Once she was asked if it was degrading to play one maid after another in the movies.She replied,"In Hollywood I have two choices;I can play a maid for $700 a week, or I can BE a maid for $7 a week. "
I have even more respect for Clark Gable now knowing he likely risked his career by threatening to boycott the oscars to stand up for her. What an awesome guy.
It's sad when a Humanbeing deserves compliments, for being a Humanbeing. Mr. Gable and Ms. MCDANIEL, were colleagues, and friends. Two, real Humanbeings.
She was an actress?! She was criticized for portraying a house slave? Like, they would’ve gave her the role of someone else! Nonetheless she still walked out of there with an award! Bravo Hattie!
We also have the example of Butterfly McQueen who chose the opposite path and refused to play stereotypical roles. She was basically forced into retirement after Gone With the Wind.
@Kris Ford too late...u were being rude! Her size and facial features has nothing to do with her acting skills. Ms. McDaniel paved the way for others in Hollywood. It's a shame that she was limited to servant roles. She was quite the comedic actress in other films.
I know right?? I don't understand why ppl now want to get rid of that. Of course she couldn't sit with the rest of the cast. Was it wrong? Of course it was, but that's just how time was back then
@New ViewerThe NAACP would have preferred she play a wealthy and highly acclaimed southern black socialite, and we all know there were lots of those during the period the movie is set in lol
Gii Esquivel I am still very sad about that segregation...and the pain that was felt by so many. And still ....... hats off to Hattie. For now having to stand up and say working for 700 a week better than 7.....still sad now she was caught in the middle of the industry and people that criticized her...still tough. I dream for the day it is not about the colour of your skin..but the standard of character of which you live a good contributing positive life. I have a dream.
Blacks fared much better under segregation. They got married at higher rates, held jobs, raised families and stayed together. Kids actually knew their dads. Now people are legislated to live together and forced to accept it. Take a look around lately. It ain’t working.
Emma Sa Wow your way of thinking is beyond me, and quite frankly disgusting. Sending love your way though in hopes to change your mind. May God bless you!
So heartbreaking, Gosh. 😥 I would have loved to have met her and give her a great big hug. That big warm smile of hers was just infectious. ❤ Rest easy, beautiful, talented Lady.
@Jack Lee In the book, I LOVED how Rhett tactfully addressed Mammy’s aging by pointing out that “a man in his position” could not have only one nursemaid: “It would not look well.” He hired two more women to do most of the work, leaving her “Mammy-in-Chief.” And Mammy basked in this. xx L
Congratulation Hattie for your incredible strength and perseverance. Your attitude about your pay comparison of $700 a week for portraying a maid versus $7 a week being one is something I could learn from. You knew something many of us do not, and although your path was often fraught with challenges, you chartered your course and paved the way for better things for others. As any maid could tell you in that era, it was painfully cruel to be a maid. And $700 a week.....many still do not make that almost 100 years later.....now that is a crying shame. Makes me wonder what that would be compared to today. *EDIT* In 1939 when the movie Gone With the Wind featured.....$700 a week would be worth $13,000 equivalent a week today. Today that would be $52,000 a MONTH. Yearly that would be $676,000 ...... Yes, Hattie I think you made the right decision.
@Mary G I honestly did not realise how recent slavery was, I don't know about you, but to me 1865 sounds just too far away. Now knowing the parents of this Oscar winner were slaves, that's something
I don't know if it's worse, but It's true slavery still exists today, when there is chaos. So it's still not the same as slavery in times of peace, in a so called "civilised society"
Trey there’s nothing wrong with saying you’re proud to be white as long as you can acknowledge your own privilege and carry yourself at a higher standard than that of white supremacists who bathe in feeling as if their better than other races. But most “proud” white people aren’t that self aware.
@Trey White men are born with privilege. You have no idea what you're talking about. Your nations subjugated and colonised the world in recent memory. That is the reason why there are very few white nations in poverty today, but there is almost no fully developed nation in Africa and Asia. I do not hold a white man alive today accountable for the crimes of his forefathers. But it is no less criminal if you deny your privilege and the reasons for the world's wealth difference. You don't need to do anything but accept this. You don't need to give your money to the blacks. Give up quotas in universities for their upliftment. And I would never be for that either. All you need to do is be aware of your privilege.
She was a fighter. She worked so hard and she was so good that, despite the prejudices of the time, she won that Oscar. She’s the best part of Gone with the Wind.
