betty white 1954 arthur duncan

Then, in 1964, he was scouted by Sam Lutz, the manager of The Lawrence Welk Show, and invited to come on as a guest. #betty #criticized #having #arthur #tap #dancer #show #said #im #sorry #live #gave #even #more . At the time, she faced criticism for including African-American actor Arthur Duncan in the series, and refused to remove him from the show despite a loss in ratings. In a time where segregation was at the forefront of American issues, Betty Whiterejected attempts to keep a Black dancer off her show. env: 'prod', GOOD aligns unparalleled expertise in social science, social media, and social change. She also starred in and produced The Betty. url: 'betty,whites,controversial,hire,of,tap,dancer,arthur,duncan,made,history,in,more,ways,than,one', Simply put, if people like her hadnt raised their voices and resisted hatred and ignorance, our world wouldnt have been the same. In this day and age, this wouldn't be seen as any sort of big deal. Ignoring the racist calls, she interviewed a Black child during the childrens segment as well, reported The Washington Post. Nur Nasreen Ibrahim is a reporter with experience working in television, international news coverage, fact checking, and creative writing. } The Controversial Decision That Nearly Ruined Betty White's Career Betty White turns 99 this weekend, as former co-stars sing her praises Goodbye to Betty White, popular cultures beloved (and saucy) great-grandma. In 2017, Arthur Duncan was reunited with Betty White on Little Big Shots: Forever Young (pictured above) and later in 2018, contributed to PBSs Betty White: First Lady of Television documentary film. divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-2', The Inspiring Story Of Arthur Duncan, The First Black Regular On An American Variety Show. Television was a relatively new medium, but White was a veteran from stage and radio. Betty White, 99, gives health update in rare interview after fans fear So it was a minor coup when Betty White got her own show in 1954 with full creative control. 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. So, needless to say, Arthur was pretty excited when Betty showed up onstage and surprised him. He said it was White who gave him his break. A staff writer for All Thats Interesting, Marco Margaritoff has also published work at outlets including People, VICE, and Complex, covering everything from film to finance to technology. ]); A movie event planned prior to her death to . Betty White Made 1954's The Betty White Show Very Progressive. "I was on the show, and they had some letters out of Mississippi and elsewhere that some of the stations would not carry the show if I was permitted to stay on there," said Duncan during an episode of 'Steve Harvey's Little Big Shots: Forever Young' in 2017. ABOUT Oborfacts What can i say? White died on Friday, just a few weeks shy of her 100th birthday, news that prompted a look back on a career that included advocacy on many fronts. pic.twitter.com/toipvY9cyQ. You dont need to be young or rich or particularly well-educated to treat someone with respect or compassion. Arthur said, I was on the show, and they had some letters out of Mississippi and elsewhere that some of the stations would not carry the show if I was permitted to stay on there. And all through the South, there was this whole ruckus, White remembered in the doc. The comedian was a legend through and through: when faced with the overwhelming pressure to give in to hate, she resisted and won. In the 1950s, representation on television was still a controversial subject, and the gatekeepers of the industry werent even keen on having women run shows. In a heartening example of life coming full circle, 55-year-old Arthur Duncan was still tap-dancing when the son of his former mentor approached him with a project. There was even a regular childrens segment. Later on, Arthur was discovered by Sam Lutz, Lawrence Welks personal manager and was invited to perform as part of Welks musical family.. baseDivId: 'pb-slot-right-1', According to the 2020 book Betty White on TV, the show failed to attract sponsors and was cancelled on Dec. 31, 1954 despite a desperate plea by White to NBC execs. The special is called Betty White: First Lady of Television. In 1954, Ms. White was pressured to replace Mr. Duncan, a dancer who went on to receive . div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-2', Arthur Duncan on The Betty White Show (1954) | Tap Dance Arthur Duncan, a gifted dancer whose appearance on one of Betty White's early TV shows prompted a showdown between southern censors and White, died January 4. Among White's decisions as host and producer were to hire a female director and make Arthur Duncan, who is Black, a series regular. Live with it." She then gave Duncan even more airtime. "I did something a little. Live with it: Betty White defied racist demands in 1954. Arthur first appeared on The Betty White Show in 1954. tude.cmd.push(function() { She continued to serve as producer on the show, pushing boundaries by hiring a female director and showcasing. 4. Your Money, Your Life, LATEST LISTS So at age 18, he enrolled in Pasadena City College to study pharmacy. . "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.". 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. aid: '769722', Case in point: when she rallied to have a Black tap dancer perform on her show despite the audience pushing for his expulsion. According to HITC, White's talk show was canceled in the mid-1950s because of his continued appearances on the show. Live with . . The entertainer, in her early 30s at the time, was center stage, speaking to the young Black tap dancer seated on her right. Betty White spent over seven decades in front and behind the camera. Follow reporter Asha Gilbert @Coastalasha. Arthur Duncan. 