Louise Beavers
1902-03-08 ( 123 years old ) in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Louise Beavers (March 8, 1902 – October 26, 1962) was an American film and television actress. Beavers appeared in dozens of films and two hit television shows from the 1920s until 1960, most often cast in the role of a maid, servant, or slave. She was a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, and a member of Sigma Gamma Rho sorority, one of the four African-American sororities. Beavers was a breakthrough actress for black women and became known as a symbol of a "mammy" on the screen. A mammy archetype "is the portrayal within a narrative framework or other imagery of a black domestic servant, generally good-natured, often overweight, and loud". Louise Beavers started her career in the 1920s. At the time, black people in films were limited to acting in only very few roles, usually as slaves or domestic help. She played the "mammy" in many of the movies she acted in. She started to gain more attention in the acting world after she played the role of Julia in Coquette, which starred Mary Pickford. In this film she played the black maid and mother figure to a young white woman. She once received a review which stated: "Personally, Miss Beavers is just splendid, just as fine as she appears on screen, but she also has a charm all her own, which needs no screen role for recognition. She has a very pleasing personality, one that draws people to her instantly and makes them feel that they are meeting a friend instead of a Hollywood Star." Beavers had an attractive personality, and often played roles in which she helps a white protagonist mature in the course of the movie. In 1934, Beavers played Delilah in Imitation of Life in a dramatic role. Her character again plays a black maid, but instead of the usual stereotypical comedic or purely functional role, Delilah's story line is a secondary parallel plot. The public reacted positively to Beavers' performance. It was not only a breakthrough for Beavers, but was also "the first time in American cinema history that a black woman's problems were given major emotional weight in a major Hollywood motion picture". Some in the media recognized the unfairness of Hollywood's double standard regarding race. For example, California Graphic Magazine wrote, "the Academy could not recognize Miss Beavers. She is black!" As Beavers' career grew, some criticized her for the roles she accepted, alleging that such roles institutionalized the view that blacks were subservient to whites. Beavers dismissed the criticism. She acknowledged the limited opportunities available, but said: "I am only playing the parts. I don't live them." As she became more famous, Beavers began to speak against Hollywood's portrayal and treatment of black Americans, both during production and after promoting the films. Beavers became active in public life, seeking to help support African Americans. In later life, Beavers was plagued by health issues, including diabetes. She died on October 26, 1962, at the age of 60, following a heart attack. Beavers was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame in 1976.

