kw: 'mandc,celebrity,entertainment-industry,racism', According to HITC, White's talk show was canceled in the mid-1950s because of his continued appearances on the show. Arthur Duncan was invited onto The Betty White Show as a recurring performer for its one-season run in 1954. kw: 'mandc,celebrity,entertainment-industry,racism', In 1954, she became the host of her own daily variety show, The Betty White Show. 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. 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. 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. Arthur Duncan, 97, tap dancer (The Lawrence Welk Show, The Betty White Show) (b. Michael Green, 69, molecular and cell biologist (b. aid: '769722', 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. It has since been updated. Betty White: . It was the first time in over 60 years that Arthur Duncan and Betty White had appeared on stage together. Duncan was later discovered by big band leaderLawrence Welk who invited him onto his ABC variety show. 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. This, along with his earlier inclusion (despite objections) on The Betty White Show in 1954 and with the help of White herself, made him the first African-American regular on a . 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. The almost-centenarian was an icon in every sense of the word: with a career spanning eighty years, she marked a turning point for women in entertainment. In the early 1950s, White faced criticism for featuring Arthur Duncan, a Black tap dancer and singer, on a few episodes of her variety talk show The Betty White Show.. Of course, the social media world is full of distortions and fabrications. In fact, as per Arthur, Betty gave him more time on the air when they started receiving backlash. Betty White rejected attempts to keep Black dancer Arthur Duncan off her show in the 1950s. The legendary dancer discussed how Betty White gave him his first job on TV, even though the color of his skin was a real problem for some people. And that included the young tap dancer Arthur Duncan, who would become the only Black man on the program. - Wikipedia-----Video originally shared on archive.orgShared for historical purposes. We wouldnt have been the same. Today, many of us dont even comprehend the power she wielded, the significance she carried as the foremost Golden Girl of our zeitgeist, or how she unshakably fought to bring justice and diversity to our screens. The show was a daytime talk show that also featured entertainment segments that are typical of variety shows. I know our Bo is looking forward to seeing her up in heaven. tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { Arthur Duncans early career was helped immensely by breakthrough performances on The Jimmie Rodgers Show and, of course, The Betty White Show. Live with . Wikimedia CommonsArthur Duncan became the first Black regular on a televised American variety show. Privacy Policy (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) By sethuraman s . Underwood said Duncan was her inspiration for tap dancing. Deal with it and gave Duncan more airtime. Entrepreneurs Summit She pledged her support for same-sex marriage, saying, If a couple has been together all that time and there are gay relationships that are more solid than some heterosexual ones I think its fine if they want to get married. Additionally, she didnt understand how some people could be anti-something. She was a proponent of minding her business, standing up for the oppressed, and carving her unique place in the culture through entertainment. 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. div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-2', However, Betty White wasnt always such a universally loved figure as the cancellation of The Betty White Show in 1954 goes to show. NBCArthur Duncan (left) and Betty White (seated) at their reunion on Steve Harveys Little Big Shots: Forever Young in 2017. 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,. Photo by: Vivian Zink/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images. Left: Arthur Duncan/Betty White Show/NBC Right: American actor Betty White wearing a veiled hat, circa 1955. However, it was during an appearance on Steve Harveys show Little Big Shots: Forever Young in 2017 that Duncan felt truly blessed when Betty White surprised him onstage. tude.cmd.push(function() { ABOUT That solved everything at the time.. 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. Arthur Duncan, 84, is a tap dancer best known for his stint on "The Lawrence Welk Show." PBS. Betty White was in 'great spirits' while filming final TV appearance. tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { In response, Betty White famously said Im sorry. Getty Images. 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. Arthur, did you have a nice weekend? Betty White asked Arthur Duncan. Betty White Made 1954's The Betty White Show Very Progressive. And there was Duncan. 1995 - 2023 by Snopes Media Group Inc. Tai Saint-Louis January 2, 2022 6442 Arthur Duncan and Betty White, reunited by Steve Harvey As the world mourns actress and comedienne Betty White, who passed away on Dec. 31, many are. In 1954 Betty White had a talk show and faced criticism for including a black tap dancer, Arthur Duncan, on her show. pos: 'right_rail_1', SistersInc. We bring people together, change perceptions, and inspire actions that impact culture for good. Duncan told Steve Harvey in 2017 thatWhitegave him his first job on TV during the premiere of Harveys Little Big Shots: Forever Young.. White went on to game shows, the talk-show circuit and eventually mega-stardom as Rose Nylund on the 1980s sitcom The Golden Girls.. 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. divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-3', The first TV show I had ever been on, and I credit Betty White for really getting me started in show business, in television, he said. Arthur Duncan was a tap dancer and singer known for his regular appearances on "The Betty White Show" and "The Lawrence Welk Show." Died: January 4, 2023 ( Who else died on January 4? The special is called Betty White: First Lady of Television. targeting: { premiere of Harveys Little Big Shots: Forever Young., Here are some of her greatest career moments, Athletes, sports celebrities recall 'national treasure' Betty White, Robert Redford shares his affection for Betty White, 'I had a crush on her, too! After being born in Pasadena, California in September 1933, Arthur Duncan took his first steps in the performing world at the age of just 13 and after a brief spell studying pharmacy, returned to the world of showbusiness in his early 20s. on her eponymous talk show in 1954 . White, who died Friday, would have turned 100 on Jan. 17. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. 1937) Casey Hayden, 85, civil rights activist (b. . "I'm sorry, but he staysLive with it!" "I credit Betty White for really getting me started in show business. But this was 1954 and racial inequality was still rife. 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. 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. "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," said Duncan during an episode of 'Steve Harvey's Little Big Shots: Forever Young' in 2017. Bettys ninety-nine years on this planet is a testament to the tenacity of human kindness. } Betty White gave Arthur his first job on her televised variety show, The Betty White Show. He went on to have a decades-long career as one of the first famous Black tap dancers in the US. Her show was cancelled afterwards. Duncan started touring with The Jimmie Rodgers Show and performing on Betty White's 1954 . White had already spent years trying to break into film and TV and eventually managed to become a co-host of the Hollywood on Film talk show in 1949 and left only to launch her own company. She paid respect to everyone, regardless of their race, gender, religion, or what have you. Duncan, 88, was a regular featured performer on White's NBC variety talk show, The Betty White Show , in the . Betty White served as both host and producer. "Her response: 'I'm sorry. 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. Stay up to date with what you want to know. So, needless to say, Arthur was pretty excited when Betty showed up onstage and surprised him. . She made sure to strengthen causes that needed backing, those that required people to break the mold and upset the masses. When Bea Arthur left The Golden . tag: 'mandc,celebrity,entertainment-industry,racism', 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. pos: 'right_rail_2', She knew exactly what was right and what was wrong, and didnt let the status quo defer her from taking a stand. And check out our host, Kylie Mar, on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. targeting: { 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. Television was a relatively new medium, but White was a veteran from stage and radio. In this day and age, this wouldn't be seen as any sort of big deal. } After just one appearance, Duncan was asked to remain onThe Lawrence Welk Show, making him the first Black regular on a variety show.