So the next time you blame someones bigotry on their times, remember Betty White. Not only had she been one of the first women to helm her own show on television, but she also laid the groundwork for how women could assert their agency in a landscape that was still dismissive of their talent and power. The 98-year-old actress is loved by almost all and has had an unbelievably successful career spanning more than eight decades. White . She deploys language as a way to connect with her audience and empower them to take action. Betty White Shaped the Rise of Television. It's a Legacy That - TODAY 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. A colleague. Privacy Policy That year, 1954, also saw the Supreme Court handing make the Brown vs. Board of Education decision which banned segregated schools. 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. Betty White Reunited With Tap Dancer Whose Career She Launched - Yahoo! . tude.cmd.push(function() { 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. Live. 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. She paid respect to everyone, regardless of their race, gender, religion, or what have you. Her response: "I'm sorry. targeting: { 3. Management (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) By sethuraman s . 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. } Twitter shares wild and wonderful stories about Betty White, who died Dec. 31, 2021. . A long and successful career followed, including several film and TV appearances. ]); In February 1955, the show became the shortest run program to ever receive an Emmy nomination for Best Daytime Program. ). Sometimes this involved putting her own reputation on the line, and still, she didnt back down. FLASHBACK: Lawrence Welk star Arthur Duncan credits Betty White for his Television was a relatively new medium, but White was a veteran from stage and radio. In response, Betty White famously said Im sorry. In 1954, Betty White created and hosted her own daily variety and talk show, The Betty White Show. See when we celebrated Betty Whites 95th birthday with our 5 fave TV appearances: Steve Harveys Hilarious Version of Ray Charless Georgia on My Mind, 8-Year-Old Girl Tries to Take Steve Harveys Hosting Job, George Lopez Schools Steve Harvey During Celebrity Family Feud. "I'm sorry, but he staysLive with it!" 'The Betty White Show' saw her perform songs and entertain viewers with skits and interviews with guests. The producers wanted to remove him from the show, but White said "He stays. He soon moved on to The Lawrence Welk Show in 1964, where he was introduced every week until 1982 as the man whos keeping tap dancing alive.. 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. pos: 'right_rail_2', Arthur Duncan, Trailblazing Dancer for Betty White, Lawrence Welk, Dies tag: 'mandc,celebrity,entertainment-industry,racism', I did something a little different, Duncan told her. . And check out our host, Kylie Mar, on, Justin Timberlake posts sweet birthday message for 'dream of a partner' Jessica Biel, Tom Sizemore, star of 'Saving Private Ryan,' 'Heat,' dies at 61 after brain aneurysm, Josh Hartnett is done talking about his break from Hollywood but ready to make fun of actors: 'We're the worst', Michael B. Jordan admits muscle gain for 'Creed' has been harder as he's gotten older, Billy Bush suggests Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes start their own show after ABC exit: 'They've got something that works'. 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. subcat: '', The Betty White Show is a television series that aired on KLAC-TV (now KCOP-TV) in 1952 and 1953, and on NBC in 1954. The show was a daytime talk show that also featured entertainment segments that are typical of variety shows. He said it was White who gave him his break. But one heartwarming story about her principled stand in supporting a Black colleagues career despite opposition highlighted another facet of her life. So, needless to say, Arthur was pretty excited when Betty showed up onstage and surprised him. As in, before the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Little Rock Nine and the Greensboro, N.C., lunch-counter sit-ins. When Steve Harvey asked Arthur what it was like to see his old friend, he joked, Im ready to go now. But before God could take him, Arthur wanted to catch up with Betty first. 