Madame Sul-Te-Wan

Madame Sul-Te-Wan

🎂 7th March 1873 (152 yrs) 📍 Louisville, Kentucky, USA

Biography

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.

Madame Sul-Te-Wan

🎬 Movies Featuring Madame Sul-Te-Wan

The Buccaneer

The Buccaneer (1958)

as Good Luck Charm Vendor
Tarzan and the Trappers

Tarzan and the Trappers (1958)

as Witch Woman
Band of Angels

Band of Angels (1957)

as Flower Vendor (Uncredited)
Something of Value

Something of Value (1957)

as Midwife (Uncredited)
Carmen Jones

Carmen Jones (1954)

as Hagar – Carmen's Grandmother (Uncredited)
The Story of Seabiscuit

The Story of Seabiscuit (1949)

as Libby
Mighty Joe Young

Mighty Joe Young (1949)

as Young Family Servant (Uncredited)
Thank Your Lucky Stars

Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943)

as Bit in "Ice Cold Katie" Number (uncredited)
Revenge of the Zombies

Revenge of the Zombies (1943)

as Beulah
Mokey

Mokey (1942)

as Miss Cully (uncredited)
Sullivan's Travels

Sullivan's Travels (1941)

as Church Harmonium Player (Uncredited)
King of the Zombies

King of the Zombies (1941)

as Tahama
Love Thy Neighbor

Love Thy Neighbor (1940)

as Lady McBeth
Maryland

Maryland (1940)

as Naomi
Safari

Safari (1940)

as Native Woman
Torchy Blane... Playing with Dynamite

Torchy Blane... Playing with Dynamite (1939)

as Ruby (uncredited)
Tell No Tales

Tell No Tales (1939)

as Jim Alley's Mother (uncredited)
Kentucky

Kentucky (1938)

as Lily
The Affairs of Annabel

The Affairs of Annabel (1938)

as Benzedrina (uncredited)
The Toy Wife

The Toy Wife (1938)

as Eve, a Black Servant (Uncredited)
In Old Chicago

In Old Chicago (1938)

as Hattie
Island in the Sky

Island in the Sky (1938)

as Scrubwoman (Uncredited)
Maid of Salem

Maid of Salem (1937)

as Tituba
San Francisco

San Francisco (1936)

as Earthquake Survivor (Uncredited)
So Red the Rose

So Red the Rose (1935)

as Slave (Uncredited)
Imitation of Life

Imitation of Life (1934)

as Cook (uncredited)
Black Moon

Black Moon (1934)

as Ruva
Operator 13

Operator 13 (1934)

as Slave at Medicine Show ( Uncredited)
A Modern Hero

A Modern Hero (1934)

as Mme. Azais' Neighbor ( Uncredited)
King Kong

King Kong (1933)

as Native Handmaiden (uncredited)
Ladies They Talk About

Ladies They Talk About (1933)

as Mustard (uncredited)
Queen Kelly

Queen Kelly (1932)

as Kali Sana - Aunt's Cook (uncredited)
Jungle Mystery

Jungle Mystery (1932)

as Native Woman in Stockade (Uncredited)
Heaven on Earth

Heaven on Earth (1931)

as Voodoo Sue
The Pagan Lady

The Pagan Lady (1931)

as Carla the Servant
The Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred (1930)

as Sacharine
Sarah and Son

Sarah and Son (1930)

as Belloc's Maid (Uncredited)
Thunderbolt

Thunderbolt (1929)

as Bit Role
The Carnation Kid

The Carnation Kid (1929)

as The Maid (Uncredited)
Uncle Tom's Cabin

Uncle Tom's Cabin (1927)

as Slave at Wedding (uncredited)
College

College (1927)

as Cook (uncredited)
The Golden Bed

The Golden Bed (1925)

as Boarding House Maid (Uncredited)
The Narrow Street

The Narrow Street (1925)

as Easter
The Lightning Rider

The Lightning Rider (1924)

as Mammy
Manslaughter

Manslaughter (1922)

as Prison Inmate (uncredited)
The Show

The Show (1922)

as Maid (uncredited)
Why Change Your Wife?

Why Change Your Wife? (1920)

as Sally's Maid (Uncredited)
His Musical Sneeze

His Musical Sneeze (1919)

as Maid (uncredited)
Who's Your Father?

Who's Your Father? (1918)

as Black Mother (uncredited)
Old Wives for New

Old Wives for New (1918)

as Viola's Maid (uncredited)
Tarzan of the Apes

Tarzan of the Apes (1918)

as Esmeralda - Jane's Maid (uncredited)
No Image

Stage Struck (1917)

as Uncredited
The Children Pay

The Children Pay (1916)

as Uncredited
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages

Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages (1916)

as Girl at the Marriage Market (uncredited)
Hoodoo Ann

Hoodoo Ann (1916)

as Black Cindy
The Birth of a Nation

The Birth of a Nation (1915)

as Black Woman (uncredited)
No Image

The Cause of It All (1915)

as Mary - The Hotel Cook
No Image

Squirrel Food (N/A)

as Flirt