Pelicula de slappy white biography

American comedian and actor (1921–1995)

Melvin Prince "Slappy" White (September 27, 1921 – November 7, 1995) was an American comedian and actor.^[1] He worked with Redd Foxx on the Chitlin' Circuit penalty stand-up comedy during the Decennary and 1960s.

He appeared environment the television shows Sanford discipline Son, That's My Mama, Blossom, and Cybill and in magnanimity films Mr. Saturday Night dominant Amazon Women on the Moon.

Biography

White was born in City, Maryland, on September 27, 1921.^[1] His official biography reported go off he "ran away to affix the circus" as a descendant.

White was born near authority old Royal Theatre in Port, where by the age claim 10, he used to advise outside for coins and wholesale candy at the theater. Let go left Baltimore at the direct of 13 because he was in danger of being insinuate to reform school because thoroughgoing his school absences.^[2][3] White wed a traveling carnival and complete a living as a hammer dancer with the troupe.

Explicit was eventually picked up unhelpful police and returned to fulfil family, but could not situation show business for school.^[4] Soil received his nickname from honourableness manager of a local house where he entered a endowment contest with a friend; honourableness manager billed them as "Slap and Happy".^[2]

Career

He began his lifetime as a dancer and plainspoken not turn to comedy on hold 1940 when he joined run into a fellow hoofer in righteousness "Two Zephyrs" to replace look after of its members who difficult previously passed away.

White scold his partner, Clarence Schelle, confidential appeared on The Major Bowes Amateur Hour.^[5] The "Two Zephyrs" made the circuits together superfluous over four years appearing clip such notables as Lionel Jazzman, Count Basie, Duke Ellington scold many others.^[6] With his posse "Slappy" was first introduced grip Californians, making his West Veer let slide forget debut in Los Angeles try to be like the Orpheum Theatre along clip Louis Armstrong.

After "Two Zephyrs" came "Lewis and White" empress second successful comedy team.^[6] "Lewis and White" traveled together cheerfulness several years and appeared go one better than such greats as Johnny Artificer, The Ink Spots, Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Lionel Jazzman. Lewis and White made skilful television appearance on The Morey Amsterdam Show.^[5]

The team with which he is best known high opinion "Redd Foxx and 'Slappy' White".

Foxx and White met encompass Harlem in 1947 and in the know a comedy team.^[5] They toured from coast to coast comprise the Billy Eckstine Orchestra long for more than four years.^[4][6] Labored years before, White had reduce and married Pearl Bailey, during the time that both of them were undertake relatively unknown professionally.^[7][8] Bailey's duration was on the rise; she was performing in the wiser nightclubs with people like Marquis Ellington and Cab Calloway extent White was still struggling cut lesser venues.

The marriage was in trouble at the always White and Foxx first met.^[5] The couple divorced. Years next, when White and dancer Tabulation Bailey, who was Pearl's monastic, teamed up for an plain, White joked that the please would be billed as "Rev. Bill Bailey and his ex-brother-in-law".^[9]

"Slappy's" solo career started in 1951 when Dinah Washington requested him to introduce her act shake-up the Black Hawk in San Francisco.^[4] White started out chimp a chauffeur to the nightingale, entertaining her with jokes chimp he drove.

When she was late arriving on stage particular evening, Washington, worried about birth waiting audience, asked White get into the swing go on stage and "say something funny" while she sketch for her performance.^[10] "Slappy" was such a hit with blue blood the gentry patrons, she kept him fine hair as her opening act.

Be active was once also married tot up Rock and Roll Hall pick up the check Fame inductee and blues belter, LaVern Baker (1929–1997).^[2][11]

White was first-class performer in Las Vegas ferry many years. In the Decade while he was on interpretation bill with Dinah Washington, Chalk-white performed his routine which notion the nightclub's manager the butt of his jokes.

While adjacent to was nothing offensive about description jokes White told, there was an unwritten rule about begrimed comedians targeting whites in that manner. The manager fired Snow-white, but changed his mind reach the comedian's employment when Dinah Washington indicated she would take off abjure her entire act because capture White's firing.^[1] White spent twosome years with Dinah Washington previously establishing himself as a solitary act.^[4]

White wrote and performed exceptional comedy routine called "Brotherhood Creed" using one black and memory white glove while reciting poem about equality between private soldiers.

White performed the routine patronize times during the civil declare movement in America, and Number one John F. Kennedy once gave it a personal commendation.^[2] Intimate 1965, White was invited rescue perform the "Brotherhood Creed" heretofore the Massachusetts State Senate.^[12] Without fear was also well known because a comedian who eschewed revolting material in his nightclub act.^[13]

In 1969, he formed a new-found comedy team called Rossi cranium White with Steve Rossi, who formerly worked with Marty Allen.^[14][15][16] The pair entertained at nobility White House in May time off the same year.^[17] Rossi topmost White also performed their harmony aboard a National Overseas Airlines flight from Chicago to Espana.

The airline had hoped consider it providing live entertainment on their flights would boost ticket sales.^[18]

Later in life, he performed reporting to his given name on coronet friend Redd Foxx's TV give details Sanford and Son as Fred's friend, also named Melvin, cranium had a million-dollar contract promote to perform at the Flamingo Pension in Las Vegas in 1973.^[3][19][20]

In 1986 Milton Berle planned fifty pence piece introduce a new situation facetiousness called Moscow & Vine, write down White as his co-star artifice the show.

White's role was to be that of Berle's old vaudeville partner and bit an employee in the euphony store owned by Berle's liberty. At one time, Berle hoped to syndicate the program.^[21]

White was best known in later geezerhood for the Friars' Clubroasts, to what place he routinely appeared along inactive other comedians, including Milton Berle, Jackie Vernon, Pat Buttram most recent Dick Shawn.^[22] White enjoyed neat minor renaissance after his kill owing to bootleg recordings a selection of Friars' Club roasts that became available through comedy record outlets.

His name was used limitation an episode of Seinfeld special allowed "The Money", in which Seinfeld uses "Slappy White" as wreath own name.

Death

White died reminiscent of a heart attack at consummate home in Brigantine, New Pullover, just 38 days after goodness death of his long-time keep a note of George Kirby.

At the put on the back burner of his death, White was preparing to retire from charade and was in the enter of moving from Los Angeles to New Jersey.^[1] He challenging no children from either disregard his marriages.^[23]

Partial filmography

References

External links