Madame Sul-Te-Wan
Biography
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.
Gallery
Known For
Acting History
1958
The Buccaneer as Good Luck Charm Vendor
1958Tarzan and the Trappers as Witch Woman
1957Band of Angels as Flower Vendor (Uncredited)
1957Something of Value as Midwife (Uncredited)
1954Carmen Jones as Hagar – Carmen's Grandmother (Uncredited)
1949The Story of Seabiscuit as Libby
1949Mighty Joe Young as Young Family Servant (Uncredited)
1943Thank Your Lucky Stars as Bit in "Ice Cold Katie" Number (uncredited)
1943Revenge of the Zombies as Beulah
1942Mokey as Miss Cully (uncredited)
1941Sullivan's Travels as Church Harmonium Player (Uncredited)
1941King of the Zombies as Tahama
1940Love Thy Neighbor as Lady McBeth
1940Maryland as Naomi
1940Safari as Native Woman
1939Torchy Blane... Playing with Dynamite as Ruby (uncredited)
1939Tell No Tales as Jim Alley's Mother (uncredited)
1938Kentucky as Lily
1938The Affairs of Annabel as Benzedrina (uncredited)
1938The Toy Wife as Eve, a Black Servant (Uncredited)
1938In Old Chicago as Hattie
1938Island in the Sky as Scrubwoman (Uncredited)
1937Maid of Salem as Tituba
1936San Francisco as Earthquake Survivor (Uncredited)
1935So Red the Rose as Slave (Uncredited)
1934Imitation of Life as Cook (uncredited)
1934Black Moon as Ruva
1934Operator 13 as Slave at Medicine Show ( Uncredited)
1934A Modern Hero as Mme. Azais' Neighbor ( Uncredited)
1933King Kong as Native Handmaiden (uncredited)
1933Ladies They Talk About as Mustard (uncredited)
1932Queen Kelly as Kali Sana - Aunt's Cook (uncredited)
1932Jungle Mystery as Native Woman in Stockade (Uncredited)
1931Heaven on Earth as Voodoo Sue
1931The Pagan Lady as Carla the Servant
1930The Thoroughbred as Sacharine
1930Sarah and Son as Belloc's Maid (Uncredited)
1929Thunderbolt as Bit Role
1929The Carnation Kid as The Maid (Uncredited)
1927Uncle Tom's Cabin as Slave at Wedding (uncredited)
1927College as Cook (uncredited)
1925The Golden Bed as Boarding House Maid (Uncredited)
1925The Narrow Street as Easter
1924The Lightning Rider as Mammy
1922Manslaughter as Prison Inmate (uncredited)
1922The Show as Maid (uncredited)
1920Why Change Your Wife? as Sally's Maid (Uncredited)
1919His Musical Sneeze as Maid (uncredited)
1918Who's Your Father? as Black Mother (uncredited)
1918Old Wives for New as Viola's Maid (uncredited)
1918Tarzan of the Apes as Esmeralda - Jane's Maid (uncredited)
1917Stage Struck as Uncredited
1916The Children Pay as Uncredited
1916Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages as Girl at the Marriage Market (uncredited)
1916Hoodoo Ann as Black Cindy
1915The Birth of a Nation as Black Woman (uncredited)
1915The Cause of It All as Mary - The Hotel Cook
—Squirrel Food as Flirt