Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry (May 30, 1902 – November 19, 1985), better known by the stage name Stepin Fetchit, was an American

vaudevillian Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

, comedian, and film actor of Jamaican and Bahamian descent, considered to be the first black actor to have a successful film career. His highest profile was during the 1930s in films and on stage, when his persona of Stepin Fetchit was billed as the "Laziest Man in the World". Perry parlayed the Fetchit persona into a successful film career, becoming the first black actor to earn $1 million. He was also the first black actor to receive featured screen credit in a film. Perry's film career slowed after 1939 and nearly stopped altogether after 1953. Around that time, Black Americans began to see his Stepin Fetchit persona as an embarrassing and harmful anachronism, echoing negative stereotypes. However, the Stepin Fetchit character has undergone a re-evaluation by some scholars in recent times, who view him as an embodiment of the

trickster In mythology and the study of folklore and religion, a trickster is a character in a story ( god, goddess, spirit, human or anthropomorphisation) who exhibits a great degree of intellect or secret knowledge and uses it to play tricks or otherwi ...

archetype.

Early life

Little is known about Perry's background other than that he was born in Key West, Florida, to

West Indian A West Indian is a native or inhabitant of the West Indies (the Antilles and the Lucayan Archipelago). For more than 100 years the words ''West Indian'' specifically described natives of the West Indies, but by 1661 Europeans had begun to use it ...

immigrants. He was the second child of Joseph Perry, a cigar maker from

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

(although some sources indicate

the Bahamas The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to 88% of the ar ...

) and Dora Monroe, a

seamstress A dressmaker, also known as a seamstress, is a person who makes custom clothing for women, such as dresses, blouses, and evening gowns. Dressmakers were historically known as mantua-makers, and are also known as a modiste or fabrician. Not ...

from

Nassau, The Bahamas Nassau ( ) is the capital and largest city of the Bahamas. With a population of 274,400 as of 2016, or just over 70% of the entire population of the Bahamas, Nassau is commonly defined as a primate city, dwarfing all other towns in the country. ...

. Both of his parents came to the United States in the 1890s, where they married. By 1910, the family had moved north to Tampa, Florida. Another source says he was adopted when he was 11 years old and taken to live in

Montgomery, Alabama Montgomery is the capital city of the U.S. state of Alabama and the county seat of Montgomery County. Named for the Irish soldier Richard Montgomery, it stands beside the Alabama River, on the coastal Plain of the Gulf of Mexico. In the 202 ...

. His mother wanted him to be a dentist, so Perry was adopted by a quack dentist, for whom he blacked boots before running away at age 12 to join a carnival. He earned his living for a few years as a singer and tap dancer.

Vaudeville career

In his teens, Perry became a comic character actor. By the age of 20, Perry had become a

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

artist and the manager of a traveling carnival show. His stage name was a contraction of "step and fetch it". His accounts of how he adopted the name varied, but generally he claimed that it originated when he performed a vaudeville act with a partner. Perry won money betting on a racehorse named "Step and Fetch It", and his partner and he decided to adopt the names "Step" and "Fetchit" for their act. When Perry became a solo act, he combined the two names, which later became his professional name.

Film career

Stepin Fetchit-Chubby Johnson in Bend of the River

Perry played comic-relief roles in a number of films, all based on his character known as the "Laziest Man in the World". In his personal life, he was highly literate and had a concurrent career writing for ''

The Chicago Defender ''The Chicago Defender'' is a Chicago-based online African-American newspaper. It was founded in 1905 by Robert S. Abbott and was once considered the "most important" newspaper of its kind. Abbott's newspaper reported and campaigned against Jim ...

''. He signed a five-year studio contract following his performance in the film, '' In Old Kentucky'' (1927). The film's plot included a romantic connection between Perry and actress

Carolynne Snowden Carrie Artiemissia Snowden (January 16, 1900 – September 5, 1985), known professionally as Carolynne Snowden, was an American actress, dancer, and singer who broke new ground for black people working in the entertainment industry. Biograp ...

, a subplot that was a rarity for black actors appearing in a white film during this era. Perry also starred in '' Hearts in Dixie'' (1929), one of the first studio productions to boast a predominantly black cast.

