I am one bad ass bitch. Betty White: . Three years later, one of the Los Angeles-area shows co-hosts, Eddie Albert was given his own eponymous spin-off. Live with it." She then gave Duncan even more airtime. Betty White: reglnyok: Bea Arthur: reglnyok: Phylicia Rashad: The Cosby Show Rue McClanahan: reglnyok: Shelley Long: Cheers: . Duncan performed on The Lawrence Welk Show for nearly 20 years, making him the first Black regular on a variety show. She extended his airtime instead, and responded to racists with "I'm sorry. 65 Backyard . In this day and age, this wouldn't be seen as any sort of big deal. A movie event planned prior to her death to . Steve Harvey also had Betty White come on to the show to reunite them. ', Betty White dies at 99: Here are some of her greatest career moments. Betty White rejected attempts to keep Black dancer Arthur Duncan off her show in the 1950s. According to the 2018 PBS documentary, Betty White: First Lady of Television, (available on Netflix) Duncan credited White for his first big break. BETTY White has updated fans on her health in rare interview after fans fear for the beloved Golden Girl ahead of 100th birthday.The actress, 99, crep . But this was 1954 and racial inequality was still rife. 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. 3. Duncan even tapped a routine in front of Betty White in a throwback to their time on her show from the 50s. Nur Nasreen Ibrahim is a reporter with experience working in television, international news coverage, fact checking, and creative writing. 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. In 1961, the then 39-year-old actress met the man . In response, Betty White famously said Im sorry. The show was canceled soon after. Lets take a moment to honor the First Lady of Television and what her progressiveness meant to those watching at home. "I'm sorry, but he staysLive with it!" 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. "Well, Betty wrote back and said, 'Needless to say, we used Arthur Duncan every opportunity we could.'" It was also the year segregation in public schools was declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. } # DidYouKnow In 1954, # BettyWhite was criticized after having Arthur Duncan, a Black tap dancer, on her show. It's been claimed that Duncan's fixed role on "The Betty White Show" as a singer and dancer meant he was the first Black American to have a regular appearance on a TV variety show. It didnt take long for the programs eponymous host to offer Duncan a permanent place in the shows musical family.. He said it was White who gave him his break. "I said, 'I'm sorry, but he staysLive with it!'" Age isnt an excuse to be horrible to other people. pic.twitter.com/tVL7NUw2TT. 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. Given that White and Duncan both corroborated this story in the documentary, we rate this claim as True.. It has since been updated. Although The Betty White Show was cancelled within a year due to low ratings due to NBC constantly changing its time slot, Arthur Duncans newfound national exposure led to invaluable new opportunities. She knew exactly what was right and what was wrong, and didnt let the status quo defer her from taking a stand. Born on Sept. 25, 1933, in Pasadena, California, Arthur Duncan gravitated to the life of a performer from a very young age. Betty White was born in 1922 and sliced bread was introduced in 1928. Entrepreneurs Summit Nick Castle Jr. had become a director and asked Duncan to dance his 1989 film Tap, starring Sammy Davis Jr. Duncan obliged, but his accolades didnt end there. Duncan reserved high praise for White during an appearance in a 2018 documentary about her titled 'Betty White: First Lady of Television.' Betty Whites show was canceled the same year she invited Duncan on as a guest three times. But when the shows reach was extended beyond LA, Duncans inclusion as part of the cast made waves across the Jim Crow South. The show was a daytime talk show that also featured ente. 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 earlier inclusion (despite Southern objections) on the 1954 Betty White Show, made him the first African-American regular on variety television programs.Born in Pasadena, California, Duncan entered show business at age 13, when he was a member of a dance quartet that performed at McKinley Junior High School in Pasadena, California.He later entered Pasadena City College to study pharmacy, but left to pursue a career in show business, touring with The Jimmie Rodgers Show and The Betty White Show. tude.cmd.push(function() { 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. Duncan recalled the furor and the actor backing him during those testing times. In 1954, #BettyWhite was criticized after having Arthur Duncan, a Black tap dancer, on her show. Randy Shropshire/Getty ImagesFrom left to right: Arthur Duncan, director Dean Hargrove, actor Norman LLoyd, and cinematographer Stephen Poster at a screening of Tap World in Los Angeles, California, in 2015. According to IMDb, Duncan appeared on three episodes of White's show in 1954. I hope we have a chance to visit after this is over., Oh, I hope so. The daily talk/variety show on NBC allowed White to hire a female director (opens in new tab) as well as Arthur Duncan, . The comedian passed away on December 31, 2021, just weeks away from what would have been her 100th birthday. White, who died Friday, would have turned 100 on Jan. 17. And that included the young tap dancer Arthur Duncan, who would become the only Black man on the program. Betty White, The Golden Girls and Hot in Cleveland Star, Dead at 99 During the Little Big Shots episode, Harvey surprised Duncan by bringing White on the show to catch up with her old. After the Pacific tour, Duncan spent several years performing at countless venues across Europe. And Duncan had not only managed to build a professional career out of his art but had become so renowned that Francis Ford Coppola cast him in The Cotton Club in 1984. NBC first aired in 1954. Even at the risk of cancelation, White insisted that Arthur Duncan stay on and thus helped launch a successful career for him. She is older than Mickey Mouse. You never ask me out." That year, 1954, also saw the Supreme Court handing make the Brown vs. Board of Education decision which banned segregated schools. Sign up for notifications from Insider! 