betty white 1954 arthur duncan betty white 1954 arthur duncan

Betty White rejected attempts to keep Black dancer Arthur Duncan off her show in the 1950s. A Look at All of Betty White's Homes. Betty White Made History With Arthur Duncan, He Did It Twice More Tai Saint-Louis January 2, 2022 6442 Arthur Duncan and Betty White, reunited by Steve Harvey As the world mourns actress and comedienne Betty White, who passed away on Dec. 31, many are. The Controversial Decision That Nearly Ruined Betty White's Career In response, Betty White famously said Im sorry. A colleague. But her decision to defy conventional norms and balk at Southern naysayers allowed Duncan to go one to make history at least twice more. Live with it: Betty White defied racist demands in 1954. CNN . He we as a tap dancer and singer who White was quite fond of and wanted to help him get more exposure. 0. NBCArthur Duncan (left) and Betty White (seated) at their reunion on Steve Harveys Little Big Shots: Forever Young in 2017. In the 1950s, Betty White was criticized for having Black tap dancer Arthur Duncan on her variety talk show, "The Betty White Show." Rating: True About this rating Betty White, also. "I was on the show and they had letters from Mississippi and elsewhere that some of the stations would not carry the show if I was permitted to stay on there," Duncan recalled said in a 2017 interview onSteve Harvey's "Little Big Shots: Forever Young.". You never call. Although NBC eventually canceled Whites show, Duncan had become a star. B.E. div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-2', 'He stays': Betty White refused to remove Black dancer from her show in The 98-year-old actress is loved by almost all and has had an unbelievably successful career spanning more than eight decades. She extended his airtime instead, and responded to racists with "I'm sorry. Betty White In Person (1987). The Betty White Show (1952 TV series) - Wikipedia Getty Images. subcat: '', Bettys ninety-nine years on this planet is a testament to the tenacity of human kindness. pos: 'right_rail_3', } As the host and producer, White hired young Black tap dancer Arthur Duncan to perform. Her show was canceled soon after. } Let us not forget that in 1954 Betty White's show was canceled shortly after receiving backlash for her refusal to cancel Black tap dancer, Arthur Duncan. Listen to Betty White. Duncan went on to have alustrouscareer inshow business and gained fame for being the first Black performer on The Lawrence Welk Show,according to The Library of Congress. Watch clips and full episodes of Little Big Shots for free on Yahoo View. Betty White was in 'great spirits' while filming final TV appearance. I am one bad ass bitch. She just prioritized building earnest relationships with people, and if progress came as a result, no problem. BETTY White has updated fans on her health in rare interview after fans fear for the beloved Golden Girl ahead of 100th birthday.The actress, 99, crep . By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider Nur Nasreen Ibrahim is a reporter with experience working in television, international news coverage, fact checking, and creative writing. Betty White was one of a kind, and no incident highlights that better than her refusing to give in to demands for a Black dancer to be removed from her show in the 50s. Betty White Shaped the Rise of Television. It's a Legacy That - TODAY as well as other partner offers and accept our. url: 'betty,whites,controversial,hire,of,tap,dancer,arthur,duncan,made,history,in,more,ways,than,one', The show was a daytime talk show that also featured ente. }); window.tude = window.tude || { cmd: [] }; TIL that, in 1954, Betty White was criticized for having Arthur Duncan She continued to serve as producer on the show, pushing boundaries by hiring a female director and showcasing. Case in point: when she rallied to have a Black tap dancer perform on her show despite the audience pushing for his expulsion. Contact Arthur Duncan was honored in 2004 and 2006 at the Tap Extravaganza in New York and the 15th Annual St. Louis Tap Dance Festival. "I hope we have a chance to visit after this is over," Duncan told White, to which she replied: "Oh, I hope so. On moral courage and sacrificing privilege: When Betty White stood for They were going to take our show off the air if we didnt get rid of Arthur, because he was Black., People in the South resented me being on the show, and they wanted me thrown out, Duncan agreed. This material may not be reproduced without permission. Management When she was encouraged to take him off because of the color of his skin, she politely declined. Arthur Duncan, pioneering Black tap dancer, dies at 97 Simply put, if people like her hadnt raised their voices and resisted hatred and ignorance, our world wouldnt have been the same. White said she wasn't going to budge: Evidently through the South at that point it was a very heavy [thing], and I said, Im sorry, but he stays [] Live with it! White said. Sales Partnership Solutions ]); . In February 1955, the show became the shortest run program to ever receive an Emmy nomination for Best Daytime Program. Cindy Ord/Getty Betty White rejected. Wikimedia CommonsBetty Whites show was canceled the same year she invited Duncan on as a guest three times. env: 'prod', Steve Harvey also had Betty White come on to the show