Live with it." She then gave Duncan even more airtime. "The Betty White Show" was short-lived, repeatedly rescheduled and eventually taken off air, per the Post. But the stage kept calling, and he eventually dropped out to pursue tap dancing full time. aid: '769722', Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Duncan reserved high praise for White during an appearance in a 2018 documentary about her titled 'Betty White: First Lady of Television.' So at age 18, he enrolled in Pasadena City College to study pharmacy. I was on the show, and they had some letters out of Mississippi and elsewhere that some of the stations would not carry the show if I was permitted to stay on there, recalled Duncan. Duncan went on to become the first Black regular on a variety show when he was hired on 'The Lawrence Welk Show' and he continued on that show for another 20 years. Masthead, Economic Equity & Racial Justice Townhall Series, Elevate Black Podcast sponsored by Fifth Third Bank, 100 Founders of Change by American Express, Chasing Success Podcast by JP Morgan Chase, Black Business Month Sponsored by Nationwide, 2022 Registry Of Corporate Directors Listing, 2021 BE Registry Of Corporate Directors Listing. In the 1950s, Betty White was criticized for having Black tap dancer Arthur Duncan on her variety talk show, "The Betty White Show." Rating: True About this rating Betty White, also. However, Albert was very active in the film world and soon chose to leave the show to film the classicRoman Holiday. "She never wanted to leave her home in Carmel, but was forced to for at-home care," a source told The Post. -----#####Reelblack's mission is to educate, entertain, enlighten, and empower through Black film. Arthur Chester Duncan (September 25, 1925 - January 4, 2023) was an American tap dancer, also called an "Entertainer's Entertainer," known for his stint as a performer on The Lawrence Welk Show from 1964 to 1982. Duncan was already a regular on the show which featured performances by White and others, interviews, skits and even a kids segment before it was added to NBCs national lineup in 1954. Life With Elizabeth ran until 1955; during 1954, White simultaneously presented her own variety show, her second Betty White show. Betty White, to put it simply, is a national. Betty White was in 'great spirits' while filming final TV appearance. Following his breakthrough performances on variety shows, Arthur Duncan was invited to be part of Bob Hopes troupe of performers to tour US military bases and was the first African-American to do so. Duncan was later discovered by big band leaderLawrence Welk who invited him onto his ABC variety show. pos: 'right_rail_1', Her show was cancelled afterwards. She deploys language as a way to connect with her audience and empower them to take action. page_type: 'article', Subscribe to Newsletter There was the time she ignored criticism about having Arthur Duncan, . However, Betty White wasnt always such a universally loved figure as the cancellation of The Betty White Show in 1954 goes to show. Betty White, also known as the First Lady of Television, wore many hats, as a comedian, a talk show host, an actress, and more. She hired a Black tap dancer, Arthur Duncan, for "The Betty White Show" in 1954, a full three years before the first federal civil-rights legislation since Reconstruction was passed,. 1954) February 11 Howard Bragman, 66, public relations executive (b. In the documentary, White described that all through the South there was this whole ruckus, they were going to take the show off the air if we didnt get rid of Arthur because he was Black., Added Duncan: People in the South, some of them resented me being on the show and wanted me thrown out. INFORMATION Case in point: when she rallied to have a Black tap dancer perform on her show despite the audience pushing for his expulsion. In a 2018 documentary honoring Bettys illustrious career, Arthur said, I credit Betty White for really getting me started in show business, in television. Betty herself wasnt blind to the outrage, but she wouldnt let the commotion, or as she said, the ruckus sway her in the least. Later on, he became the first African-American regular on a variety program. Betty White (1954), (Bettmann/contributor/Getty images) . If there is content shared on this platform that you feel infringes on your intellectual property, please email me at Reelblack@mail.com and info@reelblack.com with details and it will be promptly removed. Betty White was born in 1922 and sliced bread was introduced in 1928. } divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-3', The 33 Coziest Designer Bedrooms Ever. Women of Power Summit Betty White holds the record for "longest television career of any female or male entertainer." She is older than sliced bread. Betty