Hattie McDaniel

Hattie McDaniel (June 10, 1895 – October 26, 1952) was an American singer and actress.

Related Topics:
June 10 - 1895 - October 26 - 1952 - American - Singer - Actress

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Born in Wichita, Kansas to Baptist preacher Henry McDaniel (who was born into slavery as a fieldhand on a Virginia plantation) and Susan Holbert, a singer of religious music. McDaniel made her first appearance in motion pictures in 1932. She spent much of her twenty-year career playing maids, mainly owing to the paucity of roles available to African American actresses. She has been quoted as saying, "Why should I complain about making $7,000 a week playing a maid? If I didn't, I'd be making $7 a week being one." It was one such role, that of Mammy in Gone with the Wind (1939), opposite Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable, that she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress on February 29, 1940, making her the first African American performer to win an Oscar. Also notably, she was the first African American to attend the Oscars as a guest. When the date of the Atlanta premiere of Gone with the Wind approached, she informed director Victor Fleming that she was unable to attend due to illness; in actuality, she did not want to attend because of the racism that pervaded Southern society at that time, for fear of increasing racial hostilities. When Clark Gable heard that McDaniel did not want to attend because of the racial issue, he threatened to boycott the premiere unless McDaniel was able to attend; he later relented when McDaniel convinced him to go.

Related Topics:
Wichita - Kansas - Baptist - Virginia - Motion pictures - 1932 - Career - African American - Gone with the Wind - 1939 - Vivien Leigh - Clark Gable - Academy Award - Best Supporting Actress - February 29 - 1940 - Atlanta - Victor Fleming

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McDaniel died at age fifty-seven in the hospital on the grounds of the Motion Picture House in Woodland Hills. It was her wish to be buried in the Hollywood cemetery on Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood, along with her fellow movie stars, but the owner, Jack Roth, refused to allow her to be interred there because she was Black. She is interred in Angelus Rosedale Cemetery, Los Angeles.

Related Topics:
Motion Picture House - Woodland Hills - Hollywood - Movie star - Angelus Rosedale Cemetery - Los Angeles

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In 1999, the new owner of the Hollywood Cemetery, who had renamed it Hollywood Forever Cemetery, wanted to right the wrong and have Miss McDaniel interred in the cemetery. Her family did not want to disturb her remains after all that time and declined the offer. Hollywood Forever then did the next best thing and built a cenotaph memorial on the lawn overlooking the lake in honor of McDaniel. It is one of the most popular sites for visitors to the cemetery.

Related Topics:
1999 - Hollywood Forever Cemetery - Cenotaph

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Hattie McDaniel has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood: one for her contributions to radio at 6933 Hollywood Boulevard, and one for motion pictures at 1719 Vine Street.

Related Topics:
Hollywood Walk of Fame - Radio

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