CHARACTER ACTORS PART 5: MANTAN MORELAND
Here's a few of the reasons why I love him:
Harlem on the Prairie (1937)
Spirit of Youth (1938)
Two-Gun Man From Harlem (1938)
Riders of the Frontier (1939) w/ Tex Ritter
Irish Luck (1939) w/ Frankie Darro
Chasing Trouble (1940) w/ Frankie Darro
On the Spot (1940) w/ Frankie Darro
Laughing at Danger (1940) w/ Frankie Darro
Up in the Air (1940) w/ Frankie Darro
Drums of the Desert (1940) w/ Ralph Byrd
Up Jumped the Devil (1941) w/ Maceo B. Sheffield
Lucky Ghost (1941) w/ F.E. Miller & Maceo B. Sheffield
You're Out of Luck (1941) w/ Frankie Darro
King of the Zombies (1941)
The Gang's All Here (1941) w/ Frankie Darro
Mr. Washington Goes to Town (1941) w/ F. E. Miller
Dressed To Kill (1941)
Professor Creeps (1942) w/ F. E. Miller
Freckles Comes Home (1942) w/ Gale Storm
Law of the Jungle (1942)
The Strange Case of Dr. Rx (1942) w/ Lionel Atwill
A-Haunting We Will Go (1942) w/ Laurel & Hardy
Phantom Killer (1942)
Eyes In the Night (1942) w/ Edward Arnold & Donna Reed
The Palm Beach Story (1942) w/ Claudette Colbert
Cabin in the Sky (1943) w/ Ethel Waters & Lena Horne
Hit the Ice (1943) w/ Abbott & Costello
Revenge of the Zombies (1943) w/ John Carradine
Mantan Runs For Mayor (1946)
Mantan Messes Up (1946)
Come On, Cowboy (1948) w/ F. E. Miller
Spider Baby (1968) w/ Lon Chaney Jr.
Watermelon Man (1970) w/ Godfrey Cambridge
Over to the right there in the archives you'll find me blathering on about Mantan Moreland and his groundbreaking interracial "buddy films" with Frankie Darro. Look over there. It's in February 2006 archive and the article is called "IRISH LUCK". Go ahead. I'll wait.
Oh, you're back. OK, well Mantan was really the star of almost every picture he was in (take King of the Zombies for just one example -- he's the only reason to watch it and he lifts the film from abysmal to magical). Like all other actors of colour at the time, Mantan Moreland was mostly relegated to the role of valet, porter, janitor, chauffer or any number of other working class jobs. For this inescapable fact of life in old Hollywood, Moreland would later be lambasted and ridiculed for his "demeaning and offensive roles". This was quite unfair and, in fact, quite untrue. Unlike stereotyped portrayals by, for instance, Stepin Fetchit, Mantan Moreland shaped his film portrayals in much the same manner as Eddie "Rochester" Anderson; that is, he was usually smarter than his boss and didn't hide that fact -- slipping in sarcastic barbs which usually went over their heads.
In his new book “Mantan the Funnyman”, Michael H. Price describes an interesting conversation he once had with the N.A.A.C.P.’s Dr. Richard Jones; who referred to Moreland as an “Uncle Tom” and admitted that his organization actively strove to “put the wraps on his career”.
“Well, sir,” replied Price, “all due respect, but I’ve always found Mantan to be pretty darned heroic and quick-witted. Closer to Paul Robeson than to Stepin Fetchit, if you’re talking about dignity and resourcefulness.” Price later goes on to relate Dr. Jones’ response: “Well, it’s not as though we had tried to kick him out of the race, or any such thing. The organization’s lobbyists merely discouraged his employment among the moving-picture companies and urged him to apply his talents to a higher calling.” Price goes on to make the cogent point that Dr. Jones added “That was a long time ago” as if to suggest that character assassination and career sabotage came equipped with a statute of limitations”.
Mantan was a life-long consummate comedian and, as such, went for the laugh. In his good number of horror films (and mysteries featuring Charlie Chan), Mantan played the scared assistant in much the same manner as Lou Costello would have. The mere fact that some people falsely point to this as "a demeaning portrayal" simply because of the colour of Moreland's skin points out their own racism; if comedians like Lou Costello, Harold Lloyd, Bert Lahr or the Three Stooges could portray the same type of cowardly characters why should Mantan Moreland be denied the same right?!? Speaking of the Three Stooges, it was the express wish of both Moe & Shemp Howard that Mantan Moreland take Shemp's place in the Three Stooges. Moe, as late as 1973, was still lamenting the fact that the studio would not allow it and stuck them with prissy Joe Besser. While Mantan was only a supporting player in mainstream Hollywood films, he was allowed to headline in films made for and by African Americans such as Lucky Ghost (one of his funniest). The political correctness which almost destroyed his career in the 1950's hurt Moreland very badly; especially since he knew in his heart he never demeaned himself on the silver screen. It wasn't until the 60's when Mantan's career began to be reevaluated and his unfair treatment began to subside. Director Jack Hill brought him aboard for his film "Spider Baby" and others like Bill Cosby and Carl Reiner welcomed Mantan on to their productions as well. Sadly, his chronic ill health finally ended Moreland's life just as he was beginning to find work again. The fact remains, however, that Mantan Moreland lived to provide joy and entertainment for the entire world.
