She treated Arthur like a friend and fought tooth and nail to have him on her show. . Betty White: . Duncan, 88, was a regular featured performer on White's NBC variety talk show, The Betty White Show , in the . Betty White refused to remove Black dancer on her show in 1954 - USA TODAY Goodbye to Betty White, popular cultures beloved (and saucy) great-grandma. BE 100s 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, Duncan told Steve Harvey in 2018 ahead of a surprise TV reunion with White. TIL that, in 1954, Betty White was criticized for having Arthur Duncan But just who is Arthur Duncan and why did his appearance on The Betty White Show cause such controversy at the time? "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," said Duncan during an episode of 'Steve Harvey's Little Big Shots: Forever Young' in 2017. Betty White: reglnyok: Bea Arthur: reglnyok: Phylicia Rashad: The Cosby Show Rue McClanahan: reglnyok: Shelley Long: Cheers: . When she was encouraged to take him offbecause of the color of his skin,she politely declined. Cindy Ord/Getty Betty White rejected. After the Pacific tour, Duncan spent several years performing at countless venues across Europe. targeting: { But there was never a question at all., I said, Im sorry, but, you know, he stays, she said. Jan 1, 2022. I credit Betty White for really getting me started in show business, he said. It has since been updated. Management She was part of the board at the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association and regularly campaigned to raise more funds for the association. Your Money, Your Life, LATEST LISTS The legendary dancer discussed how Betty White gave him his first job on. National Treasure Betty White Has Died at the Age of 99 - Vulture Betty White, also known as the First Lady of Television, wore many hats, as a comedian, a talk show host, an actress, and more. Sandy Duncan: Funny Face 1973 Mary Tyler Moore: Mary Tyler Moore: Bea Arthur: Maude Jean Stapleton: . 3. His reply to her that they would be performing at local hospitals and orphanages was as wholesome as the beloved actress and entertainer, who died this week at 99. In 1954, Betty White was criticized after having Arthur Duncan, a black tap dancer, on her show. Oborfacts What can i say? Betty White insisted on Black dancer for her 1950s show # ThankYouForBeingAFriend 11:37 AM - 31 Dec 2021 10,874 Retweets 54,906 Likes Registry of Corporate Directors. But one heartwarming story about her principled stand in supporting a Black colleagues career despite opposition highlighted another facet of her life. There was even a regular childrens segment. Duncan went on to have alustrouscareer inshow business and gained fame for being the first Black performer on The Lawrence Welk Show,according to The Library of Congress. R.I.P. . Editor's note: This article was originally published on January 3, 2022. Wish Day | The Betty White Show (1954) Ft. Arthur Duncan That year, 1954, also saw the Supreme Court handing make the Brown vs. Board of Education decision which banned segregated schools. Following his breakthrough performances on variety shows, Arthur Duncan was invited to be part of Bob Hopes troupe of performers to tour US military bases and was the first African-American to do so. Email: agilbert@usatoday.com. "I'm sorry, but, you know, he stays," White said,according to a PBS biography. Less than three weeks before her 100th birthday, the actress . She just cared about giving people the respect they deserve. 2023 deaths in the United States - Wikipedia Arthur said, 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. (Video: Reuters). Contact Goalcast is an inspiring community for achievers dedicated to helping you improve all aspects of your life. In the early 1950s, White faced criticism for featuring Arthur Duncan, a Black tap dancer and singer, on a few episodes of her variety talk show The Betty White Show.. In a 2018 documentary honoring Bettys illustrious career, Arthur said, I credit Betty White for really getting me started in show business, in television. Betty herself wasnt blind to the outrage, but she wouldnt let the commotion, or as she said, the ruckus sway her in the least. 1937) Casey Hayden, 85, civil rights activist (b. Arthur Duncan, an 83-year-old tap dancer, was on the premiere of Steve Harveys Little Big Shots: Forever Young. 