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Stepin Fetchit
(1902 - 1985)
No character actor has had as many ups & downs as Stepin Fetchit. He was a pioneering black actor but was ostracized for a time by the black community for his portrayal of the lazy, shiftless black character he created. Prior to that he was so popular that he became the first black star. He was tall and lanky and initially had a shaved head, a whiny, slow-talking voice and a sad looking, perplexed demeanor. This was the character that audiences loved but the black community felt it an awkward stereotypical role. Even his critics would have to agree that he had great comic timing and style. He most often played a farmhand, stable boy, slave or the comic relief, but later in his career was afforded the opportunity to play non-stereotypical roles. He was born Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry (it's no wonder he shortened it) on May 30, 1902 in Key West, Florida. He ran away from home at age 14 and toured the South with minstrel shows, carnivals and later vaudeville as a singer, dancer and comic. He took his name from a racehorse, which had won him some money in Oklahoma. Eventually he made his way to Hollywood where he was discovered as a very adept performer. His film credits included: "In Old Kentucky" (1927) as Highpockets, his film debut; "The Devil's Skipper" (1928) as Slave's Husband; "The Tragedy of Youth" (1928) as Porter; "The Ghost Talks" (1929) as Christopher Lee; "Thru Different Eyes" (1929) as Janitor; "Show Boat" (1929) as Joe; "Hearts in Dixie" as Gummy; "The Big Fight" (1930) as Spot; "Wild Horse" (1931) as Stepin; "The Prodigal" (1931) as Hokey; "Stand Up and Cheer" (1934) as George Bernard Shaw; "The World Moves On" (1934) as Dixie; "Marie Galante" (1934) as Bartender; "Judge Priest" (1934) as Jeff Poindexter; "Carolina" (1934) with Janet Gaynor and Robert Young, as Scipio; "Bachelor of Arts" (1934) as Dulga; "One More Spring" (1935) as Zoo Attendant; "Charlie Chan in Egypt" (1935) as Snowshoes; "Steamboat 'Round the Bend" (1935) as Jonah; "Helldorado" (1935) with Richard Arlen and Ralph Bellamy, as Ulysses; "The County Chairman" (1935) as Sass/Sassafrass; "Dimples" (1936) with Shirley Temple, uncredited as Cicero; "36 Hours to Kill" (1936) as Flash; "On the Avenue" (1937) as Herman 'Step'; "Fifty Races to Town" (1937) as Percy; "His Exciting Night" (1938) as Casper; "Zenobia" (1939) with Oliver Hardy and Harry Langdon, as Zero; "Miracle in Harlem" (1948) as Swifty, the Handyman; "Bend of the River" (1952) with James Stewart, as Adam; "The Sun Shines Bright" (1953) as Jeff Poindexter; "Cutter" (1972) as Shoeshine Man; "Amazing Grace" (1974) as Cousin Lincoln; "Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood" (1976) as Dancing Butler, his last film role. He also composed and wrote the lyrics for the score of "One More Spring" (1935). He was the first black actor to become a millionaire but he eventually squandered his fortune. It was said that at one time he owned 12 cars including a pink Rolls Royce and employed a staff of 16 Chinese servants. He declared bankruptcy in 1947 and in the 1960s he was a charity patient at Cook County hospital in Chicago. He once tried to sue the CBS network for defamation of character when they ridiculed the type characters he portrayed but he lost the suit. In his latter years he received many awards and accolades the most meaningful of which was the Special Image Award of the Hollywood chapter of the N.A.A.C.P in 1976. He was also elected into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame in 1978. He was married to Winifred Johnson and had two sons Douglas and Jemajo. Tragically his son Douglas committed suicide on the Pennsylvania turnpike in 1969. It can be said that he opened doors for the great black actors of today. He died of pneumonia and congestive heart failure on November 19, 1985 in Woodland Hills, California.
Steamboat Round the Bend
Twentieth Century-Fox 1935
Stepin Fetchit, Francis Ford, Will Rogers
In these films Stepin Fetchits persona supports a mossy romantic vision of Southern life and celebrates the close personal connections between the old bondmen and their masters.
Hearts in Dixie
Twentieth Century-Fox 1929
Stepin Fetchit, Bernice Pilot
Hearts in Dixie introduced the talented Stepin Fetchit to wider audiences. Most African Americans had a love-hate affection for him. A legitimate star, he went on to a long and successful career.
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