Willie Best Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family
William "Willie" Best (May 27, 1916 – February 27, 1962), sometimes known as Sleep n' Eat, was an American television and film actor.Best was one of the first well-known African American film actors and comedians, although his work, like that of Stepin Fetchit, is today sometimes reviled because he was often called upon to play stereotypically lazy, illiterate, and/or simple-minded characters in films. Of the 124 films he appeared in, he received screen credit in at least 77 of them, an unusual feat for a bit player.
Net Worth
$300,000
Date Of Birth
May 27, 1916
Died
1962-02-27
Death Cause
Cancer
Place Of Birth
Sunflower, Mississippi, USA
Height
6' (1.83 m)
Occupation
Actor
Profession
Actor, Soundtrack
Nicknames
Willie Best, Best, Willie
Star Sign
Gemini
#
Quote
1
"I often think about these roles I have to play. Most of them are pretty broad. Sometimes I tell the director and he cuts out the real bad parts... But what's an actor going to do? Either you do it or get out." Interview, 1934.
2
Yassuh!
#
Fact
1
He came to Hollywood serving as a chauffeur for a Mississippi white couple on vacation, and decided to stay and seek a career in show business.
2
In his earliest film appearances, in the early 1930s, if he was given screen credit he was billed as "Sleep 'n' Eat".
3
Bob Hope referred to Best, as his comedic co-star in The Ghost Breakers (1940), as one of the finest talents he had ever worked with.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Arizonian
1935
Pompey
The Nitwits
1935
Sleepy
Hit and Rum
1935
Short
Shoe shine man (uncredited)
Murder on a Honeymoon
1935
Willie (as Sleep 'n' Eat)
West of the Pecos
1934
Jonah (as Sleep 'n' Eat)
Kentucky Kernels
1934
Buckshot (as Sleep 'n' Eat)
Little Miss Marker
1934
Dizzy Memphis (uncredited)
Disorderly Conduct
1932
Man at Police Station (uncredited)
The Monster Walks
1932
Exodus (as Sleep n' Eat)
The Guilty Generation
1931
Club Merlin Doorman (uncredited)
Up Pops the Devil
1931
Laundryman (as Sleep 'n' Eat)
The Virtuous Husband
1931
Luftus
Taxi
1931
Short
Deep South
1930
Feet First
1930
Janitor (as Sleep 'n' Eat)
Ladies of Leisure
1930
George - the Elevator Operator (uncredited)
My Little Margie
1952-1955
TV Series
Charlie / Willie / Elevator Boy / ...
The Stu Erwin Show
1950-1955
TV Series
Willie
Waterfront
1954-1955
TV Series
Billy Slocum
Meet the O'Briens
1954
TV Movie
Willie
Racket Squad
1951-1952
TV Series
Janitor / Cleaning Man
Mark Saber
1951
TV Series
South of Caliente
1951
Willie, Stable Boy
High and Dizzy
1950
Short
Wesley
Jiggs and Maggie in Jackpot Jitters
1949
Willie (uncredited)
Shanghai Chest
1948
Willie Best (uncredited)
Smart Woman
1948
Train Porter (uncredited)
Half Past Midnight
1948
Andy Jones, nightclub janitor
The Red Stallion
1947
Jackson
Suddenly It's Spring
1947
Porter on Train
Dangerous Money
1946
Chattanooga Brown
No Leave, No Love
1946
Piano Delivery Man (uncredited)
The Bride Wore Boots
1946
Joe
The Face of Marble
1946
Shadrach
The Red Dragon
1945
Chattanooga Brown
She Wouldn't Say Yes
1945
Porter (uncredited)
Hold That Blonde!
1945
Willie Shelley
Pillow to Post
1945
Lucille, Colonial Auto Court Porter
The Monster and the Ape
1945
Flash
Music for Millions
1944
Red Cap (uncredited)
The Mark of the Whistler
1944
Men's Room Attendant (uncredited)
The Girl Who Dared
1944
Woodrow
Home in Indiana
1944
Mo' Rum (uncredited)
The Adventures of Mark Twain
1944
George (uncredited)
Thank Your Lucky Stars
1943
Soldier in 'Ice Cold Katy' Number (uncredited)
The Kansan
1943
Bones
Dixie
1943
Steward (uncredited)
Cabin in the Sky
1943
Second Idea Man
Cinderella Swings It
1943
Hipp
The Powers Girl
1943
Men's Room Attendant (uncredited)
The Hidden Hand
1942
Eustis the Chauffeur
Scattergood Survives a Murder
1942
Hipp
Busses Roar
1942
Sunshine
A-Haunting We Will Go
1942
Waiter
Maisie Gets Her Man
1942
Sam, Room Service Waiter (uncredited)
Juke Girl
1942
Jo-Mo
Whispering Ghosts
1942
Euclid Brown
The Body Disappears
1941
Willie
West of the Rockies
1941
Short
Nothing But the Truth
1941
Samuel
Minstrel Days
1941
Short
Singer
The Smiling Ghost
1941
Clarence
Highway West
1941
Bub Wellington
Kisses for Breakfast
1941
Arnold
The Lady from Cheyenne
1941
George
Scattergood Baines
1941
Hipp
Road Show
1941
Willie
Flight from Destiny
1941
George
High Sierra
1941
Algernon
Who Killed Aunt Maggie?
