Pat Best
William Best (May 27, 1913 – February 27, 1962), known professionally as Willie Best or Sleep n' Eat, was an American television and film actor. Best was one of the first African American film actors and comedians to become well known. In the 21st century, his work, like that of Stepin Fetchit, is sometimes reviled because he was often called upon to play stereotypically lazy, illiterate, and/or simple-minded characters in films. Of the 124 films he appeared in, he received screen credit in at least 77, an unusual feat for an African American bit player. |
Birth and Death Data: Born May 27, 1916 (Sunflower), Died February 27, 1962 (Woodland Hills)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1946 - 1949
Roles Represented in DAHR: songwriter
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor | D6VB-2800 | 10-in. | 9/6/1946 | (I love you) for sentimental reasons | Charlie Spivak Orchestra ; Jimmy Saunders | Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | songwriter | |
| Victor | D9VB-0081 | 10-in. | 1/11/1949 | Wrapped up in a dream | Deep River Boys | Male vocal solo with vocal quartet and instrumental ensemble | songwriter |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Best, Pat," accessed November 25, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/355251.
Best, Pat. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 25, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/355251.
"Best, Pat." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Best, Willie, 1916-1962 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n87896360
Wikidata: Willie Best - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q3569064
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