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! Women of Power TECH, PODCASTS After initially becoming a ratings success, a controversy surrounding Arthur Duncan and repeated scheduling changes resulted in The Betty White Shows quiet cancellation by NBC who did not renew the show for more episodes according to WFMU. The Betty White Show (1952 TV series) - Wikipedia #betty #criticized #having #arthur #tap #dancer #show #said #im #sorry #live #gave #even #more . NBC first aired in 1954. Live with it," and she gave Duncan even more airtime. Live with it. , Betty White, one of the most endearing and enduring faces on television, dies at 99. url: 'betty,whites,controversial,hire,of,tap,dancer,arthur,duncan,made,history,in,more,ways,than,one', 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. Of course, the social media world is full of distortions and fabrications. The Betty White Show gave tap dancing star Arthur Duncan his big break but his appearance on the show wasnt universally popular at all. The dancer, Arthur Duncan, was featured on "The Betty White Show" that aired in the 1950s. . kw: 'mandc,celebrity,entertainment-industry,racism', Left: Arthur Duncan/Betty White Show/NBC Right: American actor Betty White wearing a veiled hat, circa 1955. subcat: '', aid: '769722', Duncan started touring with The Jimmie Rodgers Show and performing on Betty White's 1954 . You never ask me out.. 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,. Steve Harvey's "Little Big Shots: Forever Young.". The legendary dancer discussed how Betty White gave him his first job on. tag: 'mandc,celebrity,entertainment-industry,racism', Arthur Duncan, pioneering Black tap dancer, dies at 97 The dancer, Arthur Duncan, was featured onThe Betty White Showthataired in the 1950s. According to the 2018 PBS documentary, Betty White: First Lady of Television, (available on Netflix) Duncan credited White for his first big break. She extended his airtime instead, and responded to racists with "I'm sorry. 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.. You never call. Following his breakthrough performances on variety shows, Arthur Duncan was invited to be part of Bob Hopes troupe of performers to tour US military bases and was the first African-American to do so. "I'm sorry, but, you know, he stays," White said,according to a PBS biography. ', Betty White dies at 99: Here are some of her greatest career moments. Arthur Duncans tap-dancing skills were undeniable. Have something to tell us about this article? Duncan, 88, was a regular featured performer on White's NBC variety talk show, The Betty White Show , in the . He went on to have a decades-long career as one of the first famous Black tap dancers in the US. 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. Betty White broke barriers, defied expectations, served her country, and pushed us all to laugh. Betty White was facing pressure from stations in the South but used Duncan even more until the show was canceled in 1954. Over 60 years later,Whiteand Duncan were reunited on Little Big Shots: Forever Young to Duncans surprise. cat: 'entertainment', She just prioritized building earnest relationships with people, and if progress came as a result, no problem. 'He stays': Betty White refused to remove Black dancer from her show in Arthur Duncan obituary: tap dancer dies at 97 - Legacy.com White, who died Friday, would have turned 100 on Jan. 17. After MLKs home was bombed, he refused to back down: This movement will not stop, The brave, forgotten Kansas lunch counter sit-in that helped change America, Sam Howell is the Commanders first-string QB for now, Nationals relievers see benefit in tinkering with new pitches, Kyle Kuzma, Wizards start fast and dont look back in win over Raptors. Rest well, Betty. With newfound creative control, White created a sitcom that earned her a Best Actress Emmy nomination. In 1954, she became the host of her own daily variety show, The Betty White Show. In fact, as per Arthur, Betty gave him more time on the air when they started receiving backlash. tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { Arthur had seen everything he needed to see in life after reuniting with Betty. "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. You never ask me out.. I hope we have a chance to visit after this is over., Oh, I hope so. Duncan told Steve Harvey in 2017 thatWhitegave him his first job on TV during the premiere of Harveys Little Big Shots: Forever Young.. Her show was cancelled afterwards. . In 1957, Duncan joined Bob Hope's troupe touring U.S. military bases, making him the first African American to be part of that 100-member group. 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. Betty White spent final days in home she didn't want to live in One particular way in which Ms. White refused to bow to systemic racism was by insisting Arthur Duncan, a Black dancer, remain on her 1950s show, The Betty White Show.. Contact You can empower others simply by speaking up when the opportunity arises. But this story is true. (Video: Reuters). 'He stays, live with it': Betty White refused to remove Black dancer
