Willie Best

Willie Best

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Gender

Male

Birthday

27/05/1913

Day of Death

27/11/1962
(49) years old

Place of Birth

Sunflower, Mississippi, USA

Biography

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 ... Read More

Filmography

Cast

2004

TV in Black: The First Fifty Years

as Self (archive footage)

1975

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

as Self (archive footage)

1962

Harold Lloyd's World of Comedy

as Charlie (archive footage)

1952

Ellis in Freedomland

as Male Model

1951

South of Caliente

as Willie, Stable Boy

1948

The Shanghai Chest

as Willie Best

1948

Half Past Midnight

as Andy Jones

1947

The Red Stallion

as Jackson

1947

Suddenly It's Spring

as Porter on Train

1946

Dangerous Money

as Chattanooga Brown

1946

The Face of Marble

as Shadrach

1945

She Wouldn't Say Yes

as Porter (uncredited)

1945

Hold That Blonde!

as Willie Shelley

1945

The Red Dragon

as Chattanooga Brown

1945

Pillow to Post

as Lucille, Colonial Auto Court Porter

1944

Music for Millions

as Red Cap (uncredited)

1944

The Mark of the Whistler

as Men's Room Attendant (uncredited)

1944

The Girl Who Dared

as Woodrow

1944

Home in Indiana

as Mo' Rum (uncredited)

1943

Thank Your Lucky Stars

as Soldier in "Ice Cold Katie" Number (uncr...

1943

The Kansan

as Bones

1943

Dixie

as Steward (uncredited)

1943

Cabin in the Sky

as Second Idea Man

1943

The Powers Girl

as Men's Room Attendant (uncredited)

1942

The Hidden Hand

as Eustis, the chauffeur

1942

Busses Roar

as Sunshine

1942

Maisie Gets Her Man

as Sam (Uncredited)

1942

Juke Girl

as Jo-Mo

1942

Whispering Ghosts

as Euclid White Brown

1941

The Body Disappears

as Willie

1941

Breakdowns of 1941

as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

1941

The Smiling Ghost

as Clarence

1941

Minstrel Days

as Singer

1941

Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company "B"

as Hot-Breath Harry (voice) (uncredited)

1941

Highway West

as Bub Wellington

1941

Road Show

as Willie

1941

Flight from Destiny

as George

1941

High Sierra

as Algernon

1940

Money and the Woman

as George Washington Jones

1940

Blondie on a Budget

as Newsboy (uncredited)

1940

I Take This Woman

as Sambo

1939

Slightly Honorable

as Art, Elevator Operator

1939

Private Detective

as Norton's Valet

1939

The Covered Trailer

as Baltimore

1939

Blondie Brings Up Baby

as Hotel Janitor (uncredited)

1939

At the Circus

as Redcap (uncredited)

1939

Blackmail

as Bunny - the Janitor (uncredited)

1939

Way Down South

as Chimney Sweep

1939

Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation

as Driver (uncredited)

1939

Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter

as Apollo Johnson

1939

Mr. Moto in Danger Island

as Launch Pilot

1939

The Saint Strikes Back

as Algernon, Simon's Butler (Uncredited)

1938

Blondie

as Porter

1938

Spring Madness

as Porter on Train

1938

Youth Takes a Fling

as George

1938

I'm from the City

as Train Porter

1938

Vivacious Lady

as Porter

1938

Goodbye Broadway

as Jughead

1938

Merrily We Live

as George

1938

Everybody's Doing It

as Jasper - Elevator Operator

1938

Crashing Hollywood

as Train Porter (uncredited)

1937

The Lady Fights Back

as McTavish

1937

Super-Sleuth

as Warts, Martin's manservant

1937

Meet the Missus

as Bootblack

1937

You Can't Buy Luck

as Airline Porter (uncredited)

1937

Breezing Home

as Speed

1937

Racing Lady

as Brass

1937

We Who Are About to Die

as Airport Porter (uncredited)

1936

Night Waitress

as Black Pedestrian

1936

General Spanky

as Henry

1936

Thank You, Jeeves!

as Drowsy

1936

Mummy's Boys

as Catfish

1936

Down the Stretch

as Noah

1936

The Green Pastures

as Henry - the Angel (uncredited)

1936

The Bride Walks Out

as Smokie

1936

Murder on a Bridle Path

as 'High-Pockets'

1936

Two in Revolt

as Eph

1936

Silly Billies

as Excitement

1936

Muss 'em Up

as Janitor at Spivali's Bar (uncredited)

1935

The Littlest Rebel

as James Henry

1935

To Beat the Band

as Elevator Operator

1935

Hot Tip

as Apollo

1935

Jalna

as Sam

1935

The Arizonian

as Pompey

1935

The Nitwits

as Sleepy

1935

Hit and Rum

as Shoe Shine Man (uncredited)

1935

Murder on a Honeymoon

as Willie (as Sleep 'n' Eat)

1934

West of the Pecos

as Jonah (as Sleep 'n' Eat)

1934

Kentucky Kernels

as Buckshot (as Sleep 'n' Eat)

1934

Little Miss Marker

as Dizzy Memphis (uncredited)

1932

The Monster Walks

as Exodus (as Sleep n' Eat)

1931

The Guilty Generation

as Club Merlin Doorman (uncredited)

1931

Up Pops the Devil

as Laundryman

1931

Virtuous Husband

as Luftus

1930

Feet First

as Janitor

1930

Ladies of Leisure

as George (uncredited)