Willie Best
Willie Best | |
|---|---|
Best in Dangerous Money (1946) | |
| Born | William Best May 27, 1916 Sunflower, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | February 27, 1962 (aged 45) |
| Resting place | Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery |
| Other names | Sleep 'n' Eat |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1930–1955 |
William Best (May 27, 1916 – February 27, 1962), known professionally as Willie Best or Sleep 'n' Eat, was an American television and film actor.
Best was one of the first African American film actors and comedians to become well known. In the 21st century, his work, like that of Stepin Fetchit, is sometimes reviled because he was often called upon to play stereotypically lazy, illiterate, and/or simple-minded characters in films. Of the 124 films he appeared in, he received screen credit in at least 77, an unusual feat for an African American bit player.