*** All sentences in red are either direct quotes or paraphrases from Michael H. Price’s book “Mantan the Funnyman” available from Midnight Marquee Press. CLICK HERE and buy a copy right away!
Over to the right there in the archives you'll find me blathering on about Mantan Moreland and his groundbreaking interracial "buddy films" with Frankie Darro. Look over there. It's in February 2006 archive and the article is called "IRISH LUCK". Go ahead. I'll wait.
Oh, you're back. OK, well Mantan was really the star of almost every picture he was in (take King of the Zombies for just one example -- he's the only reason to watch it and he lifts the film from abysmal to magical). Like all other actors of colour at the time, Mantan Moreland was mostly relegated to the role of valet, porter, janitor, chauffer or any number of other working class jobs. For this inescapable fact of life in old Hollywood, Moreland would later be lambasted and ridiculed for his "demeaning and offensive roles". This was quite unfair and, in fact, quite untrue. Unlike stereotyped portrayals by, for instance, Stepin Fetchit, Mantan Moreland shaped his film portrayals in much the same manner as Eddie "Rochester" Anderson; that is, he was usually smarter than his boss and didn't hide that fact -- slipping in sarcastic barbs which usually went over their heads.
In his new book “Mantan the Funnyman”, Michael H. Price describes an interesting conversation he once had with the N.A.A.C.P.’s Dr. Richard Jones; who referred to Moreland as an “Uncle Tom” and admitted that his organization actively strove to “put the wraps on his career”.
“Well, sir,” replied Price, “all due respect, but I’ve always found Mantan to be pretty darned heroic and quick-witted. Closer to Paul Robeson than to Stepin Fetchit, if you’re talking about dignity and resourcefulness.” Price later goes on to relate Dr. Jones’ response: “Well, it’s not as though we had tried to kick him out of the race, or any such thing. The organization’s lobbyists merely discouraged his employment among the moving-picture companies and urged him to apply his talents to a higher calling.” Price goes on to make the cogent point that Dr. Jones added “That was a long time ago” as if to suggest that character assassination and career sabotage came equipped with a statute of limitations”.
Mantan was a life-long consummate comedian and, as such, went for the laugh. In his good number of horror films (and mysteries featuring Charlie Chan), Mantan played the scared assistant in much the same manner as Lou Costello would have. The mere fact that some people falsely point to this as "a demeaning portrayal" simply because of the colour of Moreland's skin points out their own racism; if comedians like Lou Costello, Harold Lloyd, Bert Lahr or the Three Stooges could portray the same type of cowardly characters why should Mantan Moreland be denied the same right?!? Speaking of the Three Stooges, it was the express wish of both Moe & Shemp Howard that Mantan Moreland take Shemp's place in the Three Stooges. Moe, as late as 1973, was still lamenting the fact that the studio would not allow it and stuck them with prissy Joe Besser. While Mantan was only a supporting player in mainstream Hollywood films, he was allowed to headline in films made for and by African Americans such as Lucky Ghost (one of his funniest). The political correctness which almost destroyed his career in the 1950's hurt Moreland very badly; especially since he knew in his heart he never demeaned himself on the silver screen. It wasn't until the 60's when Mantan's career began to be reevaluated and his unfair treatment began to subside. Director Jack Hill brought him aboard for his film "Spider Baby" and others like Bill Cosby and Carl Reiner welcomed Mantan on to their productions as well. Sadly, his chronic ill health finally ended Moreland's life just as he was beginning to find work again. The fact remains, however, that Mantan Moreland lived to provide joy and entertainment for the entire world.
*** All sentences in red are either direct quotes or paraphrases from Michael H. Price’s book “Mantan the Funnyman” available from Midnight Marquee Press. CLICK HERE and buy a copy right away!
3 comments:
ok, now you're talking, Mantan may be the King of all character actors. Bravo on a wonderful career and I always though of him when I watched Soap and couldn't help but wonder in Robert Guillume (Benson) didn't base a lot on some of Mantan's characters. Didn't know the "Stooges" factoid, I might have still liked them after Shemp left if Mantan had joined them.
You beeyotch! You've been a closet Mantan fan all these years and I never even suspected!!!
You betcha boss
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