So, needless to say, Arthur was pretty excited when Betty showed up onstage and surprised him. But this story is true. Sales Partnership Solutions kw: 'mandc,celebrity,entertainment-industry,racism', One Piece episode 1054 delayed, new release date confirmed, {{#media.media_details}} {{#media.focal_point}}. "Los Angeles was more accessible." Duncan even tapped a routine in front of Betty White in a throwback to their time on her show from the 50s. targeting: { 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. Betty White asked Arthur Duncan. 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. Have something to tell us about this article? And it was never a question at all," he recalled. Watch The Betty White Show (November 29th, 1954) 1 Video 3 Photos Family Music Talk-Show Daytime show with Betty White talking to guests, singing with the orchestra, etc. You never ask me out.. The show. After appearing as a guest on the show, Lawrence Welk offered Duncan a permanent spot as a member of his \"musical family.\"The 1989 film Tap featured Duncan in a cameo appearance with other famous tap dancers.In 2004 Duncan was honored at the annual \"Tap Extravaganza\" in New York City.In 2006, Duncan was honored for his contributions to tap dance at the 15th Annual St. Louis Tap Festival.In 2017, Duncan appeared on the series premiere episode of the reality talent series Little Big Shots: Forever Young, where he performed a dance and reunited with actress Betty White.In 2018, Duncan made an appearance on The Talk as part of a surprise for co-host Sheryl Underwood who performed a tap dance routine with Savion Glover as part of the show's New Year's Evolution. Then, learn about the first African-American photographers and their portraits. When NBC gave her a national 30-minute variety show in 1954, she . # ThankYouForBeingAFriend 11:37 AM - 31 Dec 2021 10,874 Retweets 54,906 Likes We bring people together, change perceptions, and inspire actions that impact culture for good. There's no knowing if her putting her foot down on Duncan staying on had any role in the show being repeatedly rescheduled for different time slots before eventually being taken off the air that same year. 65 Backyard . 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. It's Betty White's 99th birthday on Sunday, and former co-stars Arthur Duncan and Wendie Malick are singing her praises. Betty didnt let her age hamper her ability to empathize with others, even if they were of a completely different background than her. tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { White . White's team of talent included Black performer Arthur Duncan, who was about 21 at the time and looking for his big break. Left: Arthur Duncan/Betty White Show/NBC Right: American actor Betty White wearing a veiled hat, circa 1955. }); !function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); baseDivId: 'pb-slot-right-1', 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. 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. 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. Thats when the show was renamed after White, and she took over as both host and producer. She didnt have an idea of the extent to which it would enrage her market, yet the collective furor didnt crush her spirit or change her mind. (1954) nem adtak t djat (1955) Nanette Fabray (1956) Nanette Fabray (1957) Jane Wyatt (1958) Well, Betty wrote back and said, Needless to say, we used Arthur Duncan every opportunity we could. , Facing the threat of boycotts across the South, White famously said, Im sorry but he stays Live with it!. . The dancer, Arthur Duncan, was featured on "The Betty White Show" that aired in the 1950s. A long and successful career followed, including several film and TV appearances. div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-2', 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. Betty White was facing pressure from stations in the South but used Duncan even more until the show was canceled in 1954. 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. Betty White Made 1954's The Betty White Show Very Progressive. page_type: 'article', 1937) Casey Hayden, 85, civil rights activist (b. In February 1955, the show became the shortest run program to ever receive an Emmy nomination for Best Daytime Program. 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At 21, the California native had been performing in a dance quartet for years and was looking for his big break. The entertainer, in her early 30s at the time, was center stage, speaking to the young Black tap dancer seated on her right. He remained part of the cast from 1964 to 1982. window.tude = window.tude || { cmd: [] }; A colleague. R.I.P. Watch clips and full episodes of Little Big Shots for free on Yahoo View. } In the 1950s, Betty White was criticized for having Black tap dancer Arthur Duncan on her variety talk show, "The Betty White Show." Rating: True About this rating Betty White, also. ': Betty White's quips and quotes through the years. From left, producer Steve Boettcher, Arthur Duncan, Georgia Engel and Gavin . 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. 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. He holds dual bachelor's degrees from Pace University and a master's degree from New York University. With newfound creative control, White created a sitcom that earned her a Best Actress Emmy nomination. Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, or leave your comments below. Ignoring the racist calls, she interviewed a Black child during the childrens segment as well, reported The Washington Post. "I'm sorry, but, you know, he stays," White said,according to a PBS biography. This means that White had already made history by making Duncan the first Black series regular on a talk show. Duncan credits White for starting his career. But his first performance was more than enough for Southern racists to threaten NBC with a boycott if he continued to be part of the lineup. Duncan appeared on the show at least three times. When she was encouraged to take him off because of the color of his skin, she politely declined. In 1954, Betty White created and hosted her own daily variety and talk show, The Betty White Show. . 