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. Television was a relatively new medium, but White was a veteran from stage and radio. Betty White obituary | US television | The Guardian ', Betty White dies at 99: Here are some of her greatest career moments. She made sure to strengthen causes that needed backing, those that required people to break the mold and upset the masses. Most incredibly, she was also a champion of LGBT equality. But by the early 1980s, when The Lawrence Welk Show finally went off the air, that era was over. 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 credit Betty White for really getting me started in show business, he said. When so many of her peers were justifying their ignorance by claiming to be a product of their times, Betty stood out. Duncan, who credits White with launching his career, continued to break boundaries after The Betty White Show. 1937) Casey Hayden, 85, civil rights activist (b. In 1954, Ms. White was pressured to replace Mr. Duncan, a dancer who went on to receive . Live. Less than three weeks before her 100th birthday, the actress . Still, as the only Black cast member, the show also posed a unique risk to Duncan, according to dance historian Constance Valis Hill: In an era in which blacks and whites did not even hold hands, let alone kiss each other on nationally broadcast television programs, Duncan was often seen standing in the background, trying very hard not to look like he was with any of the women on the program.. Over 60 years later,Whiteand Duncan were reunited on Little Big Shots: Forever Young to Duncans surprise. Betty White Made 1954's The Betty White Show Very Progressive. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider The dancer, Arthur Duncan, was featured on "The Betty White Show" that aired in the 1950s. Thats when the show was renamed after White, and she took over as both host and producer. In a time where segregation was at the forefront of American issues, Betty Whiterejected attempts to keep a Black dancer off her show. Arthur Duncan on The Betty White shows why Betty White is 'the First "Her response: 'I'm sorry. Her response: "I'm sorry. aid: '769722', However, Albert was very active in the film world and soon chose to leave the show to film the classicRoman Holiday. 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. } But just who is Arthur Duncan and why did his appearance on The Betty White Show cause such controversy at the time? pic.twitter.com/tVL7NUw2TT. Of course, the social media world is full of distortions and fabrications. The dancer, Arthur Duncan, was featured on "The Betty White Show" that aired in the 1950s. 65 Backyard . Follow reporter Asha Gilbert @Coastalasha. } Sign up for notifications from Insider! Betty White Photos: See 48 Photos of Hollywood's Golden Girl Through Betty White, 99, gives health update in rare interview after fans fear TIL that, in 1954, Betty White was criticized for having Arthur Duncan In the early 1950s, White faced criticism for featuring Arthur Duncan, a Black tap dancer and singer, on a few episodes of her variety talk show The Betty White Show.. Betty White, veteran actress who starred in The Golden Girls, dies Screening event for Betty White's 100th birthday will go on FLASHBACK: Lawrence Welk star Arthur Duncan credits Betty White for his Getty Images. Betty Marion White (January 17, 1922 - December 31, 2021) was an American actress and comedian. Im ready to go now, he morbidly joked as White approached. She just stood up for her beliefs, said Duncan. When she's not writing or scouring the internet for ideas, you can find her playing Genshin Impact or eating Biriyani. So on her nationally televised The Betty White Show, she sang, interviewed guests, performed in skits and read the commercials live. Betty White rejected attempts to keep Black dancer Arthur Duncan off her show in the 1950s. Betty White spent final days in home she didn't want to live in In response, Betty White famously said Im sorry. SistersInc. . Veteran actress Betty White, best known for her role in The Golden Girls and whose career spanned eight decades, has died aged 99. 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. ]); Betty White In Person (1987). 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, Duncan told Steve Harvey in 2018 ahead of a surprise TV reunion with White. Her show was canceled soon after. Betty White asked Arthur Duncan. Arthur Duncans early career was helped immensely by breakthrough performances on The Jimmie Rodgers Show and, of course, The Betty White Show. Betty White refused to remove Black dancer on her show in 1954 - USA TODAY Born on Sept. 25, 1933, in Pasadena, California, Arthur Duncan gravitated to the life of a performer from a very young age. But one heartwarming story about her principled stand in supporting a Black colleagues career despite opposition highlighted another facet of her life. As in, before the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Little Rock Nine and the Greensboro, N.C., lunch-counter sit-ins. How Betty White Lost Her Show After Standing Up To Racist Bullies So the next time you blame someones bigotry on their times, remember Betty White. Your Money, Your Life, LATEST LISTS Betty White defied racist demands with her 1954 variety show - The Oborfacts What can i say? - Wikipedia-----Video originally shared on archive.orgShared for historical purposes. When Betty White was in her early 30s she landed her very own self-titled variety show. 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. White . Duncan credits White for starting his career. # ThankYouForBeingAFriend 11:37 AM - 31 Dec 2021 10,874 Retweets 54,906 Likes 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, recalled Duncan. About But even in California, Duncans regular presence on the show drew criticism. 