Hattie McDaniel

Hattie McDaniel

Acting
Born 1893-06-10 - Died 1952-10-26Wichita, Kansas, USA

Biography

Hattie McDaniel (June 10, 1893 - October 26, 1952) was an American actress whose portrayal of Mammy in Gone with the Wind (1939) won her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, making her the first black person to win an Academy Award. After working as early as the 1910s as a band vocalist, Hattie McDaniel debuted as a maid in The Golden West (1932). Her maid-mammy characters became steadily more assertive, showing up first in Judge Priest (1934) and becoming pronounced in Alice Adams (1935). In this one, directed by George Stevens and aided and abetted by star Katharine Hepburn, she makes it clear she has little use for her employers' pretentious status seeking. By The Mad Miss Manton (1938) the character she portrays actually tells off her socialite employer Barbara Stanwyck and her snooty friends. This path extends into the greatest role of McDaniel's career, Mammy in Gone with the Wind (1939). Mammy is, in a number of ways, superior to most of the white folk surrounding her. From that point, McDaniel's roles unfortunately descended, with the characters becoming more and more menial. McDaniel played on the "Amos and Andy" and Eddie Cantor radio shows in the 1930s and 1940s, the title character in her own radio show "Beulah" (1947-51), and the same part on TV (Beulah, 1950).

Movies (100)

Gone with the Wind
7.9

Gone with the Wind

1939Movie7.9
Song of the South
6.5

Song of the South

1946Movie6.5
Alice Adams
6.7

Alice Adams

1935Movie6.7
Show Boat
6.7

Show Boat

1936Movie6.7
They Died with Their Boots On
6.7

They Died with Their Boots On

1941Movie6.7
Blonde Venus
6.8

Blonde Venus

1932Movie6.8
Carefree
6.7

Carefree

1938Movie6.7
Since You Went Away
6.6

Since You Went Away

1944Movie6.6
Hello, Sister!
6.0

Hello, Sister!

1933Movie6.0
Vivacious Lady
7.0

Vivacious Lady

1938Movie7.0
Libeled Lady
7.3

Libeled Lady

1936Movie7.3
The Impatient Maiden
9.0

The Impatient Maiden

1932Movie9.0
China Seas
6.3

China Seas

1935Movie6.3
The Shopworn Angel
6.8

The Shopworn Angel

1938Movie6.8
The Mad Miss Manton
6.4

The Mad Miss Manton

1938Movie6.4
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
7.0

Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

1983Movie7.0
Nothing Sacred
6.3

Nothing Sacred

1937Movie6.3
Imitation of Life
7.0

Imitation of Life

1934Movie7.0
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
8.2

The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind

1988Movie8.2
Never Say Goodbye
6.3

Never Say Goodbye

1946Movie6.3
Another Face
4.8

Another Face

1935Movie4.8
The Crime Nobody Saw
5.5

The Crime Nobody Saw

1937Movie5.5
We're Only Human
6.5

We're Only Human

1935Movie6.5
Good-bye Love
6.3

Good-bye Love

1933Movie6.3
Zenobia
5.0

Zenobia

1939Movie5.0
True Confession
6.1

True Confession

1937Movie6.1
Wig-Wag
7.0

Wig-Wag

1935Movie7.0
Operator 13
5.9

Operator 13

1934Movie5.9
The Great Lie
7.0

The Great Lie

1941Movie7.0
I'm No Angel
6.3

I'm No Angel

1933Movie6.3
Okay Toots!
7.0

Okay Toots!

1935Movie7.0
Postal Inspector
7.0

Postal Inspector

1936Movie7.0
Gone with the Wind – Makeup and Wardrobe Tests

Gone with the Wind – Makeup and Wardrobe Tests

2020Movie
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
6.3

Cavalcade of the Academy Awards

1940Movie6.3
Valiant Is the Word for Carrie
6.7

Valiant Is the Word for Carrie

1936Movie6.7
In This Our Life
6.9

In This Our Life

1942Movie6.9
Affectionately Yours
4.5

Affectionately Yours

1941Movie4.5
The Flame
5.8

The Flame

1947Movie5.8
The Male Animal
4.5

The Male Animal

1942Movie4.5
Margie
7.1

Margie

1946Movie7.1
Family Honeymoon
6.3

Family Honeymoon

1948Movie6.3
The Little Colonel
6.6

The Little Colonel

1935Movie6.6
Racing Lady
6.0

Racing Lady

1937Movie6.0
Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel

Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel

2001Movie
Saratoga
6.5

Saratoga

1937Movie6.5
Maryland
6.5

Maryland

1940Movie6.5
Are You Listening?
5.6

Are You Listening?

