
Willie Best
Known for exceptional acting in global cinema.
Profession
Acting
Birthday
27 May 1913
Age
113 Years
Born In
Sunflower, Mississippi, USA
Total Projects
121
Years Active
74 Yrs
Avg Rating
6.5 ★
Overview
William “Willie” Best (May 27, 1916 - February 27, 1962), sometimes known as “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...
Known For
Filmography

movie
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
as Self (archive footage)

movie
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
as Self - Tribute Montage (archive footage)

movie
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
as Self (archive footage)

movie
Harold Lloyd's World of Comedy
Harold Lloyd's World of Comedy
as Charlie (archive footage)

tv
Waterfront
Waterfront
as Billy Slocum

movie
Meet the O'Briens
Meet the O'Briens
as Willie

tv
My Little Margie
My Little Margie

movie
Ellis in Freedomland
Ellis in Freedomland
as Male Model

movie
South of Caliente
South of Caliente
as Willie, Stable Boy

tv
Racket Squad
Racket Squad

tv
The Stu Erwin Show
The Stu Erwin Show
as Willie

movie
The Shanghai Chest
The Shanghai Chest
as Willie Best

movie
Half Past Midnight
Half Past Midnight
as Andy Jones

movie
The Red Stallion
The Red Stallion
as Jackson

movie
Suddenly It's Spring
Suddenly It's Spring
as Porter on Train

movie
Dangerous Money
Dangerous Money
as Chattanooga Brown

movie
The Bride Wore Boots
The Bride Wore Boots
as Joe

movie
The Face of Marble
The Face of Marble
as Shadrach

movie
She Wouldn't Say Yes
She Wouldn't Say Yes
as Porter (uncredited)

movie
Hold That Blonde!
Hold That Blonde!
as Willie Shelley

movie
The Red Dragon
The Red Dragon
as Chattanooga Brown

movie
Pillow to Post
Pillow to Post
as Lucille, Colonial Auto Court Porter

movie
The Monster and the Ape
The Monster and the Ape
as Flash

movie
Music for Millions
Music for Millions
as Red Cap (uncredited)

movie
The Mark of the Whistler
The Mark of the Whistler
as Men's Room Attendant (uncredited)

movie
The Girl Who Dared
The Girl Who Dared
as Woodrow

movie
The Adventures of Mark Twain
The Adventures of Mark Twain
as Butler

movie
Home in Indiana
Home in Indiana
as Mo' Rum (uncredited)

movie
Thank Your Lucky Stars
Thank Your Lucky Stars
as Soldier in "Ice Cold Katie" Number (uncredited)

movie
The Kansan
The Kansan
as Bones

movie
Dixie
Dixie
as Steward (uncredited)

movie
Cabin in the Sky
Cabin in the Sky
as Second Idea Man

movie
Cinderella Swings It
Cinderella Swings It
as Hipp

movie
The Powers Girl
The Powers Girl
as Men's Room Attendant (uncredited)

movie
The Hidden Hand
The Hidden Hand
as Eustis, the chauffeur

movie
Scattergood Survives a Murder
Scattergood Survives a Murder
as Hipp

movie
Busses Roar
Busses Roar
as Sunshine

movie
A-Haunting We Will Go
A-Haunting We Will Go
as Waiter

movie
Maisie Gets Her Man
Maisie Gets Her Man
as Sam (Uncredited)

movie
Juke Girl
Juke Girl
as Jo-Mo

movie
Whispering Ghosts
Whispering Ghosts
as Euclid White Brown

movie
The Body Disappears
The Body Disappears
as Willie

movie
Breakdowns of 1941
Breakdowns of 1941
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

movie
Nothing but the Truth
Nothing but the Truth
as Samuel

movie
The Smiling Ghost
The Smiling Ghost
as Clarence

movie
Minstrel Days
Minstrel Days
as Singer

movie
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company "B"
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company "B"
as Hot-Breath Harry (voice) (uncredited)

movie
Highway West
Highway West
as Bub Wellington

movie
Kisses for Breakfast
Kisses for Breakfast
as Arnold

movie
The Lady from Cheyenne
The Lady from Cheyenne
as George

movie
Scattergood Baines
Scattergood Baines
as Hipp

movie
Road Show
Road Show
as Willie

movie
Flight from Destiny
Flight from Destiny
as George

movie
High Sierra
High Sierra
as Algernon

movie
Who Killed Aunt Maggie?
Who Killed Aunt Maggie?
as Andrew

movie
Money and the Woman
Money and the Woman
as George Washington Jones

movie
The Ghost Breakers
The Ghost Breakers
as Alex

movie
Blondie on a Budget
Blondie on a Budget
as Newsboy (uncredited)

