1873-03-07 Louisville, Kentucky, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Madame Sul-Te-Wan (born Nellie Crawford; March 7, 1873 – February 1, 1959) was the first African-American actress to sign a film contract and be a featured performer. She was an American stage, film and television actress for over 50 years. The daughter of former slaves, she began her career in entertainment touring the East Coast with various theatrical companies and moved to California to become a member of the fledgling film community. She became known as a character actress, appeared in high-profile films such as The Birth of a Nation (1915) and Intolerance (1916), and easily navigated the transition to the sound films. In 1986, she was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame.
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Tarzan and the Trappers | Witch Woman | 1958-01-01 |
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The Buccaneer | Good Luck Charm Vendor | 1958-12-11 |
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Band of Angels | Flower Vendor (Uncredited) | 1957-08-03 |
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Something of Value | Midwife (Uncredited) | 1957-05-08 |
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Carmen Jones | Hagar – Carmen's Grandmother (Uncredited) | 1954-10-28 |
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Mighty Joe Young | Young Family Servant (Uncredited) | 1949-07-27 |
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The Story of Seabiscuit | Libby | 1949-11-12 |
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Thank Your Lucky Stars | Bit in "Ice Cold Katie" Number (uncredited) | 1943-09-25 |
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Revenge of the Zombies | Beulah | 1943-09-17 |
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Mokey | Miss Cully (uncredited) | 1942-04-01 |
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Sullivan's Travels | Church Harmonium Player (Uncredited) | 1941-11-30 |
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King of the Zombies | Tahama | 1941-05-14 |
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Maryland | Naomi | 1940-07-19 |
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Love Thy Neighbor | Lady McBeth | 1940-12-27 |
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Safari | Native Woman | 1940-06-14 |
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Torchy Blane... Playing with Dynamite | Ruby (uncredited) | 1939-08-12 |
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Tell No Tales | Jim Alley's Mother (uncredited) | 1939-06-12 |
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The Toy Wife | Eve, a Black Servant (Uncredited) | 1938-06-10 |
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Island in the Sky | Scrubwoman (Uncredited) | 1938-04-01 |
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In Old Chicago | Hattie | 1938-04-15 |
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The Affairs of Annabel | Benzedrina (uncredited) | 1938-09-09 |
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Kentucky | Lily | 1938-12-30 |
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Maid of Salem | Tituba | 1937-02-12 |
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San Francisco | Earthquake Survivor (Uncredited) | 1936-06-26 |
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So Red the Rose | Slave (Uncredited) | 1935-12-20 |
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A Modern Hero | Mme. Azais' Neighbor ( Uncredited) | 1934-04-21 |
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Black Moon | Ruva | 1934-06-15 |
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Operator 13 | Slave at Medicine Show ( Uncredited) | 1934-06-08 |
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Imitation of Life | Cook (uncredited) | 1934-11-23 |
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King Kong | Native Handmaiden (uncredited) | 1933-03-15 |
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Ladies They Talk About | Mustard (uncredited) | 1933-02-04 |
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Jungle Mystery | Native Woman in Stockade (Uncredited) | 1932-09-12 |
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Queen Kelly | Kali Sana - Aunt's Cook (uncredited) | 1932-10-18 |
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Heaven on Earth | Voodoo Sue | 1931-11-27 |
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The Pagan Lady | Carla the Servant | 1931-09-07 |
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The Thoroughbred | Sacharine | 1930-08-09 |
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Sarah and Son | Belloc's Maid (Uncredited) | 1930-03-14 |
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Thunderbolt | Bit Role | 1929-06-20 |
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The Carnation Kid | The Maid (Uncredited) | 1929-03-02 |
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College | Cook (uncredited) | 1927-09-10 |
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Uncle Tom's Cabin | Slave at Wedding (uncredited) | 1927-11-04 |
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The Narrow Street | Easter | 1925-01-04 |
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The Golden Bed | Boarding House Maid (Uncredited) | 1925-01-25 |
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The Lightning Rider | Mammy | 1924-05-18 |
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The Show | Maid (uncredited) | 1922-03-19 |
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Manslaughter | Prison Inmate (uncredited) | 1922-09-24 |
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Why Change Your Wife? | Sally's Maid (Uncredited) | 1920-05-21 |
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His Musical Sneeze | Maid (uncredited) | 1919-02-22 |
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Tarzan of the Apes | Esmeralda - Jane's Maid (uncredited) | 1918-01-27 |
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Old Wives for New | Viola's Maid (uncredited) | 1918-05-18 |
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Who's Your Father? | Black Mother (uncredited) | 1918-06-30 |
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Stage Struck | Uncredited | 1917-02-25 |
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Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages | Girl at the Marriage Market (uncredited) | 1916-09-04 |
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The Children Pay | Uncredited | 1916-11-26 |
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Hoodoo Ann | Black Cindy | 1916-03-26 |
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The Birth of a Nation | Black Woman (uncredited) | 1915-03-08 |
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The Cause of It All | Mary - The Hotel Cook | 1915-01-29 |
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Squirrel Food | Flirt |
