In 1954, she became the host of her own daily variety show, The Betty White Show. In 1957, Duncan joined Bob Hope's troupe touring U.S. military bases, making him the first African American to be part of that 100-member group.
Arthur Duncan From 'Lawrence Welk' Thanks Betty White For His Career Im ready to go now, he morbidly joked as White approached. tude.cmd.push(function() { Betty White, whose more than 80-year career included Emmy-winning roles on sitcoms "The Golden Girls" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," died on Dec. 31. 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. White said she wasn't going to budge: Evidently through the South at that point it was a very heavy [thing], and I said, Im sorry, but he stays [] Live with it! White said. 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
The Betty White Show (TV Series 1954- ) - IMDb A movie event planned prior to her death to . People in the South, some of them resented me being on the show and wanted me thrown out. Duncan reserved high praise for White during an appearance in a 2018 documentary about her titled 'Betty White: First Lady of Television.' And it was never a question at all," he recalled. Betty White asked Arthur Duncan. Rest well, Betty. tude.cmd.push(function() { The beloved actress was preparing to celebrate her 100th birthday with a big televised special that will still air despite her passing only a few weeks before the age . Duncan started touring with The Jimmie Rodgers Show and performing on Betty White's 1954 . Betty White was facing pressure from stations in the South but used Duncan even more until the show was canceled in 1954. White's death, at the age of 99, was announced on Friday. He told her, I hope we have a chance to visit after this is over. And without missing a beat, Betty replied, Oh, I hope so. as well as other partner offers and accept our. Duncan performed alongside stars like actress Jayne Mansfield, singer Jerry Colonna, comedian Hedda Hopper, and the Les Brown orchestra in places like Pearl Harbor, Korea, Okinawa, and Guam. Racial justice wasnt the only focus of her activism, either. While the world mourns the death of actor and activist Betty White, many are learning about her advocacy on behalf of African-Americans. A tap dancer with remarkable skill, Arthur Duncan was the first African American to be hired as a series regular on the variety shows of early television. White hired a female director and Arthur Duncan, an African American actor, . 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 obituary | US television | The Guardian 1956) .
This soon led to the show's cancellation. tag: 'mandc,celebrity,entertainment-industry,racism', Subscribe to Newsletter Goodbye to Betty White, popular cultures beloved (and saucy) great-grandma. Betty White spent over seven decades in front and behind the camera. A pioneer of early television with a career spanning almost seven decades, she was noted for her vast body of work in entertainment and for being one of the first women to work both in front of and behind the camera. Watch clips and full episodes of Little Big Shots for free on Yahoo View. subcat: '', ABOUT NBC first aired in 1954. Lets take a moment to honor the First Lady of Television and what her progressiveness meant to those watching at home. Are you going to go house to house?. When so many of her peers were justifying their ignorance by claiming to be a product of their times, Betty stood out. . Betty White rejected attempts to keep Black dancer Arthur Duncan off her show in the 1950s. 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 died on December 31, 2021, a few weeks shy of her 100th birthday.
Arthur Duncan on The Betty White Show (1954) | Tap Dance env: 'prod', But even in California, Duncans regular presence on the show drew criticism. } And there was Duncan. Betty White, known for her role as Rose Nylund on 'Golden Girls,' dies. }); !function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-1', Even at the risk of cancelation, White insisted that Arthur Duncan stay on and thus helped launch a successful career for him. White gave it to him, he recounted in the 2018 documentary Betty White: First Lady of Television.. A long and successful career followed, including several film and TV appearances. Well, Betty wrote back and said, Needless to say, we used Arthur Duncan every opportunity we could. , Facing the threat of boycotts across the South, White famously said, Im sorry but he stays Live with it!. After the Pacific tour, Duncan spent several years performing at countless venues across Europe. The dancer, Arthur Duncan, was featured on "The Betty White Show" that aired in the 1950s. He soon moved on to The Lawrence Welk Show in 1964, where he was introduced every week until 1982 as the man whos keeping tap dancing alive.. tag: 'mandc,celebrity,entertainment-industry,racism', Less than three weeks before her 100th birthday, the actress . The comedian had a natural affinity towards animals, particularly elephants and gorillas.