2. Betty White asked Arthur Duncan. How Gabriel Prosser Planned What Would Have Been The Largest Slave Rebellion In American History, Meet The Ken And Barbie Killers: Paul Bernardo And Karla Homolka, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. She didnt have an idea of the extent to which it would enrage her market, yet the collective furor didnt crush her spirit or change her mind. Be like Betty White. Barack and I join so many around the world who will miss the joy she brought to the world. Tell us what you think! "I hope we have a chance to visit after this is over," Duncan told White, to which she replied: "Oh, I hope so. tag: 'mandc,celebrity,entertainment-industry,racism', Betty White broke barriers, defied expectations, served her country, and pushed us all to laugh. I credit Betty White for really getting me started in show business, he said. We bring people together, change perceptions, and inspire actions that impact culture for good. tude.cmd.push(function() { With substantial clout, she developed her own variety show in 1954 and wasted no time giving talented performers a shot. From left to right: Arthur Duncan, director Dean Hargrove, actor Norman LLoyd, and cinematographer Stephen Poster at a screening of, Arthur Duncan (left) and Betty White (seated) at their reunion on Steve Harveys, how Hattie McDaniel became the first Black Oscar winner, the first African-American photographers and their portraits. Whether youre a lifelong resident of D.C. or you just moved here, weve got you covered. tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { Cindy Ord/Getty Betty White rejected. she bluntly told those that brought the matter to her, reported PEOPLE. #betty #criticized #having #arthur #tap #dancer #show #said #im #sorry #live #gave #even #more . Well, Betty wrote back and said, Needless to say, we used Arthur Duncan every opportunity we could.'. This was in 1954. Oborfacts What can i say? Racial justice wasnt the only focus of her activism, either. The legendary dancer discussed how Betty White gave him his first job on. pos: 'right_rail_3', The dancer, Arthur Duncan, was featured on "The Betty White Show" that aired in the 1950s. "I'm sorry, but, you know, he stays," White said,according to a PBS biography. env: 'prod', ', Betty White's quips and quotes through the years, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. She also told her critics to "live with it.". In December 1957, he became the first Black man to join Bob Hopes 100-member troupe to tour U.S. military bases worldwide. He was 97. Arthur Duncan, 97, tap dancer (The Lawrence Welk Show, The Betty White Show) (b. But just who is Arthur Duncan and why did his appearance on The Betty White Show cause such controversy at the time? White . baseDivId: 'pb-slot-right-1', Wikimedia Commons Arthur Duncan became the first Black regular on a televised American variety show. 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. div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-1', When NBC gave her a national 30-minute variety show in 1954, she . Stars Betty White George Tibbles Dick Cathcart See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist 2 User reviews Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy 1 nomination total 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. There was even a regular childrens segment. Some facts about Betty White . In 1954, she became the host of her own daily variety show, The Betty White Show. 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. 1 of 2. Management Its unclear whether her decision to keep Duncan affected the shows fate, but it was repeatedly rescheduled for different time slots before quietly being taken off the air that same year. page_type: 'article', Shaoni Das is a writer based out of Alberta, Canada. This material may not be reproduced without permission. "In 1954, #BettyWhite was criticized after having Arthur Duncan, a Black tap dancer, on her show," The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center tweeted after her death. Arthur Duncan was honored in 2004 and 2006 at the Tap Extravaganza in New York and the 15th Annual St. Louis Tap Dance Festival. 1937) Casey Hayden, 85, civil rights activist (b. } Wikimedia CommonsBetty Whites show was canceled the same year she invited Duncan on as a guest three times. White's team of talent included Black performer Arthur Duncan, who was about 21 at the time and looking for his big break. When Duncan told White, "I hope we have a chance to visit after this is over," she replied, "Oh, I hope so. aid: '769722', Betty White was in 'great spirits' while filming final TV appearance. What really defines Betty Whites legacy is her sheer willingness to go against the grain and subvert expectations. When The Betty White Show was rolled out on TV channels across the US, many stations and viewers in southern US states threatened to boycott the show unless Arthur Duncan was removed owing to the segregation laws and attitudes towards race that were prevalent at the time. When encouraged to take Arthur Duncan off the air, White, then in her 30s, said: "I'm sorry, but, you know, he stays," per the Post. 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. 4. In 1954, Betty White rejected pressure to stop featuring tap dancer Arthur Duncan on her show because he was Black A file photo of Betty White. Little Big Shots: Forever Young airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on NBC. In 1954, Betty White created and hosted her own daily variety and talk show, The Betty White Show. White died on Friday, just a few weeks shy of her 100th birthday, news that prompted a look back on a career that included advocacy on many fronts. "Her response: 'I'm sorry. When Betty White was in her early 30s she landed her very own self-titled variety show. tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { On another episode, White interviewed a Black child during the childrens segment. "Well, Betty wrote back and said: 'needless to say, we used Arthur Duncan every opportunity we could,'" he said. Duncan was later discovered by big band leaderLawrence Welk who invited him onto his ABC variety show. cat: 'entertainment', Betty White (1954), (Bettmann/contributor/Getty images) . Betty White spent over seven decades in front and behind the camera. She produced and starred in the sitcom Life with Elizabeth (1953-1955), making . She extended his airtime instead, and responded to racists with "I'm sorry. Your membership is the foundation of our sustainability and resilience. But even in California, Duncans regular presence on the show drew criticism. 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. . From left, producer Steve Boettcher, Arthur Duncan, Georgia Engel and Gavin . "Los Angeles was more accessible." Arthur Duncan, 84, is a tap dancer best known for his stint on "The Lawrence Welk Show." PBS. Im ready to go now, he morbidly joked as White approached. Arthur admits that Betty helped get him the kind of exposure that really launched his career. Then, learn about the first African-American photographers and their portraits. In 1954, Betty White was criticized after having Arthur Duncan, a black tap dancer, on her show. Your Money, Your Life, LATEST LISTS Arthur Duncan, pioneering Black tap dancer, dies at 97 Championed by Betty White at the start of his career, he became one of the first Black regulars on a TV variety show.