Willie Best
Known for Acting · 121 credits
- Born
- 1913-05-27
- Died
- 1962-11-27
- Place of birth
- Sunflower, Mississippi, USA
- Also known as
- Sleep 'n' Eat · Sleep 'n Eat · Sleep n' Eat
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 reviled because he was often called upon to play stereotypically lazy, illiterate, and/or simple-minded characters in films. Of the 124 films he appeared in, he received screen credit in at least 77, an unusual feat for an African-American bit player. Willie Best appeared in more than one hundred films of the 1930s and 1940s. Although several sources state that for years he was billed only as “Sleep n' Eat,” Best received credit under this moniker instead of his real name in only six movies: his first film as a bit player (Harold Lloyd's Feet First) and in Up Pops the Devil (1931), The Monster Walks (1932), Kentucky Kernels and West of the Pecos (both 1934), and Murder on a Honeymoon (1935). Best was first loved as a great clown, then later in the 20th century reviled and pitied, before being forgotten in the history of film. Hal Roach called him one of the greatest talents he had ever met. Comedian Bob Hope similarly acclaimed him as “the best actor I know,” while the two were working together in 1940 on The Ghost Breakers. As a supporting actor, Best, like many black actors of his era, was regularly cast in domestic worker or service-oriented roles (though a few times he played the role echoing his previous occupation as a private chauffeur). He was often seen making a brief comic turn as a hotel, airline or train porter, as well as an elevator operator, custodian, butler, valet, waiter, deliveryman, and at least once as a launch pilot (in the 1939 movie Mr. Moto in Danger Island). Willie Best received screen credit most of the time, which was unusual for “bit players,” most in the 1930s and '40s were not accorded due credit. This also happened to white actors in small roles, but black actors were not credited even when their roles were larger. In more than 80 of his movies, he was given a proper character name (as opposed to simple descriptions such as “room service waiter” or “shoe-shine boy”), beginning with his second film. Best played “Chattanooga Brown” in two Charlie Chan films —The Red Dragon in 1945 and Dangerous Money in 1946. He also played the character of “Hipp” in three of RKO’s six Scattergood Baines films with Guy Kibbee: Scattergood Baines (1941), Scattergood Survives a Murder (1942), and Cinderella Swings It in 1943. (Actor Paul White, who played a young version of Best’s “Hipp” in the first film, went on to play “Hipp” in the next three films. Best returned to the role in the last two.) After a drug arrest ended his film career, he worked in television for a while and became known to early TV audiences as “Charlie the Elevator Operator” on CBS's My Little Margie, from 1953 to 1955. He also played Willie, the house servant, handyman and close friend of the title character of ABC’s The Trouble with Father, for its entire run from 1950 to 1955.
Known For
TV Shows (4)
Movies (117)
Vivacious Lady
1938
as Porter
Racing Lady
1937
as Brass
High Sierra
1941
as Algernon
Blondie
1938
as Porter
Juke Girl
1942
as Jo-Mo
Road Show
1941
as Willie
Hot Tip
1935
as Apollo
Blackmail
1939
as Bunny - the Janitor (uncredited)
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975
as Self (archive footage)
Jalna
1935
as Sam
Whispering Ghosts
1942
as Euclid White Brown
The Ghost Breakers
1940
as Alex
Kisses for Breakfast
1941
as Arnold
Cinderella Swings It
1943
as Hipp
Spring Madness
1938
as Porter on Train
Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation
1939
as Driver (uncredited)
Merrily We Live
1938
as George
Silly Billies
1936
as Excitement
At the Circus
1939
as Redcap (uncredited)
Feet First
1930
as Janitor
She Wouldn't Say Yes
1945
as Porter (uncredited)
The Littlest Rebel
1935
as James Henry
Ladies of Leisure
1930
as George (uncredited)
Blondie on a Budget
1940
as Newsboy (uncredited)
The Mark of the Whistler
1944
as Men's Room Attendant (uncredited)
Thank Your Lucky Stars
1943
as Soldier in "Ice Cold Katie" Number (uncredited)
Breakdowns of 1941
1941
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Bride Wore Boots
1946
as Joe
General Spanky
1936
as Henry
The Kansan
1943
as Bones
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
2004
as Self (archive footage)
Nothing but the Truth
1941
as Samuel
Super-Sleuth
1937
as Warts, Martin's manservant
The Girl Who Dared
1944
as Woodrow
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
1976
as Self - Tribute Montage (archive footage)
We Who Are About to Die
1937
as Airport Porter (uncredited)
Dixie
1943
as Steward (uncredited)
I Take This Woman
1940
as Sambo
Flight from Destiny
1941
as George
Slightly Honorable
1939
as Art, Elevator Operator
Busses Roar
1942
as Sunshine
Gold Is Where You Find It
1938
as Joshua
The Arizonian
1935
as Pompey
Suddenly It's Spring
1947
as Porter on Train
The Bride Walks Out
1936
as Smokie
Everybody's Doing It
1938
as Jasper - Elevator Operator
Blondie Brings Up Baby
1939
as Hotel Janitor (uncredited)
Murder on a Bridle Path
1936
as 'High-Pockets'
Virtuous Husband
1931
as Luftus
Maisie Gets Her Man
1942
as Sam (Uncredited)
A-Haunting We Will Go
1942
as Waiter
The Green Pastures
1936
as Henry - the Angel (uncredited)
The Shanghai Chest
1948
as Willie Best
Murder on a Honeymoon
1935
as Willie (as Sleep 'n' Eat)
Thank You, Jeeves!
