Madame Sul-Te-Wan
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Female
Birthday
1873-03-07
Day of Death
1959-02-01 (85 years old)
Place of Birth
Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Madame Sul-Te-Wan
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.
Known For
Acting
Squirrel Food
as Flirt
(1958)
The Buccaneer
as Good Luck Charm Vendor
(1958)
Tarzan and the Trappers
as Witch Woman
(1957)
Band of Angels
as Flower Vendor (Uncredited)
(1957)
Something of Value
as Midwife (Uncredited)
(1954)
Carmen Jones
as Hagar – Carmen's Grandmother (Uncredited)
(1949)
Mighty Joe Young
as Young Family Servant (Uncredited)
(1949)
The Story of Seabiscuit
as Libby
(1943)
Revenge of the Zombies
as Beulah
(1943)
Thank Your Lucky Stars
as Bit in "Ice Cold Katie" Number (uncredited)
(1942)
Mokey
as Miss Cully, Old Black Woman (Uncredited)
(1941)
Sullivan's Travels
as Church Harmonium Player (Uncredited)
(1941)
King of the Zombies
as Tahama
(1940)
Maryland
as Naomi
(1940)
Safari
as Native Woman
(1940)
Love Thy Neighbor
as Lady McBeth
(1939)
Torchy Blane.. Playing with Dynamite
as Ruby (uncredited)
(1939)
Tell No Tales
as Jim Alley's Mother (uncredited)
(1938)
In Old Chicago
as Hattie
(1938)
Kentucky
as Lily
(1938)
The Affairs of Annabel
as Benzedrina (uncredited)
(1938)
The Toy Wife
as Eve, a Black Servant (Uncredited)
(1938)
Island in the Sky
as Scrubwoman (Uncredited)
(1937)
Maid of Salem
as Tituba
(1936)
San Francisco
as Earthquake Survivor (Uncredited)
(1935)
So Red the Rose
as Slave (Uncredited)
(1934)
Operator 13
as Slave at Medicine Show ( Uncredited)
(1934)
Imitation of Life
as Cook (uncredited)
(1934)
Black Moon
as Ruva
(1934)
A Modern Hero
as Mme. Azais' Neighbor ( Uncredited)
(1933)
King Kong
as Native Handmaiden (uncredited)
(1933)
Ladies They Talk About
as Mustard (uncredited)
(1932)
Jungle Mystery
as Native Woman in Stockade (Uncredited)
(1932)
Queen Kelly
as Kali Sana – Aunt's Cook (Uncredited)
(1931)
Heaven on Earth
as Voodoo Sue
(1931)
The Pagan Lady
as Carla the Servant
(1930)
The Thoroughbred
as Sacharine
(1930)
Sarah and Son
as Belloc's Maid (Uncredited)
(1929)
Thunderbolt
as Bit Role
(1929)
The Carnation Kid
as The Maid (Uncredited)
(1927)
College
as Cook (uncredited)
(1927)
Uncle Tom's Cabin
as Slave at Wedding (uncredited)
(1925)
The Narrow Street
as Easter
(1925)
The Golden Bed
as Boarding House Maid (Uncredited)
(1924)
The Lightning Rider
as Mammy
(1922)
Manslaughter
as Prison Inmate (uncredited)
(1922)
The Show
as Maid (uncredited)
(1920)
Why Change Your Wife?
as Sally's Maid (Uncredited)
(1919)
His Musical Sneeze
as Maid (uncredited)
(1918)
Tarzan of the Apes
as Esmeralda - Jane's Maid (uncredited)
(1918)
Old Wives for New
as Viola's Maid (uncredited)
(1918)
Who's Your Father?
as Black Mother (uncredited)
(1917)
Stage Struck
as Uncredited
(1916)
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
as Girl at the Marriage Market (uncredited)
(1916)
Hoodoo Ann
as Black Cindy
(1916)
The Children Pay
as Uncredited
(1915)
The Birth of a Nation
as Black Woman (uncredited)
(1915)
The Cause of It All
as Mary - The Hotel Cook