Madame Sul-Te-Wan
Acting • Born 1873-03-07 – Died 1959-02-01
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Madame Sul-Te-Wan (born Nellie Crawford; March 7, 1873 – February 1, 1959) was the first African-American actress to sign a film contract and be a featured performer. She was an American stage, film and television actress for over 50 years. The daughter of former slaves, she began her career in entertainment touring the East Coast with various theatrical companies and moved to California to become a member of the fledgling film community. She became known as a character actress, appeared in high-profile films such as The Birth of a Nation (1915) and Intolerance (1916), and easily navigated the transition to the sound films. In 1986, she was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame.
Filmography
58 credits
The Narrow Street
Movie • 1925
Easter
Black Moon
Movie • 1934
Ruva
Who's Your Father?
Movie • 1918
Black Mother (uncredited)
The Pagan Lady
Movie • 1931
Carla the Servant
Tarzan of the Apes
Movie • 1918
Esmeralda - Jane's Maid (uncredited)
In Old Chicago
Movie • 1938
Hattie
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Movie • 1927
Slave at Wedding (uncredited)
Manslaughter
Movie • 1922
Prison Inmate (uncredited)
The Thoroughbred
Movie • 1930
Sacharine
The Affairs of Annabel
Movie • 1938
Benzedrina (uncredited)
Tell No Tales
Movie • 1939
Jim Alley's Mother (uncredited)
Heaven on Earth
Movie • 1931
Voodoo Sue
Tarzan and the Trappers
Movie • 1958
Witch Woman
Revenge of the Zombies
Movie • 1943
Beulah
Kentucky
Movie • 1938
Lily
Thunderbolt
Movie • 1929
Bit Role
Maid of Salem
Movie • 1937
Tituba
Sarah and Son
Movie • 1930
Belloc's Maid (Uncredited)
Torchy Blane... Playing with Dynamite
Movie • 1939
Ruby (uncredited)
College
Movie • 1927
Cook (uncredited)
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
Movie • 1916
Girl at the Marriage Market (uncredited)
Old Wives for New
Movie • 1918
Viola's Maid (uncredited)
Love Thy Neighbor
Movie • 1940
Lady McBeth
Maryland
Movie • 1940
Naomi
Safari
Movie • 1940
Native Woman
Thank Your Lucky Stars
Movie • 1943
Bit in "Ice Cold Katie" Number (uncredited)
San Francisco
Movie • 1936
Earthquake Survivor (Uncredited)
Island in the Sky
Movie • 1938
Scrubwoman (Uncredited)
So Red the Rose
Movie • 1935
Slave (Uncredited)
King Kong
Movie • 1933
Native Handmaiden (uncredited)
Queen Kelly
Movie • 1929
Kali Sana - Aunt's Cook (uncredited)
The Cause of It All
Movie • 1915
Mary - The Hotel Cook
A Modern Hero
Movie • 1934
Mme. Azais' Neighbor ( Uncredited)
The Children Pay
Movie • 1916
Uncredited
Jungle Mystery
Movie • 1932
Native Woman in Stockade (Uncredited)
The Carnation Kid
Movie • 1929
The Maid (Uncredited)
Stage Struck
Movie • 1917
Uncredited
Ladies They Talk About
Movie • 1933
Mustard (uncredited)
Operator 13
Movie • 1934
Slave at Medicine Show ( Uncredited)
The Golden Bed
Movie • 1925
Boarding House Maid (Uncredited)
His Musical Sneeze
Movie • 1919
Maid (uncredited)
Why Change Your Wife?
Movie • 1920
Sally's Maid (Uncredited)
Squirrel Food
Movie
Flirt
The Story of Seabiscuit
Movie • 1949
Libby
Mokey
Movie • 1942
Miss Cully (uncredited)
Band of Angels
Movie • 1957
Flower Vendor (Uncredited)
The Buccaneer
Movie • 1958
Good Luck Charm Vendor
Carmen Jones
Movie • 1954
Hagar – Carmen's Grandmother (Uncredited)
Mighty Joe Young
Movie • 1949
Young Family Servant (Uncredited)
The Toy Wife
Movie • 1938
Eve, a Black Servant (Uncredited)
Sullivan's Travels
Movie • 1941
Church Harmonium Player (Uncredited)
Something of Value
Movie • 1957
Midwife (Uncredited)
King of the Zombies
Movie • 1941
Tahama
The Birth of a Nation
Movie • 1915
Black Woman (uncredited)
Hoodoo Ann
Movie • 1916
Black Cindy
The Lightning Rider
Movie • 1924
Mammy
Imitation of Life
Movie • 1934
Cook (uncredited)
The Show
Movie • 1922
Maid (uncredited)