Movies

The Facts of Life 1960-11-14
All the Fine Young Cannibals 1960-09-15
The Goddess 1958-06-24
Tammy and the Bachelor 1957-06-14
Teenage Rebel 1956-11-01
You Can't Run Away from It 1956-10-30
Good-bye, My Lady 1956-05-12
Never Wave at a WAC 1953-01-28
I Dream of Jeanie 1952-06-15
Colorado Sundown 1952-02-08
My Blue Heaven 1950-09-15
The Jackie Robinson Story 1950-05-16
Tell It to the Judge 1949-11-18
For the Love of Mary 1948-09-01
Good Sam 1948-09-01
A Southern Yankee 1948-08-05
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House 1948-03-25
Banjo 1947-05-15
Lover Come Back 1946-06-21
Lover Come Back 1946-06-21
Young Widow 1946-03-01
Delightfully Dangerous 1945-03-31
Barbary Coast Gent 1944-09-01
Dixie Jamboree 1944-08-15
Dixie Jamboree 1944-08-15
South of Dixie 1944-06-23
There's Something About a Soldier 1943-11-30
Top Man 1943-09-17
Du Barry Was a Lady 1943-08-13
All by Myself 1943-06-11
Good Morning, Judge 1943-05-07
Seven Sweethearts 1942-11-13
The Big Street 1942-08-13
Reap the Wild Wind 1942-03-26
Young America 1942-02-06
The Vanishing Virginian 1942-02-01
Holiday Inn 1942-01-01
Shadow of the Thin Man 1941-11-21
Belle Starr 1941-09-12
Kisses for Breakfast 1941-07-05
Sign of the Wolf 1941-03-25
Virginia 1941-01-28
I Want a Divorce 1940-09-20
No Time for Comedy 1940-09-14
Primrose Path 1940-03-22
Women Without Names 1940-03-14
Parole Fixer 1940-02-02
The Lady's from Kentucky 1939-04-27
Reform School 1939-04-27
Made for Each Other 1939-02-10
Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus 1938-12-02
The Headleys at Home 1938-11-01
Brother Rat 1938-10-29
Life Goes On 1938-04-01
Scandal Street 1938-02-11
The Last Gangster 1937-11-12
Love in a Bungalow 1937-06-27
Wings Over Honolulu 1937-05-16
Make Way for Tomorrow 1937-05-09
Rainbow on the River 1936-12-18
General Spanky 1936-12-11
Wives Never Know 1936-09-18
Bullets or Ballots 1936-06-06
Annapolis Farewell 1935-08-23
West of the Pecos 1934-12-27
Imitation of Life 1934-11-23
Beggar's Holiday 1934-08-17
I Give My Love 1934-07-17
Dr. Monica 1934-06-23
The Merry Frinks 1934-05-26
Cheaters 1934-05-11
A Modern Hero 1934-04-21
Merry Wives of Reno 1934-04-18
Glamour 1934-04-09
Strictly Fresh Yeggs 1934-04-06
Registered Nurse 1934-04-06
The Woman Condemned 1934-04-03
Gambling Lady 1934-03-08
I've Got Your Number 1934-02-24
Bedside 1934-01-27
Palooka 1934-01-26
In the Money 1933-11-06
Only Yesterday 1933-11-01
Bombshell 1933-10-13
Her Splendid Folly 1933-10-07
Notorious But Nice 1933-08-04
The Midnight Patrol 1933-08-03
A Shriek in the Night 1933-07-22
Her Bodyguard 1933-07-21
Midnight Mary 1933-06-30
Hold Your Man 1933-06-30
What Price Innocence? 1933-06-24
The Story of Temple Drake 1933-05-06
The Big Cage 1933-05-01
Central Airport 1933-04-15
Pick-up 1933-03-24
The Phantom Broadcast 1933-03-14
42nd Street 1933-03-11
Girl Missing 1933-03-04
She Done Him Wrong 1933-02-09
Hunting Trouble 1933-02-08
Too Busy to Work 1932-12-02
Wild Girl 1932-11-09
Hell's Highway 1932-09-23
Divorce In The Family 1932-08-27
Doctor X 1932-08-03
Unashamed 1932-07-02
What Price Hollywood? 1932-06-24
The Dark Horse 1932-06-16
Street of Women 1932-06-04
The Strange Love of Molly Louvain 1932-05-28
Night World 1932-05-04
Young America 1932-04-17
You're Telling Me 1932-04-16
It's Tough to Be Famous 1932-04-02
The Expert 1932-03-05
The Greeks Had a Word for Them 1932-02-03
Ladies of the Big House 1931-12-26
Good Sport 1931-12-12
Girls About Town 1931-11-07
Reckless Living 1931-10-20
Sundown Trail 1931-09-11
Party Husband 1931-06-06
Six Cylinder Love 1931-05-10
Don't Bet on Women 1931-02-15
Millie 1931-02-06
Paid 1930-12-30
Knights Before Christmas 1930-11-15
Bright Lights 1930-09-21
Outside the Law 1930-09-18
Manslaughter 1930-07-22
Our Blushing Brides 1930-07-19
Recaptured Love 1930-07-07
Back Pay 1930-06-01
Safety in Numbers 1930-05-30
True to the Navy 1930-05-25
Honey 1930-03-29
She Couldn't Say No 1930-02-15
Wide Open 1930-02-01
Second Choice 1930-01-04
Wall Street 1929-12-01
Barnum Was Right 1929-09-22
Thunderbolt 1929-06-20
Glad Rag Doll 1929-05-04
Coquette 1929-03-30
Election Day 1929-01-12

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