Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry (May 30, 1902 – November 19, 1985), better known by the stage name Stepin Fetchit, was an American vaudevillian, comedian, and film actor of Jamaican and Bahamian descent, considered to be the first black actor to have a successful film career.[3] His highest profile was during the 1930s in films and on stage, when his persona of Stepin Fetchit was billed as the "Laziest Man in the World".
Perry parlayed the Fetchit persona into a successful film career, becoming the first black actor to earn $1 million. He was also the first black actor to receive featured screen credit in a film.[4][5]
Perry's film career slowed after 1939 and nearly stopped altogether after 1953. Around that time, Black Americans began to see his Stepin Fetchit persona as an embarrassing and harmful anachronism, echoing negative stereotypes. However, the Stepin Fetchit character has undergone a re-evaluation by some scholars in recent times, who view him as an embodiment of the trickster archetype.[6]
^Clark, Champ (2005). Shuffling to Ignominy: The Tragedy of Stepin Fetchit. iUniverse. p. 41. ISBN 0-595-37125-6.
^Clark, Champ (2005). Shuffling to Ignominy: The Tragedy of Stepin Fetchit. iUniverse. p. 87. ISBN 0-595-37125-6.
^"Stepin Fetchit". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. January 18, 2007. Archived from the original on September 13, 2012. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
^Lamparski, Richard (1982). Whatever Became Of ...? Eighth Series. New York: Crown Publishers. pp. 106–7. ISBN 0-517-54855-0.
^Clark, Champ (2005). Shuffling to Ignominy: The Tragedy of Stepin Fetchit. iUniverse. p. 2. ISBN 0-595-37125-6.
^Roy Hurst (March 6, 2006). "Stepin Fetchit, Hollywood's First Black Film Star". National Public Radio. Retrieved July 30, 2007.
(May 30, 1902 – November 19, 1985), better known by the stage name StepinFetchit, was an American vaudevillian, comedian, and film actor of Jamaican...
the supporting cast features Henry B. Walthall, Hattie McDaniel and StepinFetchit. It was remade by Ford in 1953 as The Sun Shines Bright. Personable...
On April 5, 1969, Donald Martin Lambright, son of comedian StepinFetchit, was traveling along the Pennsylvania Turnpike, east of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania...
Stepin may refer to: Stępin, a Polish village Stepin Lug, a suburb of Belgrade Aleksandr Stepin (born 1972), Russian footballer StepinFetchit (1902–1985)...
comedians to become well known. In the 21st century, his work, like that of StepinFetchit, is sometimes reviled because he was often called upon to play stereotypically...
Hearts in Dixie (1929) starring StepinFetchit was one of the first all-"talkie", big-studio productions to boast a predominantly African-American cast...
American comedy shows in the 1920s. Comedians such as Pigmeat Markham, StepinFetchit, and many others would dress in rags or in baggy suits for their comedic...
Robinson, The Nicholas Brothers, Charles 'Honi' Coles, Leonard Reed, StepinFetchit, the Berry Brothers, The Four Step Brothers, Jeni Le Gon and Earl Snakehips...
racializing caricatures from the "Loyal Uncle Tom" to grinning fools (see StepinFetchit) in cartoons, minstrel shows, advertisements, household artifacts, and...
Baile Howard Petrie as Tom Hendricks Chubby Johnson as Captain Mello StepinFetchit as Adam, Mello's assistant Harry Morgan as Shorty, one of the treacherous...
starring Brian Donlevy, Gloria Stuart, Douglas Fowley, Isabel Jewell, StepinFetchit and Julius Tannen. It is based on the short story "Across the Aisle"...
99th Our Gang short to be released. More a vehicle for black comedian StepinFetchit. The gang goes to Wheezer and Mary Ann's house to have a taffy pull...
determined to lynch a young black character named Woodford. In both films, StepinFetchit plays the part of Judge Priest's assistant, Poindexter. Ford often cited...
they generally could only portray stereotypical characters such as StepinFetchit. Instead, he tried to follow the example of Sidney Poitier and play...
film critic Joe Morgenstern described the character as a "Rastafarian StepinFetchit on platform hoofs, crossed annoyingly with Butterfly McQueen." Legal...
Preferred Hits New Low As Hades Inc. Soars". The angel rings an angelic StepinFetchit with enormous lips—probably a reference to Oscar Polk's performance...
Talented Tenth", and Matt Robinson's one-man play The Confessions of StepinFetchit at the American Place Theatre. Orman is the recipient of two Audelco...
Dorothy Counts as herself Joan Crawford in Dance, Fools, Dance Doris Day StepinFetchit Willie Best Mantan Moreland Clinton Rosemond J. Edgar Hoover as himself...
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