4. Shed been a progressive since day one, and its because of people like her that we were able to delegitimize hateful sentiments that had dominated the country in those years. div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-1', But this story is true. Arthur Duncan, 97, tap dancer (The Lawrence Welk Show, The Betty White Show) (b. She also starred in and produced The Betty. This means that White had already made history by making Duncan the first Black series regular on a talk show. He typically performed one solo routine per episode, scored by the Lawrence Welk Orchestra, but also frequently danced with peers Bobby Burgess and Jack Imel. The show was the first big break for Duncan, then in his early 20s, he said in the 2018 documentary "Betty White, First Lady of Television.". Im ready to go now, he morbidly joked as White approached. div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-3', Duncan later toured with Bob Hope and appeared on The Lawrence Welk Show for nearly two decades. 1. } ', 'What could be better than show business? He holds dual bachelor's degrees from Pace University and a master's degree from New York University. ABOUT Well, Betty wrote back and said, Needless to say, we used Arthur Duncan every opportunity we could. Betty White (1954), (Bettmann/contributor/Getty images) . Amid the overt racism,The Betty White Show may have also been quietly sabotaged by brands who chose to stay away from the controversy. "Los Angeles was more accessible." White had already spent years trying to break into film and TV and eventually managed to become a co-host of the Hollywood on Film talk show in 1949 and left only to launch her own company. The show. In the 1950s, representation on television was still a controversial subject, and the gatekeepers of the industry werent even keen on having women run shows. pos: 'right_rail_2', (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) By sethuraman s . At 99 Years Old Betty White Lives In A Luxurious California Mansion Wikimedia Commons Arthur Duncan became the first Black regular on a televised American variety show. Arthur Duncan, whose exuberant tap dancing carried him from the streets of Pasadena to Betty White's variety shows in the 1950s as one of the first Black regulars performing on television,. One Piece episode 1054 delayed, new release date confirmed, {{#media.media_details}} {{#media.focal_point}}. 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 Betty White, The Golden Girls and Hot in Cleveland Star, Dead at 99 During the Little Big Shots episode, Harvey surprised Duncan by bringing White on the show to catch up with her old. Betty White dead updates - Cause of death for Hollywood legend revealed Duncan reserved high praise for White during an appearance in a 2018 documentary about her titled 'Betty White: First Lady of Television.' 2. The 98-year-old actress is loved by almost all and has had an unbelievably successful career spanning more than eight decades. He is a Black Tap Dancer. "I'm sorry, but he staysLive with it!" Wikimedia CommonsBetty Whites show was canceled the same year she invited Duncan on as a guest three times. Are you going to go house to house?. She didnt have an idea of the extent to which it would enrage her market, yet the collective furor didnt crush her spirit or change her mind. I hope we have a chance to visit after this is over., Oh, I hope so. A Look at All of Betty White's Homes. Betty White Helped Launch Career of Black Tap Dancer in 1950s - Peoplemag Betty White defied racist demands with her 1954 variety show - The "I was on the show and they had letters from Mississippi and elsewhere that some of the stations would not carry the show if I was permitted to stay on there," Duncan recalled said in a 2017 interview onSteve Harvey's "Little Big Shots: Forever Young.". Photo by: Vivian Zink/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images. Betty White spent over seven decades in front and behind the camera. Most incredibly, she was also a champion of LGBT equality. "In 1954, #BettyWhite was criticized after having Arthur Duncan, a Black tap dancer, on her show," The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center tweeted after her death. Later on, he became the first African-American regular on a variety program. pos: 'right_rail_1', 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. Arthur Duncan, a gifted dancer whose appearance on one of Betty White's early TV shows prompted a showdown between southern censors and White, died January 4. Thats when the show was renamed after White, and she took over as both host and producer. The entertainment world is mourning beloved actress Betty White, "our national treasure." The "Golden Girls" and "Mary Tyler Moore" star died Dec. 31. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider Duncan's . The special is called Betty White: First Lady of Television. You can empower others simply by speaking up when the opportunity arises. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com, In the 1950s, Betty White was criticized for having Black tap dancer Arthur Duncan on her variety talk show, The Betty White Show., Image Via Film screenshot/Wikimedia Commons.
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