[5]After several years of appearances in Europe, Duncan was discovered by Lawrence Welk's personal manager Sam Lutz. The entertainer, in her early 30s at the time, was center stage, speaking to the young Black tap dancer seated on her right.
Betty White kept Black dancer Arthur Duncan on show despite - Bossip div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-1', 'The Betty White Show' saw her perform songs and entertain viewers with skits and interviews with guests. About
Arthur Duncan on The Betty White shows why Betty White is 'the First Live with . According to the 2018 PBS documentary, Betty White: First Lady of Television, (available on Netflix) Duncan credited White for his first big break. After being born in Pasadena, California in September 1933, Arthur Duncan took his first steps in the performing world at the age of just 13 and after a brief spell studying pharmacy, returned to the world of showbusiness in his early 20s. -----#####Reelblack's mission is to educate, entertain, enlighten, and empower through Black film. ]); Duncan, who is black, was on the show when it went national and southern states started complaining about his inclusion in the show. The show. tag: 'mandc,celebrity,entertainment-industry,racism', Stars Betty White George Tibbles Dick Cathcart See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist 2 User reviews Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy 1 nomination total When Duncan told White, "I hope we have a chance to visit after this is over," she replied, "Oh, I hope so.
In 1954, Betty White rejected pressure to stop featuring tap dancer Was Betty White Slammed for Having Black Tap Dancer Arthur Duncan on Television was a relatively new medium, but White was a veteran from stage and radio. Left: Arthur Duncan/Betty White Show/NBC Right: American actor Betty White wearing a veiled hat, circa 1955. Arthur Duncan was honored in 2004 and 2006 at the Tap Extravaganza in New York and the 15th Annual St. Louis Tap Dance Festival. White explained the controversy in the documentary, "All through the South there was this whole ruckus, they were going to take the show off the air if we didn't get rid of Arthur because he was Black," said White. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Betty White was facing pressure from stations in the South but used Duncan even more until the show was canceled in 1954. She even had a regular childrens segment.
Arthur Duncan obituary: tap dancer dies at 97 - Legacy.com White, a boundary-breaking television star by 1952, then became the first woman to produce a sitcom, Life with Elizabeth, which she also starred in. Management Its unclear whether her decision to keep Duncan affected the shows fate, but it was repeatedly rescheduled for different time slots before quietly being taken off the air that same year. Your Money, Your Life, LATEST LISTS Among White's decisions as host and producer were to hire a female director and make Arthur Duncan, who is Black, a series regular. div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-2', pos: 'right_rail_3', 1937) Casey Hayden, 85, civil rights activist (b. Duncan went on to become the first Black regular on a variety show when he was hired on 'The Lawrence Welk Show' and he continued on that show for another 20 years. According to HITC, White's talk show was canceled in the mid-1950s because of his continued appearances on the show. Lets take a moment to honor the First Lady of Television and what her progressiveness meant to those watching at home. Her respond to pressure to stop featuring him was that people had to "live with it." The show was Duncan's first big break in the business and helped launch his career.
Betty White - Wikipedia Betty White, veteran actress who starred in The Golden Girls, dies Case in point: when she rallied to have a Black tap dancer perform on her show despite the audience pushing for his expulsion.
Betty White's Comic Reversals | The New Yorker She set the standard, and we will forever be grateful. Duncan, who credits White with launching his career, continued to break boundaries after The Betty White Show.
At 99 Years Old Betty White Lives In A Luxurious California Mansion He entertained thousands of viewers each week with his performances and dazzled thousands more with his live performances. Duncan, 88, was a regular featured performer on White's NBC variety talk show, The Betty White Show , in the . In the 1950s, Betty White was criticized for having Black tap dancer Arthur Duncan on her variety talk show, "The Betty White Show." Rating: True About this rating Betty White, also. That solved everything at the time.. Underwood said Duncan was her inspiration for tap dancing. And it only escalated after NBC rolled out the show nationally, with Southern viewers threatening to boycott the network if White didnt remove Duncan from the lineup. It was also the year segregation in public schools was declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. After the Pacific tour, Duncan spent several years performing at countless venues across Europe. The Inspiring Story Of Arthur Duncan, The First Black Regular On An American Variety Show. With Betty White's passing at the age of 99, this internet meme about White refusing to ban Arthur Duncan, an African American dancer, from the cast of her television variety show in 1954, is getting wide circulation.