White was one of a kind, and no incident highlights that better than her refusing to give in to demands for a Black dancer to be removed from her show in the 50s. In 1954, #BettyWhite was criticized after having Arthur Duncan, a Black tap dancer, on her show. 1937) Casey Hayden, 85, civil rights activist (b. Some facts about Betty White . Betty White spent over seven decades in front and behind the camera. baseDivId: 'pb-slot-right-1', Shaoni Das is a writer based out of Alberta, Canada. At a time when racial segregation was at boiling point, there were strong calls from different quarters to remove a tap dancer named Arthur Duncan from her show. After MLKs home was bombed, he refused to back down: This movement will not stop, The brave, forgotten Kansas lunch counter sit-in that helped change America, Sam Howell is the Commanders first-string QB for now, Nationals relievers see benefit in tinkering with new pitches, Kyle Kuzma, Wizards start fast and dont look back in win over Raptors. Arthur said, I was on the show, and they had some letters out of Mississippi and elsewhere that some of the stations would not carry the show if I was permitted to stay on there. So, needless to say, Arthur was pretty excited when Betty showed up onstage and surprised him. You never ask me out." (1954) nem adtak t djat (1955) Nanette Fabray (1956) Nanette Fabray (1957) Jane Wyatt (1958) But there was never a question at all., I said, Im sorry, but, you know, he stays, she said. tag: 'mandc,celebrity,entertainment-industry,racism', Duncan, 88, was a regular featured performer on White's NBC variety talk show, The Betty White Show , in the . By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider White made a career playing sweet characters with hidden and hilarious grit, and that quality goes all the way back to her first televised variety show, where, as the host and producer, she defied racist demands to get rid of Duncan because he was Black. The Betty White Show gave tap dancing star Arthur Duncan his big break but his appearance on the show wasn't universally popular at all. Arthur first appeared on The Betty White Show in 1954. The special is called Betty White: First Lady of Television. When she was encouraged to take him off because of the color of his skin, she politely declined. aid: '769722', Watch The Betty White Show (November 29th, 1954) 1 Video 3 Photos Family Music Talk-Show Daytime show with Betty White talking to guests, singing with the orchestra, etc. *Arthur Duncan was born on this date in 1933. I did something a little different, Duncan told her. tude.cmd.push(function() { Photo by: Vivian Zink/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images. She is older than Mickey Mouse. White hired a female director and Arthur Duncan, an African American actor, . Her response: "I'm sorry. She just prioritized building earnest relationships with people, and if progress came as a result, no problem. The beloved actress was preparing to celebrate her 100th birthday with a big televised special that will still air despite her passing only a few weeks before the age . So on her nationally televised The Betty White Show, she sang, interviewed guests, performed in skits and read the commercials live. ]); Betty White, known for her role as Rose Nylund on 'Golden Girls,' dies. Its because of people like her we were able to push the needle forward in terms of racial and gender equality. Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, or leave your comments below. Theres a reason why shes widely celebrated as a trailblazer of her generation: she didnt offer any excuses or apologies. Over 60 years later,Whiteand Duncan were reunited on Little Big Shots: Forever Young to Duncans surprise. Arthur Duncan, whose exuberant tap dancing carried him from the streets of Pasadena to Betty White's variety shows in the 1950s as one of the first Black regulars performing on television,. } But just who is Arthur Duncan and why did his appearance on The Betty White Show cause such controversy at the time? When asked why she was risking her livelihood to defend a Black man, she said, Im sorry, but he staysLive with it, as per People. Well, Betty wrote back and said, Needless to say, we used Arthur Duncan every opportunity we could.'