@@scarlettgrey6367 Are you kidding me? What humiliation? Not being allowed to attend a successful movie's premiere all because it was held in the South, and during the Awards ceremony, having to sit in the back, away from her co stars among other times I'm sure, particularly in those times
I didn’t know she won an Oscar for this movie. She left a great impression as an significant actress regardless. In my opinion, it would be more meaningful if hbo included the bios of the black actors and actresses in the movie, and continue to feature it instead of consider it something to be hidden. Hattie McDaniel’s being the first African American to win an Oscar award is definitely something to be recognized and celebrated.
At the awards, after Hattie received her statuette, Louis B Mayer kissed her on the forehead and Gable gave her a hug (or do I have these two white guys mixed up?). Of course the press did not report this but it showed that there were decent people in Hollywood at that time....Myna Loy often complained about the demeaning roles blacks were forced to play...and the 1927 Broadway production of Showboat, was all about exposing the evils of racism....
Just because they are hugging someone on camera doesn’t mean anything genuine. Wow two white people during segregation era that show affection after her Oscar win! They should be honored! That’s what you got out of all of that!
Joshua James you’re mistaken, maybe you don’t like being hugged. Hugging is intimate. You wouldn’t do it if you weren’t genuine. Your chippy response is churlish when you don’t need to be. Most people now have never seen Hattie in a film. Knowing something is a start.
@@joshuajames6707 Just because a government or system impose cruel laws or rules, doesn't mean everyone agrees with them. They may not be heroes, but they defied the system. White people hugging and kissing a black person may be a common thing today, but It was a big deal at the time.
@@joshuajames6707 you try to find fault or racism anywhere, hòw do you know they were not genuine?they must have been, in those days been fond let alone hugging a black person were frawn upon.
It would be 24 years before Sydney Poitiers won his Best Actor Oscar for Lillies of the Field, then another 19 years before Lou Gossett, Jr. won for Best Supporting actor for an Officer and a Gentleman. That's only 3 Oscars for black actors in 44 years. In 2001, Halle Barry is the first black woman to win Best Actress, the same year Denzel Washington became the 2nd black actor to get Best Actor.
You missed out "In a leading role" in connection with Berry and Poitier. Just saying as it may confuse people who don't already know that McDaniel win for best actress "In a supporting role".
@@katienovota8870 Are these "statistics " taking into account that there are actors and actresses that have won multiple Oscars? Statistics has nothing to with this. It comes down to the Academy, the board, and the voting process.
Hattie should be shown in all her glory. She was proud to be the first black actor to get an oscar and also proud of her role. What a big achievement that was considering the times and the segregation still around at that time. It is amazing and I want her to be remembered in that role not removed from our screens. She was one of my favourites in the whole film. Celebrate her. If anything remembering her and her treatment which was the norm then should be an inspiration to show how far we have come. You don't hide everything away, you keep it on show to remind us. The shame and the glory.
I’m reading a book by Jill Watts about Hattie McDaniel. Black Ambition, White Hollywood. It’s incredible how her father suffered from wounds he received fighting in the Civil War. Stunning example of CONTENT OF CHARACTER from this man through his family!! Hattie, as she preferred to be called, has a spirit that absolutely glows in the dark of night!
Clark G. Must have been a wonderful person. The fact that he threatened to boycott the event for her, says alot about his character. God bless this precious woman. Always loved her
This lady was a lovely soul and a great actor. Bless her. In the old French cinema there was one fantastic actress who only played servants during her long life and..... she was WHITE. She loved her roles, she never thought it was a disgrace. Her name was Pauline Carton. And, nowadays, the French people remember her with love and admiration. There is nothing wrong in playing servants in cinema or theater.
Okay, but if she wanted to she could have played other roles because she was white. At the time Hattie McDaniel was around, servant and slave roles were all that were available to her and other black actresses at the time. It's not at all comparable.
I loved the character Hattie McDaniel played in "Gone With the Wind". She was one of the best things about the film. In spite of the appalling way black people were treated, she made a successful career in films which was well deserved.
came because of the picture of my city in Brazil at 0:01 (Congresso Nacional - not exactly a hotel...) stayed because the life history of this amazing artist and her work, a lot of respect for her
I had great respect for Olivia De havilland, until she showed her racism when Hattie was chosen over her for the best supporting actress oscar. OD was so upset that Hattie won the award,that she cried in disbelief.
Highly Favored perhaps it was not a race thing it might have been that she built her hopes up too high and was disappointed I hope it wasn’t about race
I understand what Mrs. Hattie McDaniel was trying to do,Mrs McDaniel was trying to Get the white people to recognize ,that Black/color people have talent and is creative to,..but it's sad .. because it was not the white people who was mad.... but her own race who didn't have Mrs McDaniel back and once again she was left alone to fight for the rights to get black/color people to be Actor/ actress in Hollywood. I respect 🙏 her deeply. Peezley 💋
One of GWTW's horrible truth is the shameless pay gap among the actors. Clark Gable whose role was without a question secondary to Vivien Leigh's still made 120,000+ dollars and Vivien close to some 30k. Hattie who was although less important and less visible screen-time wise than Vivien made less than 4 times than Vivien. Just 6k for the film.