to reunite them. White went on to game shows, the talk-show circuit and eventually mega-stardom as Rose Nylund on the 1980s sitcom The Golden Girls.. Betty White rejected attempts to keep Black dancer Arthur Duncan off her show in the 1950s. R.I.P. Betty White: Hollywood Pays Tribute to the TV Icon - W Magazine Watch The Betty White Show (November 29th, 1954) 1 Video 3 Photos Family Music Talk-Show Daytime show with Betty White talking to guests, singing with the orchestra, etc. . And by his 21st birthday, hed caught the eye of TV pioneer Betty White. Later on, Arthur was discovered by Sam Lutz, Lawrence Welks personal manager and was invited to perform as part of Welks musical family.. Shed been a progressive since day one, and its because of people like her that we were able to delegitimize hateful sentiments that had dominated the country in those years. Copywriter by day, true crime enthusiast by night - she has a passion for uncovering perspectives that capture the full spectrum of human nature. After just one appearance, Duncan was asked to remain onThe Lawrence Welk Show, making him the first Black regular on a variety show. Three years later, one of the Los Angeles-area shows co-hosts, Eddie Albert was given his own eponymous spin-off. He was 97. The cancellation of her variety and talk show came after a huge backlash surrounding the appearance of Arthur Duncan. Betty White asked Arthur Duncan. Part of her show would feature a young Black entertainer by the name of Arthur Duncan. There was the time she ignored criticism about having Arthur Duncan, . It didnt take long for the programs eponymous host to offer Duncan a permanent place in the shows musical family.. "Los Angeles was more accessible." GOOD aligns unparalleled expertise in social science, social media, and social change. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. SistersInc. I know our Bo is looking forward to seeing her up in heaven. In 1954, Ms. White was pressured to replace Mr. Duncan, a dancer who went on to receive . . You never ask me out.. When Betty White was in her early 30s she landed her very own self-titled variety show. Television was still a new medium, but White was already a veteran performer of stage and radio, had acted on a sitcom and had co-hosted a Los Angeles daytime talk show. Among her favorite guests was Arthur Duncan, an African-American musician from Pasadena, California, who briefly studied medicine before returning to his musical roots. "Well, Betty wrote back and said, 'Needless to say, we used Arthur Duncan every opportunity we could.'" Her respond to pressure to stop featuring him was that people had to "live with it." The show was Duncan's first big break in the business and helped launch his career. "I'm ready to go now," he said. She also told her critics to "live with it.". Arthur Duncan became the first Black regular on a televised American variety show. He told her, I hope we have a chance to visit after this is over. And without missing a beat, Betty replied, Oh, I hope so. . When Betty White Refused to Bow to Racists Over Dancer Arthur Duncan Whats more intriguing is that this wasnt Bettys sole act of defiance within the show; she interviewed a Black child on the special when it was considered controversial to do so. The Betty White Show is a television series that aired on KLAC-TV (now KCOP-TV) in 1952 and 1953, and on NBC in 1954. The comedian had a natural affinity towards animals, particularly elephants and gorillas. It was the first time in over 60 years that Arthur Duncan and Betty White had appeared on stage together. According to the 2018 PBS documentary, Betty White: First Lady of Television, (available on Netflix) Duncan credited White for his first big break. Im ready to go now, he morbidly joked as White approached. Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, or leave your comments below. How Betty White Lost Her Show After Standing Up To Racist Bullies Duncan reserved high praise for White during an appearance in a 2018 documentary about her titled 'Betty White: First Lady of Television.' When letters started coming from Mississippi and elsewhere demanding Arthurs removal, Betty simply wrote back saying, Needless to say, we used Arthur Duncan every opportunity we could. It wasnt a matter of finding a compromise or trying to understand the other sides perspective; she wanted to trust her gut and do the right thing, protest be damned. Racial justice wasnt the only focus of her activism, either. Live with it." She then gave Duncan even more airtime. Live with . Betty White dead updates - Cause of death for Hollywood legend revealed Arthur Duncan, an 83-year-old tap dancer, was on the premiere of Steve Harvey 's Little Big Shots: Forever Young. } Arthur Duncan was a tap dancer and singer known for his regular appearances on "The Betty White Show" and "The Lawrence Welk Show." Died: January 4, 2023 ( Who else died on January 4? This was in 1954. BLACK ENTERPRISE is the premier business, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans. The special is called Betty White: First Lady of Television. Arthur Duncan, One Of The First Black Regulars On American Television White explained the controversy in the documentary, "All through the South there was this whole ruckus, they were going to take the show off the air if we didn't get rid of Arthur because he was