Betty White spent final days in home she didn't want to live in On moral courage and sacrificing privilege: When Betty White stood for 'He stays': Betty White refused to remove Black dancer from her show in There's no knowing if her putting her foot down on Duncan staying on had any role in the show being repeatedly rescheduled for different time slots before eventually being taken off the air that same year. Betty Marion White (January 17, 1922 - December 31, 2021) was an American actress and comedian. When letters started coming from Mississippi and elsewhere demanding Arthurs removal, Betty simply wrote back saying, Needless to say, we used Arthur Duncan every opportunity we could. It wasnt a matter of finding a compromise or trying to understand the other sides perspective; she wanted to trust her gut and do the right thing, protest be damned. Twitter shares wild and wonderful stories about Betty White, who died Dec. 31, 2021. . 4. This is a tremendous loss," tap-dancing legend Arthur Duncan tells Rolling Stone.
The Controversial Decision That Nearly Ruined Betty White's Career Duncan even tapped a routine in front of Betty White in a throwback to their time on her show from the 50s. Nur Nasreen Ibrahim is a reporter with experience working in television, international news coverage, fact checking, and creative writing. When she was encouraged to take him offbecause of the color of his skin,she politely declined. Entrepreneurs Summit tude.cmd.push(function() { Duncan was featured on the show at least three times.
Betty White's Comic Reversals | The New Yorker Her respond to pressure to stop featuring him was that people had to "live with it.". "I'm sorry. She even had a regular childrens segment.
Arthur Duncan, Trailblazing Dancer for Betty White, Lawrence Welk, Dies So at age 18, he enrolled in Pasadena City College to study pharmacy. subcat: '', kw: 'mandc,celebrity,entertainment-industry,racism', He is a Black Tap Dancer. - Wikipedia-----Video originally shared on archive.orgShared for historical purposes. And to this day, the 87-year-old tap dances when the mood strikes. -----#####Reelblack's mission is to educate, entertain, enlighten, and empower through Black film. 1937) Casey Hayden, 85, civil rights activist (b. It was also the year segregation in public schools was declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. Betty knew she wasnt some prominent politician or royalty she was merely a television actress but she was still extremely self-aware of her influence on the country.
Betty White dead updates - Cause of death for Hollywood legend revealed Duncan, who credits White with launching his career, continued to break boundaries after The Betty White Show. With newfound creative control, White created a sitcom that earned her a Best Actress Emmy nomination. Email: agilbert@usatoday.com. In 2010, the Forest Service made Betty White an honorary forest ranger. In a time where segregation was at the forefront of American issues, Betty Whiterejected attempts to keep a Black dancer off her show. That solved everything at the time.. How Gabriel Prosser Planned What Would Have Been The Largest Slave Rebellion In American History, Meet The Ken And Barbie Killers: Paul Bernardo And Karla Homolka, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. Her response: "I'm sorry. page_type: 'article', pos: 'right_rail_3', She paid respect to everyone, regardless of their race, gender, religion, or what have you. tag: 'mandc,celebrity,entertainment-industry,racism', Betty White was in 'great spirits' while filming final TV appearance. Arthur Duncan, 97, tap dancer (The Lawrence Welk Show, The Betty White Show) (b. 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. Shaoni Das is a writer based out of Alberta, Canada.
Arthur Duncan - Biography - IMDb Arthur Duncans early career was helped immensely by breakthrough performances on The Jimmie Rodgers Show and, of course, The Betty White Show. The show was a daytime talk show that also featured entertainment segments that are typical of variety shows. . But this was 1954 and racial inequality was still rife. In December 1957, he became the first Black man to join Bob Hopes 100-member troupe to tour U.S. military bases worldwide. The 98-year-old actress is loved by almost all and has had an unbelievably successful career spanning more than eight decades. The Best Celebrity Furniture and Home Decor Lines. And it was never a question at all.. The comedian was a legend through and through: when faced with the overwhelming pressure to give in to hate, she resisted and won. Stay up to date with what you want to know. Today, many of us dont even comprehend the power she wielded, the significance she carried as the foremost Golden Girl of our zeitgeist, or how she unshakably fought to bring justice and diversity to our screens. Betty White was one of a kind, and no incident highlights that better than her refusing to give in to demands for a Black dancer to be removed from her show in the 50s. The 33 Coziest Designer Bedrooms Ever. You never ask me out." Left: Arthur Duncan/Betty White Show/NBC Right: American actor Betty White wearing a veiled hat, circa 1955. At one point, the network threatened to take her off the air for having a Black man repeatedly appear on the show, but she wouldnt budge. pos: 'right_rail_1', He was 97.