Jules Bledsoe Julius Lorenzo Cobb Bledsoe (1898 – July 14, 1943)
by John Troesser. Retrieved ...

provided Perry's singing voice for his role as Joe in the 1929 version of ''

Show Boat ''Show Boat'' is a musical with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based on Edna Ferber's best-selling 1926 novel of the same name. The musical follows the lives of the performers, stagehands and dock worke ...

''. Fetchit did not sing " Ol' Man River", but he did sing "The Lonesome Road" in the film. In 1930,

Hal Roach Harry Eugene "Hal" Roach Sr. Skretvedt, Randy (2016), ''Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies'', Bonaventure Press. p.608. (January 14, 1892 – November 2, 1992) was an American film and television producer, director, and screenwriter, ...

signed him to a film contract to appear in nine '' Our Gang'' episodes in 1930 and 1931. However, his only appearance in the series was in '' A Tough Winter''. Perry's contract was cancelled for unknown reasons after its release. Perry was good friends with fellow comic actor Will Rogers. They appeared together in ''

David Harum ''David Harum; A Story of American Life'' is a best-selling novel of 1898 by Edward Noyes Westcott, whose principal legacy is the colloquial use of the term ''horse trading''. Literary significance and criticism Written by retired Syracuse, N ...

'' (1934), ''

Judge Priest ''Judge Priest'' is a 1934 American comedy film starring Will Rogers. The film was directed by John Ford, produced by Sol M. Wurtzel in association with Fox Film, and based on humorist Irvin S. Cobb's character Judge Priest. The picture is set i ...

'' (1934), '' Steamboat 'Round the Bend'' (1935), and '' The County Chairman'' (1935). By the mid-1930s, Perry was the first black actor to become a millionaire. He appeared in 44 films between 1927 and 1939. In 1940, Perry temporarily stopped appearing in films, having been frustrated by his unsuccessful attempt to get equal pay and billing with his white costars. He returned in 1945, in part due to financial need, though he only appeared in eight films between 1945 and 1953. He declared bankruptcy in 1947, stating assets of $146 (equal to about $ today) He returned to vaudeville; he appeared at the Anderson Free Fair in 1949 alongside Singer's Midgets. He became a friend of heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali in the 1960s, allegedly converting to the Nation of Islam shortly before. (Other sources have said he was a lifelong

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

.) After 1953, Perry appeared in cameos in the made-for-television movie ''Cutter'' (1972) and the feature films ''

Amazing Grace "Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn published in 1779 with words written in 1772 by English Anglican clergyman and poet John Newton (1725–1807). It is an immensely popular hymn, particularly in the United States, where it is used for both ...

'' (1974) and ''

Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood ''Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood'' is a 1976 American comedy film directed by Michael Winner, and starring Bruce Dern, Madeline Kahn, Teri Garr and Art Carney. Spoofing the craze surrounding Rin Tin Tin, the film is notable for the lar ...

'' (1976). He found himself in conflict during his career with civil rights leaders who criticized him personally for the film roles that he portrayed. In 1968, CBS aired the hour-long documentary ''Black History: Lost, Stolen, or Strayed'', written by

Andy Rooney Andrew Aitken Rooney (January 14, 1919 – November 4, 2011) was an American radio and television writer who was best known for his weekly broadcast "A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney", a part of the CBS News program '' 60 Minutes'' from 1978 to 201 ...

(for which he received an Emmy Award) and narrated by

Bill Cosby William Henry Cosby Jr. ( ; born July 12, 1937) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and media personality. He made significant contributions to American and African-American culture, and is well known in the United States for his eccentric ...

, which criticized the depiction of black people in American film, and especially singled out Stepin Fetchit for criticism. After the show aired, Perry unsuccessfully sued CBS and the documentary's producers for defamation of character.

Music composition

In late November 1963, Perry collaborated with Motown Records founder

Berry Gordy Jr. Berry Gordy III (born November 28, 1929), known professionally as Berry Gordy Jr., is a retired American record executive, record producer, songwriter, film producer and television producer. He is best known as the founder of the Motown record l ...

and Esther Gordy Edwards in composing "May What He Lived for Live," a song intended to honor the memory of

President John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until assassination of Joh ...

in the wake of his assassination. Perry was credited under the pseudonym W.A. Bisson. The song was recorded in December 1963 by Liz Lands, who in 1968 performed the work at the funeral of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Death

Perry suffered a stroke in 1976, ending his acting career; he then moved into the

Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital In physics, motion is the phenomenon in which an object changes its position with respect to time. Motion is mathematically described in terms of displacement, distance, velocity, acceleration, speed and frame of reference to an observer and me ...

