Personal Info
Known For:
Acting
Birthday:
March 7, 1873
Place of Birth:
Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Social Media
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
Filmography
| Year | Movie | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Tarzan and the Trappers | Witch Woman |
| 1958 | The Buccaneer | Good Luck Charm Vendor |
| 1957 | Band of Angels | Flower Vendor (Uncredited) |
| 1957 | Something of Value | Midwife (Uncredited) |
| 1954 | Carmen Jones | Hagar – Carmen's Grandmother (Uncredited) |
| 1949 | The Story of Seabiscuit | Libby |
| 1949 | Mighty Joe Young | Young Family Servant (Uncredited) |
| 1943 | Revenge of the Zombies | Beulah |
| 1943 | Thank Your Lucky Stars | Bit in "Ice Cold Katie" Number (uncredited) |
| 1942 | Mokey | Miss Cully, Old Black Woman (Uncredited) |
| 1941 | Sullivan's Travels | Church Harmonium Player (Uncredited) |
| 1941 | King of the Zombies | Tahama |
| 1940 | Love Thy Neighbor | Lady McBeth |
| 1940 | Maryland | Naomi |
| 1940 | Safari | Native Woman |
| 1939 | Tell No Tales | Jim Alley's Mother (uncredited) |
| 1939 | Torchy Blane.. Playing with Dynamite | Ruby (uncredited) |
| 1938 | In Old Chicago | Hattie |
| 1938 | The Affairs of Annabel | Benzedrina (uncredited) |
| 1938 | Kentucky | Lily |
| 1938 | Island in the Sky | Scrubwoman (Uncredited) |
| 1938 | The Toy Wife | Eve, a Black Servant (Uncredited) |
| 1937 | Maid of Salem | Tituba |
| 1936 | San Francisco | Earthquake Survivor (Uncredited) |
| 1935 | So Red the Rose | Slave (Uncredited) |
| 1934 | Black Moon | Ruva |
| 1934 | A Modern Hero | Mme. Azais' Neighbor ( Uncredited) |
| 1934 | Operator 13 | Slave at Medicine Show ( Uncredited) |
| 1934 | Imitation of Life | Cook (uncredited) |
| 1933 | King Kong | Native Handmaiden (uncredited) |
| 1933 | Ladies They Talk About | Mustard (uncredited) |
| 1932 | Queen Kelly | Kali Sana – Aunt's Cook (Uncredited) |
| 1932 | Jungle Mystery | Native Woman in Stockade (Uncredited) |
| 1931 | The Pagan Lady | Carla the Servant |
| 1931 | Heaven on Earth | Voodoo Sue |
| 1930 | The Thoroughbred | Sacharine |
| 1930 | Sarah and Son | Belloc's Maid (Uncredited) |
| 1929 | Thunderbolt | Bit Role |
| 1929 | The Carnation Kid | The Maid (Uncredited) |
| 1927 | Uncle Tom's Cabin | Slave at Wedding (uncredited) |
| 1927 | College | Cook (uncredited) |
| 1925 | The Narrow Street | Easter |
| 1925 | The Golden Bed | Boarding House Maid (Uncredited) |
| 1924 | The Lightning Rider | Mammy |
| 1922 | Manslaughter | Prison Inmate (uncredited) |
| 1922 | The Show | Maid (uncredited) |
| 1920 | Why Change Your Wife? | Sally's Maid (Uncredited) |
| 1919 | His Musical Sneeze | Maid (uncredited) |
| 1918 | Who's Your Father? | Black Mother (uncredited) |
| 1918 | Tarzan of the Apes | Esmeralda - Jane's Maid (uncredited) |
| 1918 | Old Wives for New | Viola's Maid (uncredited) |
| 1917 | Stage Struck | Uncredited |
| 1916 | Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages | Girl at the Marriage Market (uncredited) |
| 1916 | The Children Pay | Uncredited |
| 1916 | Hoodoo Ann | Black Cindy |
| 1915 | The Cause of It All | Mary - The Hotel Cook |
| 1915 | The Birth of a Nation | Black Woman (uncredited) |
| Squirrel Food | Flirt |
| Year | TV Show | Role |
|---|