Black," said White. } "The first TV show I had ever been on, and I credit Betty White for really getting me started in show business, in television," he said. tag: 'mandc,celebrity,entertainment-industry,racism', Entrepreneurs Summit 1954) February 11 Howard Bragman, 66, public relations executive (b. Duncan's . Betty White, 99, gives health update in rare interview after fans fear I credit Betty White for really getting me started in show business, he said. The show was a daytime talk show that also featured entertainment segments that are typical of variety shows. pos: 'right_rail_2', Black Men XCEL Goodbye to Betty White, popular cultures beloved (and saucy) great-grandma. Arthur Duncan, pioneering Black tap dancer, dies at 97 Championed by Betty White at the start of his career, he became one of the first Black regulars on a TV variety show. divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-2', The daily talk/variety show on NBC allowed White to hire a female director (opens in new tab) as well as Arthur Duncan, . A Look at All of Betty White's Homes - House Beautiful FLASHBACK: Lawrence Welk star Arthur Duncan credits Betty White for his She set the standard, and we will forever be grateful. targeting: { Betty White's Comic Reversals | The New Yorker - Wikipedia-----Video originally shared on archive.orgShared for historical purposes. In 1954, Betty White rejected pressure to stop featuring tap dancer But there was never a question at all., I said, Im sorry, but, you know, he stays, she said. Less than three weeks before her 100th birthday, the actress . However, Albert was very active in the film world and soon chose to leave the show to film the classicRoman Holiday. Betty White spent final days in home she didn't want to live in Screening event for Betty White's 100th birthday will go on The dancer, Arthur Duncan, was featured on "The Betty White Show" that aired in the 1950s. He holds dual bachelor's degrees from Pace University and a master's degree from New York University. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) By sethuraman s . Betty White obituary | US television | The Guardian divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-1', Have something to tell us about this article? pos: 'right_rail_1', Betty White holds the record for "longest television career of any female or male entertainer." She is older than sliced bread. Arthur Duncan (born September 25, 1933) is an American tap dancer, known for his stint as a performer on The Lawrence Welk Show from 1964 to 1982, which, along with his earlier inclusion (despite Southern objections) on the 1954 Betty White Show, made him the first African-American regular on variety television programs.Born in Pasadena, California, Duncan entered show business at age 13, when he was a member of a dance quartet that performed at McKinley Junior High School in Pasadena, California.He later entered Pasadena City College to study pharmacy, but left to pursue a career in show business, touring with The Jimmie Rodgers Show and The Betty White Show. Betty White pushed back against pressure for her to stop featuring a Black tap dancer on her show in 1954, The Washington Post reported. INFORMATION Barack and I join so many around the world who will miss the joy she brought to the world. Michael Green, 69, molecular and cell biologist (b. The show. div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-1', See when we celebrated Betty Whites 95th birthday with our 5 fave TV appearances: Steve Harveys Hilarious Version of Ray Charless Georgia on My Mind, 8-Year-Old Girl Tries to Take Steve Harveys Hosting Job, George Lopez Schools Steve Harvey During Celebrity Family Feud. 1956) . Not only had she been one of the first women to helm her own show on television, but she also laid the groundwork for how women could assert their agency in a landscape that was still dismissive of their talent and power. Arthur Chester Duncan (September 25, 1925 - January 4, 2023) was an American tap dancer, also called an "Entertainer's Entertainer," known for his stint as a performer on The Lawrence Welk Show from 1964 to 1982. 29K views 1 year ago Arthur Duncan (born September 25, 1933) is an American tap dancer, known for his stint as a performer on The Lawrence Welk Show from 1964 to 1982, which, along with his. The first TV show I had ever been on, and I credit Betty White for really getting me started in show business, in television, he said. 1995 - 2023 by Snopes Media Group Inc. People in the South, some of them resented me being on the show and wanted me thrown out. . In December 1957, he became the first Black man to join Bob Hopes 100-member troupe to tour U.S. military bases worldwide. Little Big Shots: Forever Young airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on NBC. Lets take a moment to honor the First Lady of Television and what her progressiveness meant to those watching at home. His reply to her that they would be performing at local hospitals and orphanages was as wholesome as the beloved actress and entertainer, who died this week at 99. Betty White, veteran actress who starred in The Golden Girls, dies And all through the South, there was this whole ruckus, White remembered in the doc. page_type: 'article', Email: agilbert@usatoday.com. In 1954, she became the host of her own daily variety show, The Betty White Show. R.I.P. If Betty White was able to extend so much love and admiration to everyone shed come across over the years, anyone can do the same. So the next time you blame someones bigotry on their times, remember Betty White. "In 1954, #BettyWhite was criticized after having Arthur Duncan, a Black tap dancer, on her show," The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center tweeted after her death. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. And it was never a question at all.. And to this day, the 87-year-old tap dances when the mood strikes. The beloved actress was preparing to celebrate her 100th birthday with a big televised special that will still air despite her passing only a few weeks before the age . 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Pen Griffey Jr. on Twitter: "Let us not forget that in 1954 Betty White aid: '769722', From left to right: Arthur Duncan, director Dean Hargrove, actor Norman LLoyd, and cinematographer Stephen Poster at a screening of, Arthur Duncan (left) and Betty White (seated) at their reunion on Steve Harveys, how Hattie McDaniel became the first Black Oscar winner, the first African-American photographers and their portraits. 'He stays, live with it': Betty White refused to remove Black dancer Duncan performed on The Lawrence Welk Show for nearly 20 years, making him the first Black regular on a variety show. divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-3', Among White's decisions as host and producer were to hire a female director and make Arthur Duncan, who is Black, a series regular. Duncan gave Underwood flowers to congratulate her return to tap dancing.In 2020, Duncan was inducted into the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame of the American Tap Dance Foundation. He went on to have a decades-long career as one of the first famous Black tap dancers in the US. The world is still mourning the immense loss of Betty White. Arthur Duncan obituary: tap dancer dies at 97 - Legacy.com In 1954, Betty White was criticized after having Arthur Duncan, a black tap dancer, on her show. Not one to waste an opportunity, White immediately set about hiring Duncan to dance on The Betty White Show, which aired on NBC in Los Angeles. White . In 1954 Betty White had a talk show and faced criticism for including a black tap dancer, Arthur Duncan, on her show. You never ask me out." Since 1970, BLACK ENTERPRISE has provided essential business information and advice to professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and decision makers. Born in Pasadena, California, Duncan entered show business at age 13, when he was a member of a dance quartet that performed at McKinley Junior High School in Pasadena, California. Betty White Reunited With Tap Dancer Whose Career She Launched - Yahoo! As producer of her own show, White decided to give Duncan a national platform to share those skills with the rest of the country. Arthur Duncan, Trailblazing Dancer for Betty White, Lawrence Welk, Dies She made sure to strengthen causes that needed backing, those that required people to break the mold and upset the masses. subcat: '', White was briefly married to U.S. army pilot Dick Barker in 1945.Two years later, White wed Hollywood agent Lane Allen, whom she divorced in 1949. targeting: { In a time where segregation was at the forefront of American issues, Betty Whiterejected attempts to keep a Black dancer off her show. ABOUT White made a career playing sweet characters with hidden and hilarious grit, and that quality goes all the way back to her first televised variety show, where, as the host and producer, she defied racist demands to get rid of Duncan because he was Black. Tap dancer Arthur Duncan was first introduced to national audiences by Betty White in 1954 before making history as the first Black performer on The Lawrence Welk Show. 'The Betty White Show' saw her perform songs and entertain viewers with skits and interviews with guests. If White, 99, had it her way, she would have remained at her longtime marital home in Carmel, which she first built with her late husband, Allen Ludden, when they bought the land in 1978. 'She Truly Was an Original': Stars Remember Betty White - Rolling Stone Betty White: . Some facts about Betty White . Live with it." She then gave Duncan even more airtime. In 1954 Betty White had a talk show and faced criticism for including a black tap dancer, Arthur Duncan, on her show.Betty responded with Im sorry. The Betty White Showwas a spinoff of KTLA variety show Hollywood on Television, which White joined in 1949. Arthur Duncan, who is currently 87 years old, is an African-American tap dancer and entertainer. Betty White, also known as the First Lady of Television, wore many hats, as a comedian, a talk show host, an actress, and more. Arthur admits that Betty helped get him the kind of exposure that really launched his career. Betty White gave Arthur his first job on her televised variety show, The Betty White Show. Betty White, to put it simply, is a national. She paid respect to everyone, regardless of their race, gender, religion, or what have you. White gave it to him, he recounted in the 2018 documentary Betty White: First Lady of Television.. Kindness and consideration of somebody besides yourself keeps you feeling young. Betty White died on December 31, 2021, a few weeks shy of her 100th birthday.