Madame Sul-Te-Wan
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- March 7, 1873
- Died
- February 1, 1959
- Birthplace
- Louisville, Kentucky, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Madame Sul-Te-Wan (born Nellie Crawford; March 7, 1873 – February 1, 1959) was the first African-American actress to sign a film contract and be a featured performer. She was an American stage, film and television actress for over 50 years. The daughter of former slaves, she began her career in entertainment touring the East Coast with various theatrical companies and moved to California to become a member of the fledgling film community. She became known as a character actress, appeared in high-profile films such as The Birth of a Nation (1915) and Intolerance (1916), and easily navigated the transition to the sound films. In 1986, she was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame.
Filmography
- Squirrel Food
Squirrel Food TBA
as Flirt
Tarzan and the Trappers 1960
as Witch Woman
The Buccaneer 1958
as Good Luck Charm Vendor
Band of Angels 1957
as Flower Vendor (Uncredited)
Something of Value 1957
as Midwife (Uncredited)
Carmen Jones 1954
as Hagar – Carmen's Grandmother (Uncredited)
The Story of Seabiscuit 1949
as Libby
Mighty Joe Young 1949
as Young Family Servant (Uncredited)
Thank Your Lucky Stars 1943
as Bit in "Ice Cold Katie" Number (uncredited)
Revenge of the Zombies 1943
as Beulah
Mokey 1942
as Miss Cully (uncredited)
Sullivan's Travels 1941
as Church Harmonium Player (Uncredited)
King of the Zombies 1941
as Tahama
Love Thy Neighbor 1940
as Lady McBeth
Maryland 1940
as Naomi
Safari 1940
as Native Woman
Torchy Blane... Playing with Dynamite 1939
as Ruby (uncredited)
Tell No Tales 1939
as Jim Alley's Mother (uncredited)
Kentucky 1938
as Lily
The Affairs of Annabel 1938
as Benzedrina (uncredited)
The Toy Wife 1938
as Eve, a Black Servant (Uncredited)
In Old Chicago 1938
as Hattie
Island in the Sky 1938
as Scrubwoman (Uncredited)
Maid of Salem 1937
as Tituba
San Francisco 1936
as Earthquake Survivor (Uncredited)
So Red the Rose 1935
as Slave (Uncredited)
Imitation of Life 1934
as Cook (uncredited)
Black Moon 1934
as Ruva
Operator 13 1934
as Slave at Medicine Show ( Uncredited)
A Modern Hero 1934
as Mme. Azais' Neighbor ( Uncredited)
King Kong 1933
as Native Handmaiden (uncredited)
Ladies They Talk About 1933
as Mustard (uncredited)
Jungle Mystery 1932
as Native Woman in Stockade (Uncredited)
Heaven on Earth 1931
as Voodoo Sue
The Pagan Lady 1931
as Carla the Servant
The Thoroughbred 1930
as Sacharine
Sarah and Son 1930
as Belloc's Maid (Uncredited)
Queen Kelly 1929
as Kali Sana - Aunt's Cook (uncredited)
Thunderbolt 1929
as Bit Role
The Carnation Kid 1929
as The Maid (Uncredited)
Uncle Tom's Cabin 1927
as Slave at Wedding (uncredited)
College 1927
as Cook (uncredited)
The Golden Bed 1925
as Boarding House Maid (Uncredited)
The Narrow Street 1925
as Easter
The Lightning Rider 1924
as Mammy
Manslaughter 1922
as Prison Inmate (uncredited)
The Show 1922
as Maid (uncredited)
Why Change Your Wife? 1920
as Sally's Maid (Uncredited)
His Musical Sneeze 1919
as Maid (uncredited)
Who's Your Father? 1918
as Black Mother (uncredited)
Old Wives for New 1918
as Viola's Maid (uncredited)
Tarzan of the Apes 1918
as Esmeralda - Jane's Maid (uncredited)
- Stage Struck
Stage Struck 1917
as Uncredited
The Children Pay 1916
as Uncredited
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages 1916
as Girl at the Marriage Market (uncredited)
Hoodoo Ann 1916
as Black Cindy
The Birth of a Nation 1915
as Black Woman (uncredited)
- The Cause of It All
The Cause of It All 1915
as Mary - The Hotel Cook
Credits from TMDB.