. This means that White had already made history by making Duncan the first Black series regular on a talk show. Wikimedia Commons Arthur Duncan became the first Black regular on a televised American variety show. It's Betty White's 99th birthday on Sunday, and former co-stars Arthur Duncan and Wendie Malick are singing her praises. In 1954 Betty White had a talk show and faced criticism for including a black tap dancer, Arthur Duncan, on her show.Betty responded with Im sorry. Deal with it and gave Duncan more airtime. In 1957, Duncan joined Bob Hope's troupe touring U.S. military bases, making him the first African American to be part of that 100-member group. And there was Duncan. Arthur said, "She . According to IMDb, Duncan appeared on three episodes of White's show in 1954. "Well, Betty wrote back and said: 'needless to say, we used Arthur Duncan every opportunity we could,'" he said. Of course, the social media world is full of distortions and fabrications. The comedian was a legend through and through: when faced with the overwhelming pressure to give in to hate, she resisted and won. 1. That year, 1954, also saw the Supreme Court handing make the Brown vs. Board of Education decision which banned segregated schools. Supervising Producer, Yahoo Entertainment, Arthur Duncan, an 83-year-old tap dancer, was on the premiere of, It was a big opportunity for Arthur, who turned it into a career in show business that has lasted more than 60 years. The Betty White Show gave tap dancing star Arthur Duncan his big break but his appearance on the show wasnt universally popular at all. When Steve Harvey asked Arthur what it was like to see his old friend, he joked, Im ready to go now. But before God could take him, Arthur wanted to catch up with Betty first. A 1963 Klan bombing killed her sister and blinded her. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com, In the 1950s, Betty White was criticized for having Black tap dancer Arthur Duncan on her variety talk show, The Betty White Show., Image Via Film screenshot/Wikimedia Commons. baseDivId: 'pb-slot-right-1', (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) By sethuraman s . Arthur Duncan, an 83-year-old tap dancer, was on the premiere of Steve Harveys Little Big Shots: Forever Young. But this story is true. R.I.P. ', 'What could be better than show business? div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-2', 29K views 1 year ago Arthur Duncan (born September 25, 1933) is an American tap dancer, known for his stint as a performer on The Lawrence Welk Show from 1964 to 1982, which, along with his. When letters started coming from Mississippi and elsewhere demanding Arthurs removal, Betty simply wrote back saying, Needless to say, we used Arthur Duncan every opportunity we could. It wasnt a matter of finding a compromise or trying to understand the other sides perspective; she wanted to trust her gut and do the right thing, protest be damned. tag: 'mandc,celebrity,entertainment-industry,racism', Betty White gave Arthur his first job on her televised variety show, The Betty White Show. The entertainer, in her early 30s at the time, was center stage, speaking to the young Black tap dancer seated on her right. They were going to take our show off the air if we didnt get rid of Arthur, because he was Black., People in the South resented me being on the show, and they wanted me thrown out, Duncan agreed. You never ask me out.. }); window.tude = window.tude || { cmd: [] }; Betty didnt let her age hamper her ability to empathize with others, even if they were of a completely different background than her. I was on the show, and they had some letters out of Mississippi and elsewhere that some of the stations would not carry the show if I was permitted to stay on there, Duncan told Steve Harvey in 2018 ahead of a surprise TV reunion with White. cat: 'entertainment', She just stood up for her beliefs, said Duncan. At one point, the network threatened to take her off the air for having a Black man repeatedly appear on the show, but she wouldnt budge. And that included the young tap dancer Arthur Duncan, who would become the only Black man on the program. With substantial clout, she developed her own variety show in 1954 and wasted no time giving talented performers a shot. The show was canceled soon after. Live with it." and gave Duncan more airtime. } } Arthur Duncan was honored in 2004 and 2006 at the Tap Extravaganza in New York and the 15th Annual St. Louis Tap Dance Festival. Your Money, Your Life, LATEST LISTS In 2020, the American Tap Dance Foundation inducted Duncan into the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame. }); !function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); Duncan told Steve Harvey in 2017 thatWhitegave him his first job on TV during the premiere of Harveys Little Big Shots: Forever Young.. The Betty White Show is a television series that aired on KLAC-TV (now KCOP-TV) in 1952 and 1953, and on NBC in 1954. And it was never a question at all.. After appearing as a guest on the show, Lawrence Welk offered Duncan a permanent spot as a member of his \"musical family.