movie
I Take This Woman
I Take This Woman
as Sambo

movie
Slightly Honorable
Slightly Honorable
as Art, Elevator Operator

movie
Private Detective
Private Detective
as Norton's Valet

movie
The Covered Trailer
The Covered Trailer
as Baltimore

movie
Blondie Brings Up Baby
Blondie Brings Up Baby
as Hotel Janitor (uncredited)

movie
At the Circus
At the Circus
as Redcap (uncredited)

movie
Blackmail
Blackmail
as Bunny - the Janitor (uncredited)

movie
Way Down South
Way Down South
as Chimney Sweep

movie
Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation
Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation
as Driver (uncredited)

movie
Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter
Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter
as Apollo Johnson

movie
Mr. Moto in Danger Island
Mr. Moto in Danger Island
as Launch Pilot

movie
The Saint Strikes Back
The Saint Strikes Back
as Algernon, Simon's Butler (Uncredited)

movie
Blondie
Blondie
as Porter

movie
Spring Madness
Spring Madness
as Porter on Train

movie
Straight, Place and Show
Straight, Place and Show
as Hannibal

movie
Youth Takes a Fling
Youth Takes a Fling
as George

movie
I'm from the City
I'm from the City
as Train Porter

movie
Vivacious Lady
Vivacious Lady
as Porter

movie
Goodbye Broadway
Goodbye Broadway
as Jughead

movie
Merrily We Live
Merrily We Live
as George

movie
Gold Is Where You Find It
Gold Is Where You Find It
as Joshua

movie
Everybody's Doing It
Everybody's Doing It
as Jasper - Elevator Operator

movie
Crashing Hollywood
Crashing Hollywood
as Train Porter (uncredited)

movie
Saturday's Heroes
Saturday's Heroes
as Sam

movie
The Lady Fights Back
The Lady Fights Back
as McTavish

movie
Mississippi Moods
Mississippi Moods

movie
Super-Sleuth
Super-Sleuth
as Warts, Martin's manservant

movie
Meet the Missus
Meet the Missus
as Bootblack

movie
You Can't Buy Luck
You Can't Buy Luck
as Airline Porter (uncredited)

movie
Breezing Home
Breezing Home
as Speed

movie
Racing Lady
Racing Lady
as Brass

movie
We Who Are About to Die
We Who Are About to Die
as Airport Porter (uncredited)

movie
Deep South
Deep South

movie
Night Waitress
Night Waitress
as Black Pedestrian

movie
General Spanky
General Spanky
as Henry

movie
Thank You, Jeeves!
Thank You, Jeeves!
as Drowsy

movie
Mummy's Boys
Mummy's Boys
as Catfish

movie
Down the Stretch
Down the Stretch
as Noah

movie
The Green Pastures
The Green Pastures
as Henry - the Angel (uncredited)

movie
The Bride Walks Out
The Bride Walks Out
as Smokie

movie
Murder on a Bridle Path
Murder on a Bridle Path
as 'High-Pockets'

movie
Two in Revolt
Two in Revolt
as Eph

movie
Silly Billies
Silly Billies
as Excitement

movie
Muss 'em Up
Muss 'em Up
as Janitor at Spivali's Bar (uncredited)

movie
The Littlest Rebel
The Littlest Rebel
as James Henry

movie
To Beat the Band
To Beat the Band
as Elevator Operator

movie
Hot Tip
Hot Tip
as Apollo

movie
Jalna
Jalna
as Sam

movie
The Arizonian
The Arizonian
as Pompey

movie
The Nitwits
The Nitwits
as Sleepy

movie
Hit and Rum
Hit and Rum
as Shoe Shine Man (uncredited)

movie
Raised and Called
Raised and Called

movie
Murder on a Honeymoon
Murder on a Honeymoon
as Willie (as Sleep 'n' Eat)

movie
Horse Heir
Horse Heir

movie
West of the Pecos
West of the Pecos
as Jonah (as Sleep 'n' Eat)

movie
Kentucky Kernels
Kentucky Kernels
as Buckshot (as Sleep 'n' Eat)

movie
Little Miss Marker
Little Miss Marker
as Dizzy Memphis (uncredited)

movie
The Monster Walks
The Monster Walks
as Exodus (as Sleep n' Eat)

movie
The Guilty Generation
The Guilty Generation
as Club Merlin Doorman (uncredited)

movie
Up Pops the Devil
Up Pops the Devil
as Laundryman

movie
Virtuous Husband
Virtuous Husband
as Luftus

movie
Feet First
Feet First
as Janitor

movie
Ladies of Leisure
Ladies of Leisure
as George (uncredited)