J. Lo Sure, we have to understand the historical context of everything we speak about, but we still have the right to judge because they’re in the wrong...not us
If I am happy for one thing about Gone with the Wind and quarantine it is that people are finally giving her the recognition she deserves. Gone with the Wind might be heavily problematic but go back and watch it and she has some of the best line reads in human history.
Hattie McDaniel was an extremely talented lady. She endured much as it relates to her talent, radio & motion pictures careers. She currently has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Stars. One for Radio contributions and the other for her motion picture career. She paved the way for every actress of color that came after her. In spite of the controversial roles she played her being a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. she was a gracious lady that cannot be ignored. Ms. McDaniel thank you for climbing the mountain and planting the flag to guide others to success. Much Love my beautiful sister your hard work, dedication and sacrifices are greatly appreciated.❤️🙏🏾😇🥰😍✝️❤️
She’s so ladylike, old-fashioned, respectful, well-spoken, well-mannered... you don’t see that a lot these days... and, to think of, the blatant racism she received but so very eloquent at her Oscar speech. Really salute her as the FIRST. Even now, I keep seeing ‘first’ references that are ALL MALE... like, literally forgetting this lady even existed?? Don’t get me wrong, I adore Sidney Poitier bur please don’t say he was the first... approx., 30 years before him was Hattie. I do wish people ‘actually would’ GENDER STEREOTYPE me because if you’re an ‘actress’ then that is what you are. Actress is NOT a bad word. It puts women on an equal standing. You don’t have a cock and balls, you’re a woman and if your job title is ACTRESS, then embrace it! If I were an actress, I would HATE to be known as an actor. What’s wrong with being a female! It took us this long to get this far and ‘they’ still want our gender compliance!
Christopher Michael Anthony where I come from, manners are akin to humans, not animals. However, I expect you’re not well-travelled nor well-mannered if you’re unable to see how I referred to this lady with anything other than complete and utter respect. If you believe she is an animal, then that is your issue and, alas, your miseducation. Speaking as a person of colour, I am proud of her achievements. I see you chose to completely ignore my admiration for this lady and cherrypick some localisational crap by not understanding the wider connotations of what I originally said.
This not a metoo thing- stop making it about that with this "all male" garbage. And am I to assume that if a black person was not "eloquent and well mannered" in the face of that disgusting jim crow segregation and blatant racism, were they then lesser than? Good grief- I know you're trying to compliment her accomplishment, but perpetuating the gross "happy negro" stereotype is all that is happening here.
@@christophermichaelanthony263 No, she did not. She never said it was a phenomenon for a black woman to have manners. She was complimenting her, that is all. She said that her behavior is rare today, which it is, in all people.
All our love to Hattie McDaniel you brock the bearer from black and white and to Clark gable for all your love and support to Hattie may you both rest in peace
I have a friend named Michael Valentine does a great Hattie McDaniel impression. He used to have a pillow under his shirt. But now since he's Portly it's old hat for him!
They wouldn’t even bury her next to them even in her death! The blasphemy and bigotry that this country is built on is heart wrenching!! RIP Hattie Mae, you will be honored forever my love! 😣❤️🗣
yea but givin' the realty of the status of black people at the time Hattie Mcdaniel played the role with uncanny realism and this is what the craft of acting is all about ............
Even though she knew her roles were racist, she said she would rather makes hundreds of dollars being a tv maid instead of a real maid making only a few bucks. Rest In Peace Hattie McDaniel. ✝️❤️
@Tebza Modisane Thank you. 👏🏾 I NEVER enjoyed history class when they wanted to have a say so about our people. Heck, they still trying to speak for our culture. But, that's gone change really soon. Keep praying.
Hattie McDaniel's best pre-GWTW role, was when she played with Mae West. Mae's line was "Beulah, peel me a grape!" The look she gave Mae as she then chuckled, was priceless.
Whites Only Cemetery 😳 WOW...Now I have heard everything !! Even in death and rotting in the ground, there was segregation. I mean this is beyond Hate it’s sick af.
I didn’t know Monique accepted her Oscar in a turquoise gown with white gardenias in her hair to tribute Hattie McDaniel. That’s pretty cool. Last thing, this guys nasally voice is damn annoying.
