Source: wikipedia.com
There are endless examples of racism in entertainment, however one that is often talked about is the usage of blackface in Tv and Movies. Blackface involves a white performer making their skin darker and it is often used to dehumanize people of African decent. Negative stereotypes are often given to these characters and they are used as a source of ignorant comedy. In other cases, early Hollywood would give white actors and actresses parts that did not align with their race because people of color were rarely hired in Hollywood. Some blackface characters are more well known, like with Al Jolson in the 1927 movie, The Jazz Singer (x). However, some actors and actresses that are wildly beloved today have performed in black face at some point in their career, though it gets overlooked by their more popular works. Why are these people still held in such high regard if they have this problematic work in their filmography? Possibly because most people do not know about it.
Source: history.com
Shirley Temple is arguably one of the most famous child actors in Hollywood history, however it is often forgotten that in 1935's, The Littlest Rebel, Temple performed in blackface. Along with this, many of her films featured other actors performing around her in blackface. During this time in Hollywood, this was not rare. Her movies also showcase many actors of color, however they are often portrayed as characters that enjoy working for white people, and cheerfully sing and dance with Temple. Though we should not blame this on Shirley Temple, as she was a child, it is a dark part of Hollywood history that is often glamourized. Shirley Temple's remastered movies are still being sold today, however they show her singing "Animal Crackers in My Soup", and conveniently leave out the blatant racism.
Frank Sinatra
Though Frank Sinatra had reportedly done blackface on more than one occasion, pictures of this have been all but erased from the internet. The clip above, taken from the 1960 film, Oceans Eleven, is basically the only image I could find showing it, though dozens of articles reference Sinatra doing blackface at least twice in his career. Either way, Sinatra is not remember for his film career, but for his music. So people will continue to listen to Fly Me to the Moon and The Way You Look Tonight with no idea of the problematic parts in Sinatra's history.
Source: indiewire.com
Robert Downey Jr.
Robert Downey Jr. played a character in blackface in the 2008 movie, Tropic Thunder. Many of the examples of people doing blackface are from decades ago, however this one is very recent. It is almost crazy to think that in 2008, a performance like this could still be done, and the actor not be shunned from showbusiness. However, Robert Downey Jr. is possibly at the top of his game right now, playing Iron Man in several Marvel movies. This example is often just overlooked when talking about blackface.
Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby has the most examples of doing blackface on this list, however before listening to the You Must Remember This podcast, I had no idea about any of it. Stars of the past have the gift of time that has allowed their mishaps be mostly forgotten while their successes continue to be loved. This image above is taken from the movie, Holiday Inn, which is also still a popular Christmas film for many. So, either they simply do not care about this poor portal, or it is another example of being a product of it's time. Either way, this movie is unknown to enough people that even those who would be offended still listen to White Christmas every December, completely unaware of the singers problematic past. In fact, White Christmas is still the most popular song of all time, even almost 100 years later.
Source: cbsnews.com
Billy Crystal
There are several people I could have talked about doing blackface on Saturday Night Live, including Jimmy Fallon and Fred Armisen, but right now I am going to focus on Billy Crystal. In addition to his skit on Saturday Night Live, Crystal also performed in blackface while hosting the 2012 Oscars. This is not what people think of when they think of Billy Crystal though, they remember him for his performances in When Harry Met Sally, City Slickers, The Princess Bride, or maybe as the voice of Mike in Monster's Inc.
Source: harlemworldmagazine.com
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire, known for his contribution to dance in film, plays a character in blackface in 1936's Swing Time. Though he is less known today than other people we have discussed, when he is remembered it is certainly not for this. He is often glamourized for dance performances with Ginger Rodgers or as a singer.
Source: nytimes.com
Julie Andrews
This example had led to many discussing whether this is blackface or not, though it has sparked a slew of articles when the images started to resurface on the internet. This image comes from the 1664 movie, Mary Poppins. The scene involves Mary Poppins going up the chimney and getting the black soot on her face. She then takes a makeup sponge and applies even more soot onto her face, making it darker. The movie (and book that it is based off of) also uses racial slurs when talking about the chimney sweepers (x). So, though this example is less obvious as others we are discussing, there is racism rooted in this scene. However, the jury is still out on this one, so debate continues. Regardless, Julie Andrews remains one of the most adored actresses in Hollywood. Her performances in the Sound of Music and Mary Poppins are classics, and there is little doubt that the love for her is not going to go away time soon.
Source: nytimes.com
Mickey Mouse
Lastly, while we're on the topic of Disney, lets not forget that even the mouse himself has a history of blackface. This is more of an issue with the history of the Disney franchise itself, not necessarily Mickey Mouse. Disney is constantly under fire for it's racial portrayals of characters, so much so that Disney+ now has disclaimers before movies like Peter Pan and Dumbo. Some people respect this decision, however others have suggested that these movies be taken off the platform for good. Disney parks have also announced that they will be changing the ride, Splash Mountain, into a ride showcasing Princess and the Frog. So, they are trying to right their wrongs, but unfortunately for Disney, they have a lot they need to apologize for.
By the way, Mickey Mouse is not the only cartoon character to do blackface, Bugs Bunny did it too.
Source: thesocietypages.org
Sources
https://www.history.com/news/blackface-history-racism-origins
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/28/movies/mary-poppins-returns-blackface.html
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