. He died on November 19, 1985, from

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severi ...

and heart failure, at the age of 83. He was buried at Calvary Cemetery in East Los Angeles following a Catholic

funeral Mass A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead ( la, Missa pro defunctis) or Mass of the dead ( la, Missa defunctorum), is a Mass of the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, ...

Legacy

Perry spawned imitators, such as

Willie 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 kn ...

("Sleep 'n Eat") and

Mantan Moreland Mantan Moreland (September 3, 1902 – September 28, 1973) was an American actor and comedian most popular in the 1930s and 1940s. He starred in numerous films. His daughter Marcella Moreland appeared as a child actress in several films. E ...

, the scared, wide-eyed manservant of

Charlie Chan Charlie Chan is a fictional Honolulu police detective created by author Earl Derr Biggers for a series of mystery novels. Biggers loosely based Chan on Hawaiian detective Chang Apana. The benevolent and heroic Chan was conceived as an alter ...

. Perry had actually played a manservant in the ''Charlie Chan'' series before Moreland in 1935's '' Charlie Chan in Egypt''. Perry appeared in one 1930 '' Our Gang'' short subject, ''A Tough Winter,'' at the end of the 1929–30 season. Perry signed a contract to star with the gang in nine films for the 1930–31 season and be part of the ''Our Gang'' series, but for some unknown reason, the contract fell through, and the gang continued without Perry. Previous to Perry entering films, the ''Our Gang'' shorts had employed several black child actors, including

Allen Hoskins Allen, Allen's or Allens may refer to: Buildings * Allen Arena, an indoor arena at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee * Allen Center, a skyscraper complex in downtown Houston, Texas * Allen Fieldhouse, an indoor sports arena on the Unive ...

, Jannie Hoskins, Ernest Morrison, and Eugene Jackson. In the sound ''Our Gang'' era, black actors Matthew Beard and

Billie Thomas Billie may refer to: People * Billie Allen (1925-2015), American actress * Billie Bird (1908-2002), American actress and comedian * Billie Burke (1884-1970), American actress * Billie Joe Armstrong (born 1972), American singer and guitarist for ...

were featured. The black performers' personas in ''Our Gang'' shorts were the polar opposites of Perry's persona. In the 2005 book ''Stepin Fetchit: The Life and Times of Lincoln Perry'', African-American critic Mel Watkins argued that the character of Stepin Fetchit was not truly lazy or simple-minded, but instead a prankster who deliberately tricked his White employers so that they would do the work instead of him. This technique, which developed during

American slavery The legal institution of human chattel slavery, comprising the enslavement primarily of Africans and African Americans, was prevalent in the United States of America from its founding in 1776 until 1865, predominantly in the South. Slaver ...

, was referred to as "putting on old massa", and it was a kind of con art with which Black audiences of the time would have been familiar.

Awards and honors

Fetchit has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1976, despite popular aversion to his character, the Hollywood chapter of the NAACP awarded Perry a special NAACP Image Award. Two years later, he was inducted into the

Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame The Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, Inc. (BFHFI), was founded in 1974, in Oakland, California. It supported and promoted black filmmaking, and preserved the contributions by African-American artists both before and behind the camera. It also sponso ...

Personal life

In 1929, Perry married Dorothy Stevenson. She gave birth to their son, Jemajo, on September 12, 1930. In 1931, Dorothy filed for divorce, stating that Perry had broken her nose, jaw, and arm with "his fists and a broomstick." A few weeks after their divorce was granted, Dorothy told a reporter she hoped someone would "just beat the devil out of him," as he had done to her. When Dorothy contracted

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, i ...