1932Movie5.6
George Washington Slept Here
6.4

George Washington Slept Here

1942Movie6.4
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
7.5

1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year

2009Movie7.5
The Big Wheel
5.7

The Big Wheel

1949Movie5.7
Thank Your Lucky Stars
6.2

Thank Your Lucky Stars

1943Movie6.2
Becoming Marilyn
7.3

Becoming Marilyn

2022Movie7.3
Merry Wives of Reno
4.4

Merry Wives of Reno

1934Movie4.4
Judge Priest
6.4

Judge Priest

1934Movie6.4
The Shining Hour
6.7

The Shining Hour

1938Movie6.7
The Singing Kid
7.0

The Singing Kid

1936Movie7.0
Reunion
7.0

Reunion

1936Movie7.0
Music Is Magic
5.3

Music Is Magic

1935Movie5.3
Merry Go Round of 1938
7.5

Merry Go Round of 1938

1937Movie7.5
The Wildcatter
8.0

The Wildcatter

1937Movie8.0
Hollywood: The Selznick Years
4.4

Hollywood: The Selznick Years

1961Movie4.4
Can This Be Dixie?
7.0

Can This Be Dixie?

1936Movie7.0
Traveling Saleslady
6.1

Traveling Saleslady

1935Movie6.1
Sky Racket
3.9

Sky Racket

1937Movie3.9
Anniversary Trouble
6.8

Anniversary Trouble

1935Movie6.8
Janie
6.0

Janie

1944Movie6.0
The Washington Masquerade
6.8

The Washington Masquerade

1932Movie6.8
The Bride Walks Out
5.4

The Bride Walks Out

1936Movie5.4
Hypnotized
7.0

Hypnotized

1932Movie7.0
High Tension
5.8

High Tension

1936Movie5.8
King Kelly of the U.S.A.
5.2

King Kelly of the U.S.A.

1934Movie5.2
Musical Comedy Tonight III

Musical Comedy Tonight III

1985Movie
Fate's Fathead
8.0

Fate's Fathead

1934Movie8.0
Babbitt
6.3

Babbitt

1934Movie6.3
3 Is a Family
9.0

3 Is a Family

1944Movie9.0
City Park
10.0

City Park

1934Movie10.0
Everybody's Baby
8.0

Everybody's Baby

1939Movie8.0
The Golden West
5.5

The Golden West

1932Movie5.5
Quick Money
5.5

Quick Money

1937Movie5.5
The Boiling Point
7.0

The Boiling Point

1932Movie7.0
Over the Goal
5.0

Over the Goal

1937Movie5.0
Mickey
7.0

Mickey

1948Movie7.0
Gentle Julia
7.0

Gentle Julia

1936Movie7.0
Hi, Beautiful
9.8

Hi, Beautiful

1944Movie9.8
Star for a Night
7.0

Star for a Night

1936Movie7.0
Janie Gets Married
7.3

Janie Gets Married

1946Movie7.3
45 Fathers
4.5

45 Fathers

1937Movie4.5
Don't Tell the Wife
6.0

Don't Tell the Wife

1937Movie6.0
Johnny Come Lately
7.0

Johnny Come Lately

1943Movie7.0
The First Baby
8.0

The First Baby

1936Movie8.0
Battle of Broadway
5.0

Battle of Broadway

1938Movie5.0
Flirtation
5.6

Flirtation

1934Movie5.6
Mickey's Rescue
10.0

Mickey's Rescue

1934Movie10.0
The Little Rascals - The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 5

The Little Rascals - The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 5

2022Movie
Mississippi Moods
10.0

Mississippi Moods

1937Movie10.0
Lost in the Stratosphere
4.9

Lost in the Stratosphere

1934Movie4.9
Murder by Television
4.2

Murder by Television

1935Movie4.2
The Chases of Pimple Street
7.3

The Chases of Pimple Street

1934Movie7.3
Arbor Day
6.2

Arbor Day

1936Movie6.2
Hattie McDaniel: or A Credit to the Motion Picture Industry

Hattie McDaniel: or A Credit to the Motion Picture Industry

2004Movie

TV Shows (4)

Explained
7.5

Explained

2018Series7.5
Hollywood Black
3.0

Hollywood Black

2024Series3.0
The Beulah Show
7.3

The Beulah Show

1950Series7.3
1939: Secrets of Hollywood's Golden Year
5.7

1939: Secrets of Hollywood's Golden Year

2023Series5.7