\"The 1989 film Tap featured Duncan in a cameo appearance with other famous tap dancers.In 2004 Duncan was honored at the annual \"Tap Extravaganza\" in New York City.In 2006, Duncan was honored for his contributions to tap dance at the 15th Annual St. Louis Tap Festival.In 2017, Duncan appeared on the series premiere episode of the reality talent series Little Big Shots: Forever Young, where he performed a dance and reunited with actress Betty White.In 2018, Duncan made an appearance on The Talk as part of a surprise for co-host Sheryl Underwood who performed a tap dance routine with Savion Glover as part of the show's New Year's Evolution. A pioneer of early television with a career spanning almost seven decades, she was noted for her vast body of work in entertainment and for being one of the first women to work both in front of and behind the camera. aid: '769722', Follow reporter Asha Gilbert @Coastalasha. Duncan went on to have alustrouscareer inshow business and gained fame for being the first Black performer on The Lawrence Welk Show,according to The Library of Congress. I was on the show, and they had some letters out of Mississippi and elsewhere that some of the stations would not carry the show if I was permitted to stay on there, the then-83-year-old said. Registry of Corporate Directors. And it only escalated after NBC rolled out the show nationally, with Southern viewers threatening to boycott the network if White didnt remove Duncan from the lineup. A staff writer for All Thats Interesting, Marco Margaritoff has also published work at outlets including People, VICE, and Complex, covering everything from film to finance to technology. tude.cmd.push(function() { A colleague. The entertainment world is mourning beloved actress Betty White, "our national treasure." The "Golden Girls" and "Mary Tyler Moore" star died Dec. 31. There was never a question at all, said Arthur regarding Bettys insistence. on her eponymous talk show in 1954 . Racial justice wasnt the only focus of her activism, either. The daily talk/variety show on NBC allowed White to hire a female director (opens in new tab) as well as Arthur Duncan, . Arthur had seen everything he needed to see in life after reuniting with Betty. This soon led to the show's cancellation. 1 of 2. Arthur even became the first African-American regular on a variety show when he appeared on The Lawrence Welk Show for almost 20 years. Editor's note: This article was originally published on January 3, 2022. NBCArthur Duncan (left) and Betty White (seated) at their reunion on Steve Harveys Little Big Shots: Forever Young in 2017. Left: Arthur Duncan/Betty White Show/NBC Right: American actor Betty White wearing a veiled hat, circa 1955. subcat: '', 3. But White didnt capitulate, telling her critics, Im sorry, but he stays. But by the early 1980s, when The Lawrence Welk Show finally went off the air, that era was over. Arthur Duncan, 97, tap dancer (The Lawrence Welk Show, The Betty White Show) (b. Betty White rejected attempts to keep Black dancer Arthur Duncan off her show in the 1950s. But when the shows reach was extended beyond LA, Duncans inclusion as part of the cast made waves across the Jim Crow South. As in, before the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Little Rock Nine and the Greensboro, N.C., lunch-counter sit-ins. We wouldnt have been the same. In 2017, Arthur Duncan was reunited with Betty White on Little Big Shots: Forever Young (pictured above) and later in 2018, contributed to PBSs Betty White: First Lady of Television documentary film. The show was a daytime talk show that also featured entertainment segments that are typical of variety shows. In fact, as per Arthur, Betty gave him more time on the air when they started receiving backlash. Duncan recalled the furor and the actor backing him during those testing times. And it was never a question at all," he recalled. "I hope we have a chance to visit after this is over," Duncan told White, to which she replied: "Oh, I hope so. But one heartwarming story about her principled stand in supporting a Black colleagues career despite opposition highlighted another facet of her life. Email: agilbert@usatoday.com. Im ready to go now, he morbidly joked as White approached. White, who died Friday, would have turned 100 on Jan. 17. It was the first award in an entirely new category. [5]After several years of appearances in Europe, Duncan was discovered by Lawrence Welk's personal manager Sam Lutz. Arthur admits that Betty helped get him the kind of exposure that really launched his career. Most incredibly, she was also a champion of LGBT equality. Arthur Duncans early career was helped immensely by breakthrough performances on The Jimmie Rodgers Show and, of course, The Betty White Show. Sign up for notifications from Insider! According to the 2020 book Betty White on TV, the show failed to attract sponsors and was cancelled on Dec. 31, 1954 despite a desperate plea by White to NBC execs. "I'm ready to go now," he said.