1940
Andrew
Money and the Woman
1940
George Washington Jones, Dave's Servant
The Ghost Breakers
1940
Alex
Blondie on a Budget
1940
Newsboy (uncredited)
I Take This Woman
1940
Sambo
Slightly Honorable
1939
Art, the Elevator Operator
Miracle on Main Street
1939
Duke
Private Detective
1939
Norton's Valet
The Covered Trailer
1939
Baltimore
At the Circus
1939
Redcap (uncredited)
Blackmail
1939
Bunny - the Janitor (uncredited)
Way Down South
1939
Chimney Sweep (uncredited)
Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation
1939
Driver (uncredited)
Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter
1939
Apollo Johnson
Mr. Moto in Danger Island
1939
Launch Pilot (uncredited)
The Saint Strikes Back
1939
Algernon, Simon's Butler (uncredited)
Prairie Papas
1938
Short
Blondie
1938
Porter
Spring Madness
1938
Porter on Train (uncredited)
Straight Place and Show
1938
Hannibal (uncredited)
Youth Takes a Fling
1938
George
A Western Welcome
1938
Short
Sweet Pea
I'm from the City
1938
Train Porter (uncredited)
Vivacious Lady
1938
Train Porter
Goodbye Broadway
1938
Jughead
Merrily We Live
1938
George
Gold Is Where You Find It
1938
Joshua
Everybody's Doing It
1938
Jasper - Elevator Operator (uncredited)
Crashing Hollywood
1938
Train Porter (uncredited)
Deep South
1937
Short
Mississippi Moods
1937
Saturday's Heroes
1937
Sam
The Lady Fights Back
1937
McTavish
Super-Sleuth
1937
Warts
Meet the Missus
1937
Mose, Shoe Shine Boy
You Can't Buy Luck
1937
Airline Porter (uncredited)
Breezing Home
1937
Speed
Criminal Lawyer
1937
Janitor (uncredited)
Racing Lady
1937
Brass
We Who Are About to Die
1937
Airport Porter (uncredited)
Dog Blight
1936
Short
Sleepy
Night Waitress
1936
Black Pedestrian (uncredited)
General Spanky
1936
Henry (as William Best)
Make Way for a Lady
1936
William Townley, Jackson's Chauffeur (uncredited)
Thank You, Jeeves!
1936
Drowsy
Mummy's Boys
1936
Catfish
Down the Stretch
1936
Noah (as William Best)
The Green Pastures
1936
Henry - the Angel (uncredited)
The Bride Walks Out
1936
Smokie
Murder on a Bridle Path
1936
'High-Pockets'
Two in Revolt
1936
Eph
Silly Billies
1936
Excitement (uncredited)
The Lady Consents
1936
Sam - Jim's Servant (uncredited)
Muss 'em Up
1936
Janitor at Spivali's Bar (uncredited)
The Littlest Rebel
1935
James Henry
To Beat the Band
1935
Elevator Operator (uncredited)
Annie Oakley
1935
Second Cook (uncredited)
Hot Tip
1935
Apollo
Jalna
1935
Sam, the Janitor (uncredited)
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Nat King Cole: Afraid of the Dark
2014
Documentary writer: "I Love You For Sentimental Reasons" - as William Best
New Girl
2011-2012
TV Series writer - 2 episodes
Cuéntame
2012
TV Series writer - 1 episode
Private Practice
2010
TV Series writer - 1 episode
Desperate Housewives
2010
TV Series writer - 1 episode
Before You Say 'I Do'
2009
TV Movie music: "I Love You for Sentimental Reasons" - uncredited
The X-Files
2002
TV Series writer - 1 episode
Kuutamolla
2002
writer: "Sua lemmin kuin järjetön mä oisin I Love You for Sentimental Reasons"
What's the Worst That Could Happen?
2001
writer: "Sentimental Reasons"
The Parent Trap
1998
writer: "I Love You For Sentimental Reasons" - as William Best
As Good as It Gets
1997
writer: "FOR SENTIMENTAL REASONS I LOVE YOU" - as William Best
Baadasss TV
1994
TV Series documentary music - 1 episode
The Cemetery Club
1993
writer: "For Sentimental Reasons" - as William Best
Driving Miss Daisy
1989
writer: "I LOVE YOU FOR SENTIMENTAL REASONS" 1945 - as William Best
The Wonder Years
1988
TV Series writer - 1 episode
China Girl
1987
writer: "Sentimental Reasons" - as W. Best
Slam Dance
1987
music: "For Sentimental Reasons" - as William Best
Gomer Pyle: USMC
1966
TV Series writer - 1 episode
Show Time at the Apollo
1955
TV Series writer - 1 episode
For Sentimental Reasons
1951
Short writer: "I Love You For Sentimental Reasons"
Movietone Melodies: Red Ingle and His Gang
1950
Short writer: "I Love You for Seventy Mental Reasons"
Sepia Cinderella
1947
lyrics: "Is It Right" / music: "Is It Right"
For Sentimental Reasons
1947
Short writer: " I Love You For Sentimental Reasons"
Thank Your Lucky Stars
1943
performer: "Ice Cold Katy" 1943 - uncredited
Maisie Gets Her Man
1942
performer: "Happy Days Are Here Again" 1929 - uncredited
