Willie Best
Acting
Born May 27, 1913 — Died November 27, 1962
From Sunflower, Mississippi, USA
Also known as Sleep 'n' Eat, Sleep 'n Eat, Sleep n' Eat
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 ...
Filmography
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
Self (archive footage)
20045.3
—
Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel
Self (archive footage)
2001
—
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
Self - Tribute Montage (archive footage)
1976
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Self (archive footage)
19756.3
Harold Lloyd's World of Comedy
Charlie (archive footage)
19627.3
Meet the O'Briens
Willie
1954
Ellis in Freedomland
Male Model
1952
South of Caliente
Willie, Stable Boy
19519.0
The Shanghai Chest
Willie Best
19486.6
Half Past Midnight
Andy Jones
19487.0
The Red Stallion
Jackson
194710.0
Suddenly It's Spring
Porter on Train
19474.3
Dangerous Money
Chattanooga Brown
19465.9
The Bride Wore Boots
Joe
19466.1
The Face of Marble
Shadrach
19464.6
She Wouldn't Say Yes
Porter (uncredited)
19456.4
Hold That Blonde!
Willie Shelley
19456.3
The Red Dragon
Chattanooga Brown
19456.6
Pillow to Post
Lucille, Colonial Auto Court Porter
19455.5
The Monster and the Ape
Flash
19456.8
Music for Millions
Red Cap (uncredited)
19446.7
The Mark of the Whistler
Men's Room Attendant (uncredited)
19446.2
The Girl Who Dared
Woodrow
19446.1
The Adventures of Mark Twain
Butler
19447.0
Home in Indiana
Mo' Rum (uncredited)
19445.9
Thank Your Lucky Stars
Soldier in "Ice Cold Katie" Number (uncredited)
19436.2
The Kansan
Bones
19436.0
Dixie
Steward (uncredited)
19435.0
Cabin in the Sky
Second Idea Man
19436.5
Cinderella Swings It
Hipp
19439.0
The Powers Girl
Men's Room Attendant (uncredited)
19437.0
The Hidden Hand
Eustis, the chauffeur
19426.7
Scattergood Survives a Murder
Hipp
19425.9
Busses Roar
Sunshine
19426.6
A-Haunting We Will Go
Waiter
19426.2
Maisie Gets Her Man
Sam (Uncredited)
19426.7
Juke Girl
Jo-Mo
19427.2
Whispering Ghosts
Euclid White Brown
19426.8
The Body Disappears
Willie
19416.1
Breakdowns of 1941
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
19417.0
Nothing but the Truth
Samuel
19417.3
The Smiling Ghost
Clarence
19416.7
—
Minstrel Days
Singer
19417.0
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company "B"
Hot-Breath Harry (voice) (uncredited)
19416.6
Highway West
Bub Wellington
19416.6
Kisses for Breakfast
Arnold
19416.3
The Lady from Cheyenne
George
19415.7
Scattergood Baines
Hipp
19417.0
Road Show
Willie
19415.6
Flight from Destiny
George
19415.8
High Sierra
Algernon
19417.1
Who Killed Aunt Maggie?
Andrew
19405.5
Money and the Woman
George Washington Jones
19404.4
The Ghost Breakers
Alex
19406.5
Blondie on a Budget
Newsboy (uncredited)
19406.2
I Take This Woman
Sambo
19405.8
Slightly Honorable
Art, Elevator Operator
19395.1
Private Detective
Norton's Valet
19396.8
The Covered Trailer
Baltimore
19397.0
Blondie Brings Up Baby
Hotel Janitor (uncredited)
19396.9
At the Circus
Redcap (uncredited)
19396.4
Blackmail
Bunny - the Janitor (uncredited)
19396.9
Way Down South
Chimney Sweep
19396.4
Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation
Driver (uncredited)
19396.6
Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter
Apollo Johnson
19396.2
Mr. Moto in Danger Island
Launch Pilot
19396.7
The Saint Strikes Back
Algernon, Simon's Butler (Uncredited)
19395.8
Blondie
Porter
19387.0
Spring Madness
Porter on Train
19384.9
Straight, Place and Show
Hannibal
19387.0
Youth Takes a Fling
George
19385.5
I'm from the City
Train Porter
19387.0
Vivacious Lady
Porter
19387.0
Goodbye Broadway
Jughead
193810.0
Merrily We Live
George
19386.9
Gold Is Where You Find It
Joshua
19387.0
Everybody's Doing It
Jasper - Elevator Operator
19386.0
Crashing Hollywood
Train Porter (uncredited)
19386.0
Saturday's Heroes
Sam
19378.0
—
The Lady Fights Back
McTavish
19377.0
—
Mississippi Moods
193710.0
Super-Sleuth
Warts, Martin's manservant
19375.6
Meet the Missus
Bootblack
19376.5
You Can't Buy Luck
Airline Porter (uncredited)
19374.7
Breezing Home
Speed
19376.0
Racing Lady
Brass
19376.0
We Who Are About to Die
Airport Porter (uncredited)
19377.0
Deep South
19377.3
Night Waitress
Black Pedestrian
19366.4
General Spanky
Henry
19365.7
Thank You, Jeeves!
Drowsy
19366.4
Mummy's Boys
Catfish
19365.0
Down the Stretch
Noah
19366.0
The Green Pastures
Henry - the Angel (uncredited)
19366.3
The Bride Walks Out
Smokie
19365.4
Murder on a Bridle Path
'High-Pockets'
19365.4
Two in Revolt
Eph
19367.0
Silly Billies
Excitement
19368.5
Muss 'em Up
Janitor at Spivali's Bar (uncredited)
19366.2
The Littlest Rebel
James Henry
19356.4
To Beat the Band
Elevator Operator
193510.0
Hot Tip
Apollo
19357.0
Jalna
Sam
19355.1
The Arizonian
Pompey
19358.0
The Nitwits
Sleepy
19356.7
—
Hit and Rum
Shoe Shine Man (uncredited)
19357.0
—
Raised and Called
1935
Murder on a Honeymoon
Willie (as Sleep 'n' Eat)
19356.5
—
Horse Heir
1935
West of the Pecos
Jonah (as Sleep 'n' Eat)
19347.0
Kentucky Kernels
Buckshot (as Sleep 'n' Eat)
19346.4
Little Miss Marker
Dizzy Memphis (uncredited)
19346.5
The Monster Walks
Exodus (as Sleep n' Eat)
19324.2
The Guilty Generation
Club Merlin Doorman (uncredited)
19316.2
Up Pops the Devil
Laundryman
19315.0
Virtuous Husband
Luftus
19318.0
Feet First
Janitor
19306.7
Ladies of Leisure
George (uncredited)
19306.2