1902-03-08 Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Louise Beavers (March 8, 1902 – October 26, 1962) was an American film and television actress. Beavers appeared in dozens of films and two hit television shows from the 1920s until 1960, most often cast in the role of a maid, servant, or slave. She was a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, and a member of Sigma Gamma Rho sorority, one of the four African-American sororities. Beavers was a breakthrough actress for black women and became known as a symbol of a "mammy" on the screen. A mammy archetype "is the portrayal within a narrative framework or other imagery of a black domestic servant, generally good-natured, often overweight, and loud". Louise Beavers started her career in the 1920s. At the time, black people in films were limited to acting in only very few roles, usually as slaves or domestic help. She played the "mammy" in many of the movies she acted in. She started to gain more attention in the acting world after she played the role of Julia in Coquette, which starred Mary Pickford. In this film she played the black maid and mother figure to a young white woman. She once received a review which stated: "Personally, Miss Beavers is just splendid, just as fine as she appears on screen, but she also has a charm all her own, which needs no screen role for recognition. She has a very pleasing personality, one that draws people to her instantly and makes them feel that they are meeting a friend instead of a Hollywood Star." Beavers had an attractive personality, and often played roles in which she helps a white protagonist mature in the course of the movie. In 1934, Beavers played Delilah in Imitation of Life in a dramatic role. Her character again plays a black maid, but instead of the usual stereotypical comedic or purely functional role, Delilah's story line is a secondary parallel plot. The public reacted positively to Beavers' performance. It was not only a breakthrough for Beavers, but was also "the first time in American cinema history that a black woman's problems were given major emotional weight in a major Hollywood motion picture". Some in the media recognized the unfairness of Hollywood's double standard regarding race. For example, California Graphic Magazine wrote, "the Academy could not recognize Miss Beavers. She is black!" As Beavers' career grew, some criticized her for the roles she accepted, alleging that such roles institutionalized the view that blacks were subservient to whites. Beavers dismissed the criticism. She acknowledged the limited opportunities available, but said: "I am only playing the parts. I don't live them." As she became more famous, Beavers began to speak against Hollywood's portrayal and treatment of black Americans, both during production and after promoting the films. Beavers became active in public life, seeking to help support African Americans. In later life, Beavers was plagued by health issues, including diabetes. She died on October 26, 1962, at the age of 60, following a heart attack. Beavers was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame in 1976.
 |
All the Fine Young Cannibals | Rose | 1960-09-15 |
 |
The Facts of Life | Gussie | 1960-11-14 |
 |
The Goddess | The Cook | 1958-06-24 |
 |
Tammy and the Bachelor | Osia | 1957-06-14 |
 |
The Hostess with the Mostes' | Mattie Mae | 1957-03-21 |
 |
Teenage Rebel | Willamay | 1956-11-01 |
 |
Good-bye, My Lady | Bonnie Drew | 1956-05-12 |
 |
You Can't Run Away from It | Maid | 1956-10-30 |
 |