in 1933, Perry moved her to Arizona for treatment. She died in September 1934. Perry reportedly married Winifred Johnson in 1937, but no record of their union has been found. On May 21, 1938, Winifred gave birth to a son, Donald Martin Perry. Their relationship ended soon after Donald's birth. According to Winifred's brother, Stretch Johnson, their father intervened after Perry knocked Winifred down the stairs and broke her nose. In 1941, Perry was arrested after Winifred filed a suit for child support. When he was released from jail, he told reporters, "Winnie and I were never married. It was all a publicity stunt. I want you and everybody else to know that that is not my baby. Winnie knows the baby isn't mine but she's trying to be smart." Winifred admitted that they were not legally married, but she insisted Perry was her son's father. The court ruled in her favor and ordered Perry to pay $12 a week (almost $220 in 2020 dollars) for the child's support. Donald later took his stepfather's surname, Lambright. Perry married Bernice Sims on October 15, 1951. Although they separated by the mid-1950s, they remained married for the rest of their lives. Bernice died on January 9, 1985. For most of his life, Perry was a devout

, but he allegedly became a member of the Nation of Islam in the early 1960s, following the footsteps of his close friends Muhammad Ali and

Malcolm X Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little, later Malik el-Shabazz; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965) was an American Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a prominent figure during the civil rights movement. A spokesman for the Nation of I ...

, even appearing in the 1977 movie ''Muhammad Ali, the Greatest''. (Other sources have said he was a lifelong

Filmography

*''The Mysterious Stranger'' (1925) *'' In Old Kentucky'' (1927) – Highpockets *''

The Devil's Skipper ''The Devil's Skipper'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by John G. Adolfi and starring Belle Bennett, Montagu Love and Gino Corrado. It was based on a short story by Jack London.Goble p.736 It is now considered a lost film. Cast * ...

'' (1928) – Slave's Husband *''Nameless Men'' (1928) *''

The Tragedy of Youth ''The Tragedy of Youth'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by George Archainbaud and starring Patsy Ruth Miller, Warner Baxter and William Collier Jr.Munden p.825 It was produced and released by Tiffany Pictures, one of the largest ...

'' (1928) – Porter *''The Kid's Clever'' (1929) – Negro Man *'' The Ghost Talks'' (1929) – Christopher Lee *'' Hearts in Dixie'' (1929) – Gummy *''

'' (1929) – Joe *''

Thru Different Eyes ''Thru Different Eyes'' is a 1942 American pre-Code drama film directed by Thomas Z. Loring and written by Samuel G. Engel. The film stars Frank Craven, Mary Howard, June Walker, Donald Woods, Vivian Blaine and George Holmes. The film was rel ...

'' (1929) – Janitor *'' Innocents of Paris'' (1929) – Bit Role (uncredited) *''

Fox Movietone Follies of 1929 ''Fox Movietone Follies of 1929'', also known as ''Movietone Follies of 1929'' and ''The William Fox Movietone Follies of 1929'', is an American black-and-white and color pre-Code musical film released by Fox Film Corporation. Plot George Shel ...

'' (1929) – Swifty *''

Salute A salute is usually a formal hand gesture or other action used to display respect in military situations. Salutes are primarily associated with the military and law enforcement, but many civilian organizations, such as Girl Guides, Boy Sco ...

'' (1929) – Smoke Screen *'' Big Time'' (1929) – Eli *'' Cameo Kirby'' (1930) – Croup *'' The Big Fight'' (1930) – Spot *'' Swing High'' (1930) – Sam *''La Fuerza del Querer'' (1930) – Spot *'' A Tough Winter'' (1930, Short) – Stepin *'' The Prodigal'' (1931) – Hokey *''

Wild Horse The wild horse (''Equus ferus'') is a species of the genus ''Equus'', which includes as subspecies the modern domesticated horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') as well as the endangered Przewalski's horse (''Equus ferus przewalskii''). The Europea ...

'' (1931) – Stepin *'' The Galloping Ghost'' (1931) – Baxter College Locker Room Attendant *'' Neck and Neck'' (1931) – The Hustler *'' Carolina'' (1934) – Scipio *''

'' (1934) – Sylvester Swifty *''

Stand Up and Cheer! ''Stand Up and Cheer!'' is a 1934 American Pre-Code musical film directed by Hamilton MacFadden. The screenplay by Lew Brown and Ralph Spence was based upon a story idea by Will Rogers and Philip Klein. The film is about efforts undertaken dur ...

'' (1934) – Stepin Fetchit *''

The World Moves On ''The World Moves On'' is a 1934 American drama film directed by John Ford and starring Madeleine Carroll and Franchot Tone. It was the first Hollywood code approved film. Plot The story opens in the year 1825, when two families, cotton merch ...

