my channel.

[bkatayab]

Actually the diction and behavior were very much in step with the "times" and how blacks were in the 40s and 50s. As time went by and education and exposure, and so forth they changed, but the parts offered by Hollywood stayed the same the names just changed. And yes, it's good seeing Dorothy's mom even though she supposedly wasn't very good to Dorothy.

[ikachina]

@bkatayab

Ruby Dandridge was married when she was young but left her husband (while pregnant with Dorothy) and moved to Los Angeles because she wanted a career in show business. Ruby then had a lesbian relationship with a woman named Geneva Williams who managed Ruby's home and children. Once Geneva took responsibility for the children Ruby was indifferent to her children and never seemed to notice how harsh Geneva treated them.

[JohnSilverfan01]

Hattie was the greatest. I love her voice, the way she spoke, her big eyes, her acting, her singing, her attitude, everything about her. She was a true legend since the day of her birth.

[dogsarebetter]

Oh my god her voice! lol

[hartzaire]

@ikachina I see your point. I do think she should have noticed her girlfriend abusing Dorthy and they should have told her so things would be better.

[mikeparez]

That voice sounds just like Witch Hazel in the loony toons

[MikeBlitzMag]

Hattie was indeed the greatest. Pure genius! She is greatly, greatly missed.

[boomerang905]

The way Ruby Dandridges lover Geneva was portrayed abusing (sexually) Dorothy, it makes me depressed to look at her. It just goes to show how we live a lifetime and not know what really happens to folks. Being a Lesbian is one thing....having that special friend abuse a daughter is entirely different. E-ew and shame on you Ruby, you should have had control over all that!

[knowledgebk305]

son this is true racism

[GwenAYF]

@bkatayab This was not the way blacks "were." It is the way society and promoters demanded that they act. McDaniels, Dandridge, all alented people of color who tried to make a living from their talent had to "act" illiterate. Many trained as Shakespearean actors. My great grandparents were literate: magistrate and teacher, 1880s. Don't confuse stereotypes and prejudice with reality. I have generations of black educated family. I ,graduated 1946 + three more degrees. "The Help" is a lie.

[outinsider]

It's so nice to hear Hattie McDaniel talk normally and not stereotypically. Even though she technically was not the "lead" of this television show, she certainly leads it.

[msval2u45]

Wow this looks like a scene from the movie The Help!!!!