Never Wave at a WAC | Artamesa | 1953-01-28 |
 |
Colorado Sundown | Mattie, Jackie's Maid | 1952-02-08 |
 |
I Dream of Jeanie | Mammy | 1952-06-15 |
 |
The Jackie Robinson Story | Jackie's Mother | 1950-05-16 |
 |
My Blue Heaven | Selma | 1950-09-15 |
 |
Tell It to the Judge | Cleo, Marsha's Maid (uncredited) | 1949-11-18 |
 |
A Southern Yankee | Laundry Woman | 1948-08-05 |
 |
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House | Gussie | 1948-03-25 |
 |
Good Sam | Chloe | 1948-09-01 |
 |
For the Love of Mary | Bertha | 1948-09-01 |
 |
Banjo | Lindy | 1947-05-15 |
 |
Lover Come Back | Martha | 1946-06-21 |
 |
Young Widow | Rosie | 1946-03-01 |
|
Lover Come Back | Martha, Kay's Maid | 1946-06-21 |
 |
Delightfully Dangerous | Hannah | 1945-03-31 |
 |
South of Dixie | Magnolia Brown / Chloe | 1944-06-23 |
 |
Barbary Coast Gent | Bedelia | 1944-09-01 |
 |
Dixie Jamboree | Sam the Deckhand | 1944-08-15 |
|
Dixie Jamboree | Opal | 1944-08-15 |
 |
Follow the Boys | Louise Beavers (uncredited) | 1944-05-05 |
 |
There's Something About a Soldier | Birdie | 1943-11-30 |
 |
Good Morning, Judge | Cleo | 1943-05-07 |
 |
All by Myself | Willie | 1943-06-11 |
 |
Du Barry Was a Lady | Niagara | 1943-08-13 |
 |
Top Man | Cleo | 1943-09-17 |
 |
Young America | Pansy | 1942-02-06 |
 |
The Big Street | Ruby (uncredited) | 1942-08-13 |
 |
Seven Sweethearts | Petunia, the Maid | 1942-11-13 |
 |
The Vanishing Virginian | Aunt Emmeline | 1942-02-01 |
 |
Holiday Inn | Mamie | 1942-07-10 |
 |
Reap the Wild Wind | Maum Maria | 1942-03-26 |
 |
Belle Starr | Mammy Lou | 1941-09-12 |
 |
Shadow of the Thin Man | Stella | 1941-11-21 |
 |
Virginia | Ophelia | 1941-01-28 |
 |
Sign of the Wolf | Beulah | 1941-03-25 |
 |
Kisses for Breakfast | Clotilda | 1941-07-05 |
 |
Parole Fixer | Aunt Lindy | 1940-02-02 |
 |
Women Without Names | Ivory | 1940-03-14 |
 |
Primrose Path | Woman Talking to Police (uncredited) | 1940-03-22 |
 |
I Want a Divorce | Celestine | 1940-09-20 |
 |
No Time for Comedy | Clementine | 1940-09-14 |
 |
Reform School | Mother Barton | 1939-04-27 |
 |
Made for Each Other | Lily (uncredited) | 1939-02-10 |
 |
The Lady's from Kentucky | Aunt Tina | 1939-04-27 |
 |
Brother Rat | Jenny | 1938-10-29 |
 |
Scandal Street | Clairce | 1938-02-11 |
 |
The Headleys at Home | Hyacinth | 1938-11-01 |
 |
Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus | Cassey | 1938-12-02 |
 |
Life Goes On | Sally Weston | 1938-04-01 |
 |
Make Way for Tomorrow | Mamie | 1937-05-09 |
 |
The Last Gangster | Gloria | 1937-11-12 |
 |
Love in a Bungalow | Millie | 1937-06-27 |
 |
Wings Over Honolulu | Mammy | 1937-05-16 |
 |
Wives Never Know | Florabelle | 1936-09-18 |
 |
General Spanky | Cornelia | 1936-12-11 |
 |
Bullets or Ballots | Nellie LaFleur | 1936-06-06 |
 |
Rainbow on the River | Toinette | 1936-12-18 |
 |
Annapolis Farewell | Miranda | 1935-08-23 |
 |
Merry Wives of Reno | Derwent's Client - Black Mother of 12 Wanting a Divorce (uncredited) | 1934-04-18 |
 |
Dr. Monica | Sarah - Mary's Maid (uncredited) | 1934-06-23 |
 |
I Believed in You | Prisoner | 1934-04-09 |
 |
West of the Pecos | Mauree | 1934-12-27 |
 |
Gambling Lady | Suzy - Peter's Cook (uncredited) | 1934-03-08 |
 |
I Give My Love | Maid | 1934-07-17 |
 |
A Modern Hero | Azais's Maid | 1934-04-21 |
 |
Registered Nurse | Flo - Sadie's Maid | 1934-04-06 |
 |
The Woman Condemned | Sally | 1934-04-03 |
 |
Palooka | Crystal | 1934-01-26 |
 |
I've Got Your Number | Crystal | 1934-02-24 |
 |
Beggar's Holiday | Heliotrope | 1934-08-17 |
 |
Cheaters | Lily | 1934-05-11 |