'' (1934) – Dixie *''

'' (1934) – Jeff Poindexter *''

Marie Galante Marie-Galante ( gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Mawigalant) is one of the islands that form Guadeloupe, an overseas department of France. Marie-Galante has a land area of . It had 11,528 inhabitants at the start of 2013, but by the start of 2018 th ...

'' (1934) – 'Pacific Gardens' Waiter (uncredited) *''

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four year ...

'' (1934) – Bulga *'' The Littlest Rebel'' (1935) *'' Helldorado'' (1935) – Ulysses *'' The County Chairman'' (1935) – Sass *'' One More Spring'' (1935) – Zoo Attendant *'' Charlie Chan in Egypt'' (1935) – Snowshoes *'' Hot Tip'' (1935) – Cook *'' Steamboat Round the Bend'' (1935) – Jonah *'' The Virginia Judge'' (1935) – Spasm Johnson *'' 36 Hours to Kill'' (1936) – Flash *''

Dimples A dimple, also called a gelasin (, ) is a small natural indentation in the flesh on a part of the human body, most notably in the cheek. Numerous cultures believe that cheek dimples are a good luck charm that entices people who perceive them as ...

'' (1936) – Cicero *'' On the Avenue'' (1937) – Herman *'' Love Is News'' (1937) – Penrod *''

Fifty Roads to Town ''Fifty Roads to Town'' is a 1937 American romantic comedy film directed by Norman Taurog and starring Don Ameche and Ann Sothern. The film is based on a book of the same name by author Frederick Nebel. This is the third novel Nebel wrote. Plot ...

'' (1937) – Percy *''Super Sleuth'' (1937) – (uncredited) *'' His Exciting Night'' (1938) – Casper, the Baker Butler *''

Zenobia Septimia Zenobia ( Palmyrene Aramaic: , , vocalized as ; AD 240 – c. 274) was a third-century queen of the Palmyrene Empire in Syria. Many legends surround her ancestry; she was probably not a commoner and she married the ruler of the city ...

'' (1939) – Zero *'' Open the Door Richard'' (1945) *''

Big Timers ''Big Timers'' is a 1945 American musical comedy race film directed by Bud Pollard. The bottom of a poster for the film notes "The secrets of a chambermaid in a Sugar Hill Hotel!" The film features a love story. Cast *Stepin Fetchit *Francine ...

'' (1945, Short) – Porter / Specialty Act *''Swingtime Jamboree'' (1946) *''I Ain't Gonna Open That Door'' (1947, Short) – Richard *'' Miracle in Harlem'' (1948) – 'Swifty', the Handyman *''Harlem Follies of 1949'' (1950) *''

Bend of the River ''Bend of the River'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by Anthony Mann and starring James Stewart, Arthur Kennedy, Julie Adams, and Rock Hudson. Based on the 1950 novel ''Bend of the Snake'' by Bill Gulick, the film is about a tough cow ...

'' (1952) – Adam *''

The Sun Shines Bright ''The Sun Shines Bright'' is a 1953 American Comedy-Drama Western film directed by John Ford, based on material taken from a series of Irvin S. Cobb "Judge Priest" short stories featured in ''The Saturday Evening Post'' in the 1910s, specifica ...

'' (1953) – Jeff Poindexter *'' Inquiring Nuns'' (1968, interviewee) *''Cutter'' (1972, TV movie) – Shoeshine Man *''Muhammad Ali, the Greatest'' (1974) *''

'' (1974, cameo appearance) – Cousin Lincoln *'' Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?'' (1975, archival footage) *''

'' (1976, cameo appearance) – Dancing Butler (final film role)

Notes

References

Sources

* * *

External links

Stepin Fetchit
at

TCM Movie Database Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an American movie-oriented pay-TV network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in 1994, Turner Classic Movies is headquartered at Turner's Techwood broadcasting campus in the Midtown business district of At ...

* * * *
Stepin Fetchit
at Virtual History {{DEFAULTSORT:Fetchit, Stepin 1902 births 1985 deaths 20th-century American male actors Male actors from Florida African-American Catholics American male film actors American people of Bahamian descent American actors of Jamaican descent Burials at Calvary Cemetery (Los Angeles) Deaths from pneumonia in California People from Key West, Florida Vaudeville performers Vee-Jay Records artists Catholics from Florida Former Nation of Islam members 20th-century African-American people