Betty White spent final days in home she didn't want to live in 'He stays': Betty White refused to remove Black dancer from her show in Registry of Corporate Directors. ', 'What could be better than show business? subcat: '', Duncan appeared on the show at least three times.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center on Twitter They were going to take our show off the air if we didnt get rid of Arthur, because he was Black., People in the South resented me being on the show, and they wanted me thrown out, Duncan agreed. Arthur Duncans early career was helped immensely by breakthrough performances on The Jimmie Rodgers Show and, of course, The Betty White Show. page_type: 'article', Arthur Duncan performed wherever he could. When she was encouraged to take him off because of the color of his skin, she politely declined. He was a 13-year-old student when he joined the dance quartet at McKinley Junior High School and began studying under renowned choreographer Nick Castle. GOOD aligns unparalleled expertise in social science, social media, and social change. And he got his start in no small part thanks to Betty White. (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=289be4dd-5b1f-48bc-990f-ec567999e080'; cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "289be4dd-5b1f-48bc-990f-ec567999e080" }).render("8791f6495fab447280f16fc61516a837"); }); window.tude = window.tude || { cmd: [] }; But the stage kept calling, and he eventually dropped out to pursue tap dancing full time. When she was encouraged to take him offbecause of the color of his skin,she politely declined. 2. Betty White rejected attempts to keep Black dancer Arthur Duncan off her show in the 1950s. If Betty White was able to extend so much love and admiration to everyone shed come across over the years, anyone can do the same. A staff writer for All Thats Interesting, Marco Margaritoff has also published work at outlets including People, VICE, and Complex, covering everything from film to finance to technology. Tell us what you think! CNN . 1925) Norman Fruchter, 85, writer and academic (b. See, back in 1954 Betty White served as the host and producer of The Betty White Show, a comedic variety show that was geared toward families and entertainment. Contact Among her favorite guests was Arthur Duncan, an African-American musician from Pasadena, California, who briefly studied medicine before returning to his musical roots.
Arthur Duncan - Wikipedia cat: 'entertainment', Arthur Duncan, an 83-year-old tap dancer, was on the premiere of Steve Harveys Little Big Shots: Forever Young. But his first performance was more than enough for Southern racists to threaten NBC with a boycott if he continued to be part of the lineup. White went on to game shows, the talk-show circuit and eventually mega-stardom as Rose Nylund on the 1980s sitcom The Golden Girls.. Live with it. , Betty White, one of the most endearing and enduring faces on television, dies at 99. Live. What really defines Betty Whites legacy is her sheer willingness to go against the grain and subvert expectations. In 1954 Betty White had a talk show and faced criticism for including a black tap dancer, Arthur Duncan, on her show.Betty responded with Im sorry.
Betty White Helped Launch Career of Black Tap Dancer in 1950s - Peoplemag Betty didnt let her age hamper her ability to empathize with others, even if they were of a completely different background than her. Not one to waste an opportunity, White immediately set about hiring Duncan to dance on The Betty White Show, which aired on NBC in Los Angeles. He went on to have a decades-long career as one of the first famous Black tap dancers in the US.
A Look at All of Betty White's Homes - House Beautiful Arthur Duncan, Tap Dancer born - African American Registry "Los Angeles was more accessible." The entertainer, in her early 30s at the time, was center stage, speaking to the young Black tap dancer seated on her right. Betty White was in 'great spirits' while filming final TV appearance. A 1963 Klan bombing killed her sister and blinded her. Betty White: reglnyok: Bea Arthur: reglnyok: Phylicia Rashad: The Cosby Show Rue McClanahan: reglnyok: Shelley Long: Cheers: . Arthur even became the first African-American regular on a variety show when he appeared on, , or leave your comments below. Racial justice wasnt the only focus of her activism, either. As in, the year the Supreme Court handed down the Brown v. Board of Education decision banning segregated schools. Of course, the social media world is full of distortions and fabrications. You never ask me out," per People. It didnt take long for the programs eponymous host to offer Duncan a permanent place in the shows musical family.. Michael Green, 69, molecular and cell biologist (b. When asked why she was risking her livelihood to defend a Black man, she said, Im sorry, but he staysLive with it, as per People. Following his breakthrough performances on variety shows, Arthur Duncan was invited to be part of Bob Hopes troupe of performers to tour US military bases and was the first African-American to do so.
Betty White turns 99 this weekend, as former co-stars sing her praises Well, Betty wrote back and said, Needless to say, we used Arthur Duncan every opportunity we could. At a time when racial segregation was at boiling point, there were strong calls from different quarters to remove a tap dancer named Arthur Duncan from her show. tude.cmd.push(function() {
Betty White insisted on Black dancer for her 1950s show Live with it." She then gave Duncan even more airtime. If there is content shared on this platform that you feel infringes on your intellectual property, please email me at Reelblack@mail.com and info@reelblack.com with details and it will be promptly removed. Duncan told Steve Harvey in 2017 thatWhitegave him his first job on TV during the premiere of Harveys Little Big Shots: Forever Young.. Its because of people like her we were able to push the needle forward in terms of racial and gender equality.
Arthur Duncan, One Of The First Black Regulars On American Television The Betty White Show is a television series that aired on KLAC-TV (now KCOP-TV) in 1952 and 1953, and on NBC in 1954. White continued to resist the pressurecoming from stations in the South and used Duncanmore, until the show was canceled in 1954 the same year segregationin public schools was declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. Follow reporter Asha Gilbert @Coastalasha. as well as other partner offers and accept our. Watch The Betty White Show (November 29th, 1954) 1 Video 3 Photos Family Music Talk-Show Daytime show with Betty White talking to guests, singing with the orchestra, etc.