1936
as Drowsy
Ellis in Freedomland
1952
as Male Model
The Red Stallion
1947
as Jackson
Two in Revolt
1936
as Eph
Muss 'em Up
1936
as Janitor at Spivali's Bar (uncredited)
Little Miss Marker
1934
as Dizzy Memphis (uncredited)
Cabin in the Sky
1943
as Second Idea Man
The Saint Strikes Back
1939
as Algernon, Simon's Butler (Uncredited)
The Red Dragon
1945
as Chattanooga Brown
Meet the Missus
1937
as Bootblack
Private Detective
1939
as Norton's Valet
The Powers Girl
1943
as Men's Room Attendant (uncredited)
Dangerous Money
1946
as Chattanooga Brown
Scattergood Survives a Murder
1942
as Hipp
The Smiling Ghost
1941
as Clarence
Mr. Moto in Danger Island
1939
as Launch Pilot
To Beat the Band
1935
as Elevator Operator
Hold That Blonde!
1945
as Willie Shelley
The Hidden Hand
1942
as Eustis, the chauffeur
Money and the Woman
1940
as George Washington Jones
The Lady Fights Back
1937
as McTavish
The Body Disappears
1941
as Willie
Music for Millions
1944
as Red Cap (uncredited)
Who Killed Aunt Maggie?
1940
as Andrew
Kentucky Kernels
1934
as Buckshot (as Sleep 'n' Eat)
Home in Indiana
1944
as Mo' Rum (uncredited)
The Adventures of Mark Twain
1944
as Butler
Crashing Hollywood
1938
as Train Porter (uncredited)
The Nitwits
1935
as Sleepy
Saturday's Heroes
1937
as Sam
Highway West
1941
as Bub Wellington
Half Past Midnight
1948
as Andy Jones
The Monster and the Ape
1945
as Flash
Way Down South
1939
as Chimney Sweep
The Lady from Cheyenne
1941
as George
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company "B"
1941
as Hot-Breath Harry (voice) (uncredited)
Pillow to Post
1945
as Lucille, Colonial Auto Court Porter
Youth Takes a Fling
1938
as George
South of Caliente
1951
as Willie, Stable Boy
The Guilty Generation
1931
as Club Merlin Doorman (uncredited)
Hit and Rum
1935
as Shoe Shine Man (uncredited)
Straight, Place and Show
1938
as Hannibal
Scattergood Baines
1941
as Hipp
Up Pops the Devil
1931
as Laundryman
West of the Pecos
1934
as Jonah (as Sleep 'n' Eat)
Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter
1939
as Apollo Johnson
Goodbye Broadway
1938
as Jughead
Night Waitress
1936
as Black Pedestrian
The Monster Walks
1932
as Exodus (as Sleep n' Eat)
I'm from the City
1938
as Train Porter
Mummy's Boys
1936
as Catfish
Deep South
1937
You Can't Buy Luck
1937
as Airline Porter (uncredited)
Down the Stretch
1936
as Noah
Harold Lloyd's World of Comedy
1962
as Charlie (archive footage)
The Covered Trailer
1939
as Baltimore
Breezing Home
1937
as Speed
Meet the O'Briens
1954
as Willie
The Face of Marble
1946
as Shadrach
Horse Heir
1935
Raised and Called
1935
Mississippi Moods
1937
Minstrel Days
1941
as Singer
About Willie Best
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 reviled because he was often called upon to play stereotypically lazy, illiterate, and/or simple-minded characters in films. Of the 124 films he appeared in, he received screen credit in at least 77, an unusual feat for an African-American bit playe… With 121 credits spanning from 1930 to 2004, Willie Best has appeared in 117 films and 4 TV shows.
Fans searching for Willie Best movies, Willie Best filmography, or the latest projects starring Willie Best can stream many of these titles on HinFlix, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Willie Best Movies
- Vivacious Lady (1938) — as Porter
- Racing Lady (1937) — as Brass
- High Sierra (1941) — as Algernon
- Blondie (1938) — as Porter
- Juke Girl (1942) — as Jo-Mo
Where to Watch Willie Best Films
Most Willie Best movies and series are available to stream on HinFlix in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Willie Best, check our movies catalogue and browse page.