Overview
Comedian Mantan Moreland had a hugely popular career as a vaudeville entertainer, working in Harlem, on Broadway, and touring abroad. He starred in many race films, including Mr. Washington Goes to Town (1941) and Lucky Ghost (1942). He also played supporting or minor roles in dozens of Hollywood films, including a recurring turn as the chauffeur Birmingham Brown in the Charlie Chan series. Like many comedic stars of his era, though, by the 1950s, his signature persona was reassessed as an embarrassing, negative stereotype, and he had difficulty getting roles.
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About the Filmography
The selected filmography for the years 1897–1971 includes works featured in the exhibition and others that are considered historically, socially, or politically relevant. Hollywood productions are generally excluded; the focus is instead on independent films, particularly the work of Black filmmakers. Black Academy Award nominees and winners are noted. This filmography was compiled using the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and various filmographies, including those by Klotman, Richards, and Hyatt. Primary production materials and contemporaneous film reviews were also consulted. Complete credits for many of the films are unavailable. All films are US productions unless otherwise noted, and distribution credits refer to the original distributors.