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

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

1957

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

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

1939

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

1938

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

1937

Maid of Salem as Tituba

1936

San Francisco as Earthquake Survivor (Uncredited)

1935

So Red the Rose as Slave (Uncredited)

1934

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

1933

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

1932

Jungle Mystery as Native Woman in Stockade (Uncredited)

1931

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

1930

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

1929

Thunderbolt as Bit Role
Queen Kelly as Kali Sana - Aunt's Cook (uncredited)
The Carnation Kid as The Maid (Uncredited)

1927

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

1925

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

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

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

1917

Stage Struck as Uncredited

1916

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

1915

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