'He stays, live with it': Betty White refused to remove Black dancer "I'm. Live with it: Betty White defied racist demands in 1954. Privacy Policy Email: agilbert@usatoday.com. Age isnt an excuse to be horrible to other people. It didnt take long for the programs eponymous host to offer Duncan a permanent place in the shows musical family.. . Duncan reserved high praise for White during an appearance in a 2018 documentary about her titled 'Betty White: First Lady of Television.' BLACK ENTERPRISE is the premier business, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans. Arthur Duncan, Trailblazing Dancer for Betty White, Lawrence Welk, Dies Betty White gave Arthur his first job on her televised variety show, The Betty White Show. page_type: 'article', Betty White insisted on Black dancer for her 1950s show Betty White Shaped the Rise of Television. It's a Legacy That - TODAY 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. Arthur Duncan was invited onto The Betty White Show as a recurring performer for its one-season run in 1954. This was on The Lawrence Welk Show. And Duncan had not only managed to build a professional career out of his art but had become so renowned that Francis Ford Coppola cast him in The Cotton Club in 1984. At 21, the California native had been performing in a dance quartet for years and was looking for his big break. Duncan went on to become the first Black regular on a variety show when he was hired on 'The Lawrence Welk Show' and he continued on that show for another 20 years. div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-2', The Betty White Show (TV Series 1954- ) - IMDb White hired a female director and Arthur Duncan, an African American actor, . Arthur Duncan, whose exuberant tap dancing carried him from the streets of Pasadena to Betty White's variety shows in the 1950s as one of the first Black regulars performing on television,. Amid the overt racism,The Betty White Show may have also been quietly sabotaged by brands who chose to stay away from the controversy. Then, in 1964, he was scouted by Sam Lutz, the manager of The Lawrence Welk Show, and invited to come on as a guest. 4. We bring people together, change perceptions, and inspire actions that impact culture for good. Betty White's Comic Reversals | The New Yorker Betty White served as both host and producer. INFORMATION Photo by: Vivian Zink/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images. env: 'prod', 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. See, back in 1954 Betty White served as the host and producer of The Betty White Show, a comedic variety show that was geared toward families and entertainment. 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. baseDivId: 'pb-slot-right-1', "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. Her show was cancelled afterwards. The Best Celebrity Furniture and Home Decor Lines. She extended his airtime instead, and responded to racists with "I'm sorry. premiere of Harveys Little Big Shots: Forever Young., Here are some of her greatest career moments, Athletes, sports celebrities recall 'national treasure' Betty White, Robert Redford shares his affection for Betty White, 'I had a crush on her, too! subcat: '', 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 . Betty White: . pos: 'right_rail_3', div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-1', And that included the young tap dancer Arthur Duncan, who would become the only Black man on the program. kw: 'mandc,celebrity,entertainment-industry,racism', Tap dancer & Singer Arthur Duncan performing "Sing You Sinners,Sing" (1954) 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, the then-83-year-old said. Betty White: 8 Fascinating Things To Know About Her Life And Work page_type: 'article', Betty White, whose more than 80-year career included Emmy-winning roles on sitcoms "The Golden Girls" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," died on Dec. 31. Women of Power Summit Betty White pushed back against pressure for her to stop featuring a Black tap dancer on her show in 1954, The Washington Post reported. Betty White dead updates - Cause of death for Hollywood legend revealed Twitter shares wild and wonderful stories about Betty White, who died Dec. 31, 2021. . Wish Day | The Betty White Show (1954) Ft. Arthur Duncan And he got his start in no small part thanks to Betty White. (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=289be4dd-5b1f-48bc-990f-ec567999e080'; cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "289be4dd-5b1f-48bc-990f-ec567999e080" }).render("8791f6495fab447280f16fc61516a837"); }); window.tude = window.tude || { cmd: [] }; And by his 21st birthday, hed caught the eye of TV pioneer Betty White. Twitter shares stories about how Betty White was amazing | EW.com - Yahoo! But White didnt capitulate, telling her critics, Im sorry, but he stays. 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. Underwood said Duncan was her inspiration for tap dancing. targeting: { Betty White Helped Launch Career of Black Tap Dancer in 1950s - Peoplemag Betty White received criticism for having Duncan as a tap dancer in her own show The Betty White Show (1954). At a time when racial segregation was at boiling point, there were strong calls from different quarters to remove a tap dancer named Arthur Duncan from her show. divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-2', Betty White, to put it simply, is a national. Nur Nasreen Ibrahim is a reporter with experience working in television, international news coverage, fact checking, and creative writing. Live with it, according to USA Today and ended up giving Arthur Duncan more airtime as a result. Betty White Reunited With Tap Dancer Whose Career She Launched - Yahoo! He was a 13-year-old student when he joined the dance quartet at McKinley Junior High School and began studying under renowned choreographer Nick Castle. 2023 deaths in the United States - Wikipedia It was also the year segregation in public schools was declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. The world is still mourning the immense loss of Betty White. After just one appearance, Duncan was asked to remain onThe Lawrence Welk Show, making him the first Black regular on a variety show. The comedian was a legend through and through: when faced with the overwhelming pressure to give in to hate, she resisted and won. 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. 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. Duncan's . tude.cmd.push(function() { (1954) nem adtak t djat (1955) Nanette Fabray (1956) Nanette Fabray (1957) Jane Wyatt (1958) In 1954, Betty White rejected pressure to stop featuring tap dancer Supervising Producer, Yahoo Entertainment, Arthur Duncan, an 83-year-old tap dancer, was on the premiere of, It was a big opportunity for Arthur, who turned it into a career in show business that has lasted more than 60 years. Have something to tell us about this article? White had already spent years trying to break into film and TV and eventually managed to become a co-host of the Hollywood on Film talk show in 1949 and left only to launch her own company. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. 'The Betty White Show' saw her perform songs and entertain viewers with skits and interviews with guests. } According to HITC, White's talk show was canceled in the mid-1950s because of his continued appearances on the show.