Willie Best

Willie Best

Acting

Born May 27, 1913 · Sunflower, Mississippi, USA

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 comed…

Known for

Racket Squad

Racket Squad

1951

My Little Margie

My Little Margie

1952

The Stu Erwin Show

The Stu Erwin Show

1950

Waterfront

Waterfront

1954

High Sierra

High Sierra

1941

Vivacious Lady

Vivacious Lady

1938

At the Circus

At the Circus

1939

The Ghost Breakers

The Ghost Breakers

1940

Acting(122)

2004TV in Black: The First Fifty YearsSelf (archive footage)

2001Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDanielSelf (archive footage)

1976Bob Hope's World of ComedySelf - Tribute Montage (archive footage)

1975Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?Self (archive footage)

1962Harold Lloyd's World of ComedyCharlie (archive footage)

1954WaterfrontBilly Slocum

1954Meet the O'BriensWillie

1952My Little Margie

1952Ellis in FreedomlandMale Model

1951South of CalienteWillie, Stable Boy

1951Racket Squad

1950The Stu Erwin ShowWillie

1948The Shanghai ChestWillie Best

1948Half Past MidnightAndy Jones

1947The Red StallionJackson

1947Suddenly It's SpringPorter on Train

1946Dangerous MoneyChattanooga Brown

1946The Bride Wore BootsJoe

1946The Face of MarbleShadrach

1945She Wouldn't Say YesPorter (uncredited)

1945Hold That Blonde!Willie Shelley

1945The Red DragonChattanooga Brown

1945Pillow to PostLucille, Colonial Auto Court Porter

1945The Monster and the ApeFlash

1944Music for MillionsRed Cap (uncredited)

1944The Mark of the WhistlerMen's Room Attendant (uncredited)

1944The Girl Who DaredWoodrow

1944The Adventures of Mark TwainButler

1944Home in IndianaMo' Rum (uncredited)

1943Thank Your Lucky StarsSoldier in "Ice Cold Katie" Number (uncredited)

1943The KansanBones

1943DixieSteward (uncredited)

1943Cabin in the SkySecond Idea Man

1943Cinderella Swings ItHipp

1943The Powers GirlMen's Room Attendant (uncredited)

1942The Hidden HandEustis, the chauffeur

1942Scattergood Survives a MurderHipp

1942Busses RoarSunshine

1942A-Haunting We Will GoWaiter

1942Maisie Gets Her ManSam (Uncredited)

1942Juke GirlJo-Mo

1942Whispering GhostsEuclid White Brown

1941The Body DisappearsWillie

1941Breakdowns of 1941Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

1941Nothing but the TruthSamuel

1941The Smiling GhostClarence

1941Minstrel DaysSinger

1941Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company "B"Hot-Breath Harry (voice) (uncredited)

1941Highway WestBub Wellington

1941Kisses for BreakfastArnold

1941The Lady from CheyenneGeorge

1941Scattergood BainesHipp

1941Road ShowWillie

1941Flight from DestinyGeorge

1941High SierraAlgernon

1940Who Killed Aunt Maggie?Andrew

1940Money and the WomanGeorge Washington Jones

1940The Ghost BreakersAlex

1940Blondie on a BudgetNewsboy (uncredited)

1940I Take This WomanSambo

1939Slightly HonorableArt, Elevator Operator

1939Private DetectiveNorton's Valet

1939The Covered TrailerBaltimore

1939Blondie Brings Up BabyHotel Janitor (uncredited)

1939At the CircusRedcap (uncredited)

1939BlackmailBunny - the Janitor (uncredited)

1939Way Down SouthChimney Sweep

1939Mr. Moto Takes a VacationDriver (uncredited)

1939Nancy Drew... Trouble ShooterApollo Johnson

1939Mr. Moto in Danger IslandLaunch Pilot

1939The Saint Strikes BackAlgernon, Simon's Butler (Uncredited)

1938BlondiePorter

1938Spring MadnessPorter on Train

1938Straight, Place and ShowHannibal

1938Youth Takes a FlingGeorge

1938I'm from the CityTrain Porter

1938Vivacious LadyPorter

1938Goodbye BroadwayJughead

1938Merrily We LiveGeorge

1938Gold Is Where You Find ItJoshua

1938Everybody's Doing ItJasper - Elevator Operator

1938Crashing HollywoodTrain Porter (uncredited)

1937Saturday's HeroesSam

1937The Lady Fights BackMcTavish

1937Mississippi Moods

1937Super-SleuthWarts, Martin's manservant

1937Meet the MissusBootblack

1937You Can't Buy LuckAirline Porter (uncredited)

1937Breezing HomeSpeed

1937Racing LadyBrass

1937We Who Are About to DieAirport Porter (uncredited)

1936Night WaitressBlack Pedestrian

1936General SpankyHenry

1936Thank You, Jeeves!Drowsy

1936Mummy's BoysCatfish

1936Down the StretchNoah

1936The Green PasturesHenry - the Angel (uncredited)

1936The Bride Walks OutSmokie

1936Murder on a Bridle Path'High-Pockets'

1936Two in RevoltEph

1936Silly BilliesExcitement

1936Muss 'em UpJanitor at Spivali's Bar (uncredited)

1935The Littlest RebelJames Henry

1935To Beat the BandElevator Operator

1935Hot TipApollo

1935The ArizonianPompey

1935The NitwitsSleepy

1935Hit and RumShoe Shine Man (uncredited)

1935Raised and Called

1935Murder on a HoneymoonWillie (as Sleep 'n' Eat)

1934West of the PecosJonah (as Sleep 'n' Eat)

1934Kentucky KernelsBuckshot (as Sleep 'n' Eat)

1934Little Miss MarkerDizzy Memphis (uncredited)

1932The Monster WalksExodus (as Sleep n' Eat)

1931The Guilty GenerationClub Merlin Doorman (uncredited)

1931Up Pops the DevilLaundryman

1931Virtuous HusbandLuftus

1930Feet FirstJanitor

1930Ladies of LeisureGeorge (uncredited)