|
Strictly Fresh Yeggs | Maid | 1934-04-06 |
 |
Glamour | Millie | 1934-04-09 |
 |
Bedside | Pansy | 1934-01-27 |
 |
The Merry Frinks | Camille | 1934-05-26 |
 |
Imitation of Life | Delilah Johnson | 1934-11-23 |
 |
42nd Street | Pansy (uncredited) | 1933-03-11 |
 |
Hold Your Man | Elite Club Attendant (uncredited) | 1933-06-30 |
|
Hunting Trouble | Lucy | 1933-02-08 |
 |
The Big Cage | Mandy | 1933-05-01 |
 |
The Midnight Patrol | Maid (scenes deleted) | 1933-08-03 |
 |
Midnight Mary | Mary's Maid Anna (uncredited) | 1933-06-30 |
 |
Pick-up | Magnolia (uncredited) | 1933-03-24 |
 |
What Price Innocence? | Hannah | 1933-06-24 |
 |
Bombshell | Loretta | 1933-10-13 |
 |
Only Yesterday | Abby (Uncredited) | 1933-11-01 |
 |
The Phantom Broadcast | Minnie | 1933-03-14 |
 |
Central Airport | Hotel Maid (uncredited) | 1933-04-15 |
 |
The Story of Temple Drake | Minnie | 1933-05-06 |
 |
Girl Missing | Julie, Daisy's Maid (Uncredited) | 1933-03-04 |
 |
Her Bodyguard | Margot's Maid | 1933-07-21 |
 |
She Done Him Wrong | Pearl | 1933-02-09 |
 |
In the Money | Lily | 1933-11-06 |
 |
A Shriek in the Night | Maid | 1933-07-22 |
 |
Notorious But Nice | Ophelia | 1933-08-04 |
 |
Her Splendid Folly | Anastasia | 1933-10-07 |
 |
The Dark Horse | Kay's Maid Levinnia | 1932-06-16 |
 |
Too Busy to Work | Mammy | 1932-12-02 |
 |
Wild Girl | Mammy Lou (uncredited) | 1932-11-09 |
 |
What Price Hollywood? | Mary's Maid Bonita | 1932-06-24 |
|
You're Telling Me | The Maid (uncredited) | 1932-04-16 |
 |
Young America | Maid (Uncredited) | 1932-04-17 |
 |
Divorce In The Family | Rosetta | 1932-08-27 |
 |
Street of Women | Mattie, Natalie's maid | 1932-06-04 |
 |
Doctor X | Louise (Uncredited) | 1932-08-03 |
 |
The Expert | Lulu | 1932-03-05 |
 |
Night World | Maid (uncredited) | 1932-05-04 |
 |
The Strange Love of Molly Louvain | Washroom Attendant (uncredited) | 1932-05-28 |
 |
The Greeks Had a Word for Them | Beautician (uncredited) | 1932-02-03 |
 |
Unashamed | Amanda | 1932-07-02 |
 |
Hell's Highway | Rascal's Sweetheart at Visitor's Center (uncredited) | 1932-09-23 |
 |
It's Tough to Be Famous | Ada, Janet's Maid | 1932-04-02 |
 |
Girls About Town | Hattie | 1931-11-07 |
 |
Good Sport | September | 1931-12-12 |
 |
Don't Bet on Women | Maid (uncredited) | 1931-02-15 |
 |
Six Cylinder Love | 1931-05-10 | |
 |
Millie | Maid (uncredited) | 1931-02-06 |
 |
Sundown Trail | Auntie Jenny | 1931-09-11 |
|
Reckless Living | Maid | 1931-10-20 |
 |
Party Husband | Laura's Maid | 1931-06-06 |
 |
Ladies of the Big House | Ivory | 1931-12-26 |
 |
Second Choice | Maid (uncredited) | 1930-01-04 |
|
Knights Before Christmas | 1930-11-15 | |
 |
Paid | Convict (uncredited) | 1930-12-30 |
 |
Our Blushing Brides | Amelia - The Mannequins' Maid (uncredited) | 1930-07-19 |
 |
Honey | Black Revivalist | 1930-03-29 |
 |
True to the Navy | Maid (uncredited) | 1930-05-25 |
 |
Back Pay | Nellie - Hester's Maid | 1930-06-01 |
 |
Manslaughter | Rose | 1930-07-22 |
 |
Wide Open | Easter | 1930-02-01 |
 |
She Couldn't Say No | Cora | 1930-02-15 |
 |
Outside the Law | Judy the Maid | 1930-09-18 |
 |
Safety in Numbers | Messalina | 1930-05-30 |
 |
Recaptured Love | Maid | 1930-07-07 |
 |
Bright Lights | Angela | 1930-09-21 |
 |
Nix on Dames | Magnolia | 1929-11-24 |
 |
Election Day | Farina's mother | 1929-01-12 |
 |
Thunderbolt | Black Cat Cafe Patron (uncredited) | 1929-06-20 |
 |
Glad Rag Doll | Hannah | 1929-05-04 |
 |
Barnum Was Right | Maid | 1929-09-22 |
 |
Coquette | Julia | 1929-03-30 |
 |
Wall Street | Magnolia | 1929-12-01 |