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. Live with it, according to USA Today and ended up giving Arthur Duncan more airtime as a result. tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { This article was published more than1 year ago. Arthur Duncan obituary: tap dancer dies at 97 - Legacy.com 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. "I hope we have a chance to visit after this is over," Duncan told White, to which she replied: "Oh, I hope so. Duncan performed on The Lawrence Welk Show for nearly 20 years, making him the first Black regular on a variety show. I did something a little different, Duncan told her. The 98-year-old actress is loved by almost all and has had an unbelievably successful career spanning more than eight decades. Betty didnt let her age hamper her ability to empathize with others, even if they were of a completely different background than her. Your membership is the foundation of our sustainability and resilience. NBCArthur Duncan (left) and Betty White (seated) at their reunion on Steve Harveys Little Big Shots: Forever Young in 2017. So the next time you blame someones bigotry on their times, remember Betty White. But one heartwarming story about her principled stand in supporting a Black colleagues career despite opposition highlighted another facet of her life. You never ask me out.. Duncan recalled the furor and the actor backing him during those testing times. 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. In 2010, the Forest Service made Betty White an honorary forest ranger. tude.cmd.push(function() { 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. Betty knew she wasnt some prominent politician or royalty she was merely a television actress but she was still extremely self-aware of her influence on the country. After the Pacific tour, Duncan spent several years performing at countless venues across Europe. . The Betty White Show is a television series that aired on KTLA in 1952 and 1953, and on NBC in 1954. 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. Although The Betty White Show was cancelled within a year due to low ratings due to NBC constantly changing its time slot, Arthur Duncans newfound national exposure led to invaluable new opportunities. Arthur Duncan, 84, is a tap dancer best known for his stint on "The Lawrence Welk Show." PBS. However, Duncan spent years presuming that his dream of becoming an artist was too far-fetched. Duncan even tapped a routine in front of Betty White in a throwback to their time on her show from the 50s. 1925) Norman Fruchter, 85, writer and academic (b. "I said, 'I'm sorry, but he staysLive with it!'" In 1954, Betty White rejected pressure to stop featuring tap dancer And it only escalated after NBC rolled out the show nationally, with Southern viewers threatening to boycott the network if White didnt remove Duncan from the lineup. div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-3', According to the 2018 PBS documentary, Betty White: First Lady of Television, (available on Netflix) Duncan credited White for his first big break. The Betty White Showwas a spinoff of KTLA variety show Hollywood on Television, which White joined in 1949. You never call. 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. Part of her show would feature a young Black entertainer by the name of Arthur Duncan. When Duncan told White, "I hope we have a chance to visit after this is over," she replied, "Oh, I hope so. Given that White and Duncan both corroborated this story in the documentary, we rate this claim as True.. Today, many of us dont even comprehend the power she wielded, the significance she carried as the foremost Golden Girl of our zeitgeist, or how she unshakably fought to bring justice and diversity to our screens. Registry of Corporate Directors. baseDivId: 'pb-slot-right-1', This, along with his earlier inclusion (despite objections) on The Betty White Show in 1954 and with the help of White herself, made him the first African-American regular on a . Arthur Duncan became the first Black regular on a televised American variety show. It was also the year segregation in public schools was declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2020, the American Tap Dance Foundation inducted Duncan into the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame. targeting: { Steve Harvey's "Little Big Shots: Forever Young.". Arthur Duncan performed wherever he could. BLACK ENTERPRISE is the premier business, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans. The comedian passed away on December 31, 2021, just weeks away from what would have been her 100th birthday. Betty White Reunited With Tap Dancer Whose Career She Launched - Yahoo! The world is still mourning the immense loss of Betty White. The Betty White Show (TV Series 1954- ) - IMDb Throughout her life, she lent her support to myriad animal rights organizations, including the Los Angeles Zoo Commission, The Morris Animal Foundation, African Wildlife Foundation, and Actors and Others for Animals. FLASHBACK: Lawrence Welk star Arthur Duncan credits Betty White for his Women of Power TECH, PODCASTS Duncan was later discovered by big band leaderLawrence Welk who invited him onto his ABC variety show. 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. He remained part of the cast from 1964 to 1982. window.tude = window.tude || { cmd: [] }; There was never a question at all, said Arthur regarding Bettys insistence. "Her response: 'I'm sorry. She hired a Black tap dancer, Arthur Duncan, for "The Betty White Show" in 1954, a full three years before the first federal civil-rights legislation since Reconstruction was passed,. Arthur Duncan - Wikipedia When Betty White Refused to Bow to Racists Over Dancer Arthur Duncan The daily talk/variety show on NBC allowed White to hire a female director (opens in new tab) as well as Arthur Duncan, . When so many of her peers were justifying their ignorance by claiming to be a product of their times, Betty stood out. Live with it. , Betty White, one of the most endearing and enduring faces on television, dies at 99. This was on The Lawrence Welk Show. You never ask me out," per People. Arthur said, "She . The show was a daytime talk show that also featured entertainment segments that are typical of variety shows. Over 60 years later,Whiteand Duncan were reunited on Little Big Shots: Forever Young to Duncans surprise. 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.

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