When Betty White Refused to Bow to Racists Over Dancer Arthur Duncan ', Betty White's quips and quotes through the years, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. After initially becoming a ratings success, a controversy surrounding Arthur Duncan and repeated scheduling changes resulted in The Betty White Shows quiet cancellation by NBC who did not renew the show for more episodes according to WFMU. pos: 'right_rail_2', Duncan looked at White and joked that his life was now complete. The Betty White Show gave tap dancing star Arthur Duncan his big break but his appearance on the show wasn't universally popular at all. When she was encouraged to take him off because of the color of his skin, she politely declined.. Oborfacts What can i say? 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. "Well, Betty wrote back and said: 'needless to say, we used Arthur Duncan every opportunity we could,'" he said. "I'm sorry, but, you know, he stays," White said,according to a PBS biography. The legendary dancer discussed how Betty White gave him his first job on. Arthur admits that Betty helped get him the kind of exposure that really launched his career. Kindness and consideration of somebody besides yourself keeps you feeling young. What really defines Betty Whites legacy is her sheer willingness to go against the grain and subvert expectations. White hired Arthur Duncan as a dancer on her show. 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. Arthur Duncan (born September 25, 1933) is an American tap dancer, known for his stint as a performer on The Lawrence Welk Show from 1964 to 1982, which, along with his earlier inclusion (despite Southern objections) on the 1954 Betty White Show, made him the first African-American regular on variety television programs.Born in Pasadena, California, Duncan entered show business at age 13, when he was a member of a dance quartet that performed at McKinley Junior High School in Pasadena, California.He later entered Pasadena City College to study pharmacy, but left to pursue a career in show business, touring with The Jimmie Rodgers Show and The Betty White Show. But just who is Arthur Duncan and why did his appearance on The Betty White Show cause such controversy at the time? . The world is still mourning the immense loss of Betty White. It didnt take long for the programs eponymous host to offer Duncan a permanent place in the shows musical family.. She extended his airtime instead, and responded to racists with "I'm sorry. Since 1970, BLACK ENTERPRISE has provided essential business information and advice to professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and decision makers. She had helped secure his first television job on her variety show 'The Betty White Show' and wasn't going to give in to the mob even if there was considerable opposition to it. I am one bad ass bitch. He went on to have a decades-long career as one of the first famous Black tap dancers in the US.
Betty White - Wikipedia 'He stays, live with it': Betty White refused to remove Black dancer .
Betty White Made History With Arthur Duncan, He Did It Twice More He remained part of the cast from 1964 to 1982. window.tude = window.tude || { cmd: [] }; Three years later, one of the Los Angeles-area shows co-hosts, Eddie Albert was given his own eponymous spin-off. When Harvey asked what Duncan thought about seeing White again, he jokedGod, I think I am ready to go now., Sports world reacts: Athletes, sports celebrities recall 'national treasure' Betty White, Celebrities mourn loss: Robert Redford shares his affection for Betty White, 'I had a crush on her, too! 1937) Elwood . # DidYouKnow In 1954, # BettyWhite was criticized after having Arthur Duncan, a Black tap dancer, on her show. This was on The Lawrence Welk Show. And that included the young tap dancer Arthur Duncan, who would become the only Black man on the program. I was on the show, and they had some letters out of Mississippi and elsewhere that some of the stations would not carry the show if I was permitted to stay on there, recalled Duncan. targeting: { Live with it. , Betty White, one of the most endearing and enduring faces on television, dies at 99.