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. She continued to serve as producer on the show, pushing boundaries by hiring a female director and showcasing. "She never wanted to leave her home in Carmel, but was forced to for at-home care," a source told The Post. Follow reporter Asha Gilbert @Coastalasha. Life With Elizabeth ran until 1955; during 1954, White simultaneously presented her own variety show, her second Betty White show. He said it was White who gave him his break. Arthur Duncans tap-dancing skills were undeniable. GOOD aligns unparalleled expertise in social science, social media, and social change. Betty White spent over seven decades in front and behind the camera. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. subcat: '', 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. So at age 18, he enrolled in Pasadena City College to study pharmacy. Betty White, The Golden Girls and Hot in Cleveland Star, Dead at 99 During the Little Big Shots episode, Harvey surprised Duncan by bringing White on the show to catch up with her old. ]); Live with it. , Betty White, one of the most endearing and enduring faces on television, dies at 99. 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.. Now she wants restitution. 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. 2. Betty White rejected attempts to keep Black dancer Arthur Duncan off her show in the 1950s. subcat: '', Amid the overt racism,The Betty White Show may have also been quietly sabotaged by brands who chose to stay away from the controversy. Betty White served as both host and producer. When Bea Arthur left The Golden . You never ask me out." I credit Betty White for really getting me started in show business, he said. Her show was cancelled afterwards. I rehearsed with a choral group thats going to do Christmas carols this Christmas., Oh, wonderful, White said. Betty White was in 'great spirits' while filming final TV appearance. Its because of people like her we were able to push the needle forward in terms of racial and gender equality. The show was a daytime talk show that also featured ente. She is older than Mickey Mouse. url: 'betty,whites,controversial,hire,of,tap,dancer,arthur,duncan,made,history,in,more,ways,than,one', kw: 'mandc,celebrity,entertainment-industry,racism', A Look at All of Betty White's Homes. But by the early 1980s, when The Lawrence Welk Show finally went off the air, that era was over. page_type: 'article', So it was a minor coup when Betty White got her own show in 1954 with full creative control. I hope we have a chance to visit after this is over., Oh, I hope so. Your Money, Your Life, LATEST LISTS Of course, the social media world is full of distortions and fabrications. env: 'prod', How Gabriel Prosser Planned What Would Have Been The Largest Slave Rebellion In American History, Meet The Ken And Barbie Killers: Paul Bernardo And Karla Homolka, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. Jan 1, 2022. Nick Castle Jr. had become a director and asked Duncan to dance his 1989 film Tap, starring Sammy Davis Jr. Duncan obliged, but his accolades didnt end there. What really defines Betty Whites legacy is her sheer willingness to go against the grain and subvert expectations. This soon led to the show's cancellation. 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. She was part of the board at the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association and regularly campaigned to raise more funds for the association. 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. Her response: "I'm sorry. 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 earlier inclusion (despite Southern objections) on the 1954 Betty White Show, made him the first African-American regular on variety television programs.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.He later entered Pasadena City College to study pharmacy, but left to pursue a career in show business, touring with The Jimmie Rodgers Show and The Betty White Show. If Betty White was able to extend so much love and admiration to everyone shed come across over the years, anyone can do the same. } However, it was during an appearance on Steve Harveys show Little Big Shots: Forever Young in 2017 that Duncan felt truly blessed when Betty White surprised him onstage. Racial justice wasnt the only focus of her activism, either. pos: 'right_rail_2', Decades later, in the doc, he was still in awe of her. That year, 1954, also saw the Supreme Court handing make the Brown vs. Board of Education decision which banned segregated schools. Most incredibly, she was also a champion of LGBT equality. Shed been a progressive since day one, and its because of people like her that we were able to delegitimize hateful sentiments that had dominated the country in those years. Arthur, did you have a nice weekend? Betty White asked Arthur Duncan. 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. The cancellation of her variety and talk show came after a huge backlash surrounding the appearance of Arthur Duncan. cat: 'entertainment', Arthur Duncan, 84, is a tap dancer best known for his stint on "The Lawrence Welk Show." PBS. Live with it." and gave Duncan more airtime. . Not one to waste an opportunity, White immediately set about hiring Duncan to dance on The Betty White Show, which aired on NBC in Los Angeles. So on her nationally televised The Betty White Show, she sang, interviewed guests, performed in skits and read the commercials live. The legendary dancer discussed how Betty White gave him his first job on. 1956) . Betty imbued charm, wit, and sincerity at each and every turn, always ready to poke fun at herself and those around her, eager to uncover both the humanity in comedy and the comedy in humanity. You never call, responded White. When so many of her peers were justifying their ignorance by claiming to be a product of their times, Betty stood out.
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