Madame Sul-Te-Wan

Born: 1873-03-07 in Louisville, Kentucky, USA

Died: 1959-02-01

Known For: Acting

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Madame Sul-Te-Wan (born Nellie Crawford; March 7, 1873 – February 1, 1959) was the first African-American actress to sign a film contract and be a featured performer. She was an American stage, film and television actress for over 50 years. The daughter of former slaves, she began her career in entertainment touring the East Coast with various theatrical companies and moved to California to become a member of the fledgling film community. She became known as a character actress, appeared in high-profile films such as The Birth of a Nation (1915) and Intolerance (1916), and easily navigated the transition to the sound films. In 1986, she was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame.

Filmography

1958

Tarzan and the Trappers as Witch Woman
The Buccaneer as Good Luck Charm Vendor

1957

Band of Angels as Flower Vendor (Uncredited)
Something of Value as Midwife (Uncredited)

1954

Carmen Jones as Hagar – Carmen's Grandmother (Uncredited)

1949

Mighty Joe Young as Young Family Servant (Uncredited)
The Story of Seabiscuit as Libby

1943

Thank Your Lucky Stars as Bit in "Ice Cold Katie" Number (uncredited)
Revenge of the Zombies as Beulah

1942

Mokey as Miss Cully (uncredited)

1941

Sullivan's Travels as Church Harmonium Player (Uncredited)
King of the Zombies as Tahama

1940

Maryland as Naomi
Safari as Native Woman
Love Thy Neighbor as Lady McBeth

1939

Tell No Tales as Jim Alley's Mother (uncredited)
Torchy Blane... Playing with Dynamite as Ruby (uncredited)

1938

Kentucky as Lily
In Old Chicago as Hattie
The Affairs of Annabel as Benzedrina (uncredited)
The Toy Wife as Eve, a Black Servant (Uncredited)
Island in the Sky as Scrubwoman (Uncredited)

1937

Maid of Salem as Tituba

1936

San Francisco as Earthquake Survivor (Uncredited)

1935

So Red the Rose as Slave (Uncredited)

1934

Operator 13 as Slave at Medicine Show ( Uncredited)
Black Moon as Ruva
Imitation of Life as Cook (uncredited)
A Modern Hero as Mme. Azais' Neighbor ( Uncredited)

1933

King Kong as Native Handmaiden (uncredited)
Ladies They Talk About as Mustard (uncredited)

1932

Queen Kelly as Kali Sana - Aunt's Cook (uncredited)
Jungle Mystery as Native Woman in Stockade (Uncredited)

1931

Heaven on Earth as Voodoo Sue
The Pagan Lady as Carla the Servant

1930

Sarah and Son as Belloc's Maid (Uncredited)
The Thoroughbred as Sacharine

1929

Thunderbolt as Bit Role
The Carnation Kid as The Maid (Uncredited)

1927

College as Cook (uncredited)
Uncle Tom's Cabin as Slave at Wedding (uncredited)

1925

The Golden Bed as Boarding House Maid (Uncredited)
The Narrow Street as Easter

1924

The Lightning Rider as Mammy

1922

Manslaughter as Prison Inmate (uncredited)
The Show as Maid (uncredited)

1920

Why Change Your Wife? as Sally's Maid (Uncredited)

1919

His Musical Sneeze as Maid (uncredited)

1918

Old Wives for New as Viola's Maid (uncredited)
Tarzan of the Apes as Esmeralda - Jane's Maid (uncredited)
Who's Your Father? as Black Mother (uncredited)

1917

Stage Struck as Uncredited

1916

Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages as Girl at the Marriage Market (uncredited)
The Children Pay as Uncredited
Hoodoo Ann as Black Cindy

1915

The Birth of a Nation as Black Woman (uncredited)
The Cause of It All as Mary - The Hotel Cook