Betty White Photos: See 48 Photos of Hollywood's Golden Girl Through Betty White spent over seven decades in front and behind the camera. Goodbye to Betty White, popular cultures beloved (and saucy) great-grandma.
Betty White: 8 Fascinating Things To Know About Her Life And Work See when we celebrated Betty Whites 95th birthday with our 5 fave TV appearances: Steve Harveys Hilarious Version of Ray Charless Georgia on My Mind, 8-Year-Old Girl Tries to Take Steve Harveys Hosting Job, George Lopez Schools Steve Harvey During Celebrity Family Feud. In 2020, the American Tap Dance Foundation inducted Duncan into the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame. Her response: "I'm sorry. . White had already spent years trying to break into film and TV and eventually managed to become a co-host of the Hollywood on Film talk show in 1949 and left only to launch her own company. targeting: { The first TV show I had ever been on, and I credit Betty White for really getting me started in show business, in television, he said. R.I.P. Betty Whites show was canceled the same year she invited Duncan on as a guest three times. When NBC gave her a national 30-minute variety show in 1954, she . Betty White holds the record for "longest television career of any female or male entertainer." She is older than sliced bread. She paid respect to everyone, regardless of their race, gender, religion, or what have you. So the next time you blame someones bigotry on their times, remember Betty White. The comedian was a legend through and through: when faced with the overwhelming pressure to give in to hate, she resisted and won. Arthur Duncan, 97, tap dancer (The Lawrence Welk Show, The Betty White Show) (b. Why You Need This All-Access Design Program.
Betty White, 99, gives health update in rare interview after fans fear And it was never a question at all.. She produced and starred in the sitcom Life with Elizabeth (1953-1955), making . And there was Duncan. Sometimes this involved putting her own reputation on the line, and still, she didnt back down. After MLKs home was bombed, he refused to back down: This movement will not stop, The brave, forgotten Kansas lunch counter sit-in that helped change America, Sam Howell is the Commanders first-string QB for now, Nationals relievers see benefit in tinkering with new pitches, Kyle Kuzma, Wizards start fast and dont look back in win over Raptors. BE 100s "Well, Betty wrote back and said: 'needless to say, we used Arthur Duncan every opportunity we could,'" he said. Her respond to pressure to stop featuring him was that people had to "live with it.". However, it was during an appearance on Steve Harveys show Little Big Shots: Forever Young in 2017 that Duncan felt truly blessed when Betty White surprised him onstage. Subscribe to Newsletter Betty White served as both host and producer.
Fans mourn Betty White on social media - ajc In 1954 Betty White had a talk show and faced criticism for including a black tap dancer, Arthur Duncan, on her show.
'He stays, live with it': Betty White refused to remove Black dancer So on her nationally televised The Betty White Show, she sang, interviewed guests, performed in skits and read the commercials live. According to the 2020 book Betty White on TV, the show failed to attract sponsors and was cancelled on Dec. 31, 1954 despite a desperate plea by White to NBC execs. I rehearsed with a choral group thats going to do Christmas carols this Christmas., Oh, wonderful, White said. The show was a daytime talk show that also featured ente. Im ready to go now, he morbidly joked as White approached. It was the first time in over 60 years that Arthur Duncan and Betty White had appeared on stage together. He was 97. The comedian was a legend through and through: when faced with the overwhelming pressure to give in to hate, she resisted and won.
. As the host and producer, White hired young Black tap dancer Arthur Duncan to perform. Still, as the only Black cast member, the show also posed a unique risk to Duncan, according to dance historian Constance Valis Hill: In an era in which blacks and whites did not even hold hands, let alone kiss each other on nationally broadcast television programs, Duncan was often seen standing in the background, trying very hard not to look like he was with any of the women on the program.. Tap dancer & Singer Arthur Duncan performing "Sing You Sinners,Sing" (1954) So it was a minor coup when Betty White got her own show in 1954 with full creative control. Arthur Duncan, a gifted dancer whose appearance on one of Betty White's early TV shows prompted a showdown between southern censors and White, died January 4. Ignoring the racist calls, she interviewed a Black child during the childrens segment as well, reported The Washington Post. Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, or leave your comments below. The Best Celebrity Furniture and Home Decor Lines. Black Men XCEL Betty White pushed back against pressure for her to stop featuring a Black tap dancer on her show in 1954, The Washington Post reported.
Betty White Made History With Arthur Duncan, He Did It Twice More Arthur even became the first African-American regular on a variety show when he appeared on The Lawrence Welk Show for almost 20 years. Background [ edit] ': Betty White's quips and quotes through the years. Be like Betty White. 1956) . Deal with it and gave Duncan more airtime. Duncan appeared in three episodes of The Betty White Show according to IMDb and it was these episodes, in particular, that drew criticism. The dancer, Arthur Duncan, was featured onThe Betty White Showthataired in the 1950s.
The Powerful Story Behind Betty White's Refusal to Remove a Black Wish Day | The Betty White Show (1954) Ft. Arthur Duncan