Willie Best
Acting
122
Acting Credits
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, ...
Known For
Filmography
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
2004
as Self (archive footage)
Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel
2001
as Self (archive footage)
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
1976
as Self - Tribute Montage (archive footage)
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975
as Self (archive footage)
Harold Lloyd's World of Comedy
1962
as Charlie (archive footage)
Meet the O'Briens
1954
as Willie
Waterfront
1954
as Billy Slocum
Ellis in Freedomland
1952
as Male Model
My Little Margie
1952
South of Caliente
1951
as Willie, Stable Boy
Racket Squad
1951
The Stu Erwin Show
1950
as Willie
The Shanghai Chest
1948
as Willie Best
Half Past Midnight
1948
as Andy Jones
The Red Stallion
1947
as Jackson
Suddenly It's Spring
1947
as Porter on Train
Dangerous Money
1946
as Chattanooga Brown
The Face of Marble
1946
as Shadrach
The Bride Wore Boots
1946
as Joe
The Red Dragon
1945
as Chattanooga Brown
She Wouldn't Say Yes
1945
as Porter (uncredited)
Pillow to Post
1945
as Lucille, Colonial Auto Court Porter
The Monster and the Ape
1945
as Flash
Hold That Blonde!
1945
as Willie Shelley
The Girl Who Dared
1944
as Woodrow
Home in Indiana
1944
as Mo' Rum (uncredited)
Music for Millions
1944
as Red Cap (uncredited)
The Mark of the Whistler
1944
as Men's Room Attendant (uncredited)
The Adventures of Mark Twain
1944
as Butler
Cinderella Swings It
1943
as Hipp
Cabin in the Sky
1943
as Second Idea Man
The Powers Girl
1943
as Men's Room Attendant (uncredited)
Dixie
1943
as Steward (uncredited)
Thank Your Lucky Stars
1943
as Soldier in "Ice Cold Katie" Number (uncredited)
The Kansan
1943
as Bones
Scattergood Survives a Murder
1942
as Hipp
A-Haunting We Will Go
1942
as Waiter
The Hidden Hand
1942
as Eustis, the chauffeur
Whispering Ghosts
1942
as Euclid White Brown
Juke Girl
1942
as Jo-Mo
Maisie Gets Her Man
1942
as Sam (Uncredited)
Busses Roar
1942
as Sunshine
High Sierra
1941
as Algernon
Highway West
1941
as Bub Wellington
The Smiling Ghost
1941
as Clarence
Nothing but the Truth
1941
as Samuel
Road Show
1941
as Willie
The Lady from Cheyenne
1941
as George
Kisses for Breakfast
1941
as Arnold
Breakdowns of 1941
1941
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Flight from Destiny
1941
as George
Scattergood Baines
1941
as Hipp
Minstrel Days
1941
as Singer
The Body Disappears
1941
as Willie
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company "B"
1941
as Hot-Breath Harry (voice) (uncredited)
The Ghost Breakers
1940
as Alex
Who Killed Aunt Maggie?
1940
as Andrew
Money and the Woman
1940
as George Washington Jones
Blondie on a Budget
1940
as Newsboy (uncredited)
I Take This Woman
1940
as Sambo
Blondie Brings Up Baby
1939
as Hotel Janitor (uncredited)
The Covered Trailer
1939
as Baltimore
Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter
1939
as Apollo Johnson
At the Circus
1939
as Redcap (uncredited)
The Saint Strikes Back
1939
as Algernon, Simon's Butler (Uncredited)
Mr. Moto in Danger Island
1939
as Launch Pilot
Way Down South
1939
as Chimney Sweep
Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation
1939
as Driver (uncredited)
Slightly Honorable
1939
as Art, Elevator Operator
Blackmail
1939
as Bunny - the Janitor (uncredited)
Private Detective
1939
as Norton's Valet
Blondie
1938
as Porter
Goodbye Broadway
1938
as Jughead
Merrily We Live
1938
as George
Gold Is Where You Find It
1938
as Joshua
Youth Takes a Fling
1938
as George
Everybody's Doing It
1938
as Jasper - Elevator Operator
Spring Madness
1938
as Porter on Train
Crashing Hollywood
1938
as Train Porter (uncredited)
I'm from the City
1938
as Train Porter
Vivacious Lady
1938
as Porter
Straight, Place and Show
1938
as Hannibal
Super-Sleuth
1937
as Warts, Martin's manservant
Meet the Missus
1937
as Bootblack
Saturday's Heroes
1937
as Sam
Deep South
1937
The Lady Fights Back
1937
as McTavish
We Who Are About to Die
1937
as Airport Porter (uncredited)
Racing Lady
1937
as Brass
You Can't Buy Luck
1937
as Airline Porter (uncredited)
Mississippi Moods
1937
Breezing Home
1937
as Speed
Murder on a Bridle Path
1936
as 'High-Pockets'
Down the Stretch
1936
as Noah
Muss 'em Up
1936
as Janitor at Spivali's Bar (uncredited)
Two in Revolt
1936
as Eph
Mummy's Boys
1936
as Catfish
The Bride Walks Out
1936
as Smokie
Night Waitress
1936
as Black Pedestrian
The Green Pastures
1936
as Henry - the Angel (uncredited)
Thank You, Jeeves!
1936
as Drowsy
General Spanky
1936
as Henry
Silly Billies
1936
as Excitement
Hit and Rum
1935
as Shoe Shine Man (uncredited)
The Littlest Rebel
1935
as James Henry
Murder on a Honeymoon
1935
as Willie (as Sleep 'n' Eat)
Raised and Called
1935
To Beat the Band
1935
as Elevator Operator
The Nitwits
1935
as Sleepy
Horse Heir
1935
Jalna
1935
as Sam
Hot Tip
1935
as Apollo
The Arizonian
1935
as Pompey
Little Miss Marker
1934
as Dizzy Memphis (uncredited)
Kentucky Kernels
1934
as Buckshot (as Sleep 'n' Eat)
West of the Pecos
1934
as Jonah (as Sleep 'n' Eat)
The Monster Walks
1932
as Exodus (as Sleep n' Eat)
Up Pops the Devil
1931
as Laundryman
Virtuous Husband
1931
as Luftus
The Guilty Generation
1931
as Club Merlin Doorman (uncredited)
Feet First
1930
as Janitor
Ladies of Leisure
1930
as George (uncredited)