According to IMDb, Duncan appeared on three episodes of White's show in 1954. Wikimedia Commons Arthur Duncan became the first Black regular on a televised American variety show. tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { By the 1960s, White had made many appearances on television game shows. "Well, Betty wrote back and said: 'needless to say, we used Arthur Duncan every opportunity we could,'" he said. 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. baseDivId: 'pb-slot-right-1', Listen to Betty White. "The Betty White Show" was short-lived, repeatedly rescheduled and eventually taken off air, per the Post. This material may not be reproduced without permission. 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. Given that White and Duncan both corroborated this story in the documentary, we rate this claim as True.. Its because of people like her we were able to push the needle forward in terms of racial and gender equality. Duncan even tapped a routine in front of Betty White in a throwback to their time on her show from the 50s. 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. Later on, he became the first African-American regular on a variety program. Duncan started touring with The Jimmie Rodgers Show and performing on Betty White's 1954 . The show was canceled soon after. Well, Betty wrote back and said, Needless to say, we used Arthur Duncan every opportunity we could. , Facing the threat of boycotts across the South, White famously said, Im sorry but he stays Live with it!. Duncan was featured on the show at least three times. url: 'betty,whites,controversial,hire,of,tap,dancer,arthur,duncan,made,history,in,more,ways,than,one', 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. 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. Rest well, Betty. This soon led to the show's cancellation. She even had a regular childrens segment. Since 1970, BLACK ENTERPRISE has provided essential business information and advice to professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and decision makers. He told her, I hope we have a chance to visit after this is over. And without missing a beat, Betty replied, Oh, I hope so. She extended his airtime instead, and responded to racists with "I'm sorry. The Betty White Show is a television series that aired on KLAC-TV (now KCOP-TV) in 1952 and 1953, and on NBC in 1954. In 2010, the Forest Service made Betty White an honorary forest ranger. Reunited with White on "Little Big Shots," Duncan reignited trademark banter they used to have on her show. But by the early 1980s, when The Lawrence Welk Show finally went off the air, that era was over. With Betty White's passing at the age of 99, this internet meme about White refusing to ban Arthur Duncan, an African American dancer, from the cast of her television variety show in 1954, is getting wide circulation. Betty White, also known as the First Lady of Television, wore many hats, as a comedian, a talk show host, an actress, and more. The Betty White Show gave tap dancing star Arthur Duncan his big break but his appearance on the show wasn't universally popular at all. There was the time she ignored criticism about having Arthur Duncan, . If Betty White was able to extend so much love and admiration to everyone shed come across over the years, anyone can do the same. Although The Betty White Show was cancelled within a year due to low ratings due to NBC constantly changing its time slot, Arthur Duncans newfound national exposure led to invaluable new opportunities. subcat: '', He is a Black Tap Dancer. 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. # ThankYouForBeingAFriend 11:37 AM - 31 Dec 2021 10,874 Retweets 54,906 Likes tude.cmd.push(function() { He we as a tap dancer and singer who White was quite fond of and wanted to help him get more exposure. Over 60 years later,Whiteand Duncan were reunited on Little Big Shots: Forever Young to Duncans surprise. It was the first time in over 60 years that Arthur Duncan and Betty White had appeared on stage together. In other news, One Piece episode 1054 delayed, new release date confirmed. He entertained thousands of viewers each week with his performances and dazzled thousands more with his live performances. And all through the South, there was this whole ruckus, White remembered in the doc. It didnt take long for the programs eponymous host to offer Duncan a permanent place in the shows musical family.. Black Men XCEL she bluntly told those that brought the matter to her, reported PEOPLE. The 33 Coziest Designer Bedrooms Ever. Women of Power Summit The 98-year-old actress is loved by almost all and has had an unbelievably successful career spanning more than eight decades. White . "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. Duncan gave Underwood flowers to congratulate her return to tap dancing.In 2020, Duncan was inducted into the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame of the American Tap Dance Foundation. How Gabriel Prosser Planned What Would Have Been The Largest Slave Rebellion In American History, Meet The Ken And Barbie Killers: Paul Bernardo And Karla Homolka, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. A pioneer of early television with a career spanning almost seven decades, she was noted for her vast body of work in entertainment and for being one of the first women to work both in front of and behind the camera. 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, the then-83-year-old said. You never ask me out," per People. There's no knowing if her putting her foot down on Duncan staying on had any role in the show being repeatedly rescheduled for different time slots before eventually being taken off the air that same year. The dancer, Arthur Duncan, was featured on "The Betty White Show" that aired in the 1950s. She just cared about giving people the respect they deserve. This was on The Lawrence Welk Show. Not one to waste an opportunity, White immediately set about hiring Duncan to dance on The Betty White Show, which aired on NBC in Los Angeles. Arthur Duncan was invited onto The Betty White Show as a recurring performer for its one-season run in 1954. page_type: 'article', I know our Bo is looking forward to seeing her up in heaven. Goodbye to Betty White, popular cultures beloved (and saucy) great-grandma. He remained part of the cast from 1964 to 1982. window.tude = window.tude || { cmd: [] }; But there was never a question at all., I said, Im sorry, but, you know, he stays, she said. ', Betty White's quips and quotes through the years, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. You can empower others simply by speaking up when the opportunity arises. When so many of her peers were justifying their ignorance by claiming to be a product of their times, Betty stood out. Contact But when the shows reach was extended beyond LA, Duncans inclusion as part of the cast made waves across the Jim Crow South. Thats when the show was renamed after White, and she took over as both host and producer. 1956) . Betty White In Person (1987). What really defines Betty Whites legacy is her sheer willingness to go against the grain and subvert expectations. She just prioritized building earnest relationships with people, and if progress came as a result, no problem. as well as other partner offers and accept our. Throughout her life, she lent her support to myriad animal rights organizations, including the Los Angeles Zoo Commission, The Morris Animal Foundation, African Wildlife Foundation, and Actors and Others for Animals. She was fond of leveraging her power to extend empathy towards those who were far less privileged than her. This took place in 1954: when American society was still organized on the basis of hard racial lines, and segregation was considered the norm. env: 'prod', As in, before the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Little Rock Nine and the Greensboro, N.C., lunch-counter sit-ins. Getty Images. You never ask me out.. url: 'betty,whites,controversial,hire,of,tap,dancer,arthur,duncan,made,history,in,more,ways,than,one', According to the 2020 book Betty White on TV, the show failed to attract sponsors and was cancelled on Dec. 31, 1954 despite a desperate plea by White to NBC execs. aid: '769722', Following his breakthrough performances on variety shows, Arthur Duncan was invited to be part of Bob Hopes troupe of performers to tour US military bases and was the first African-American to do so. Her respond to pressure to stop featuring him was that people had to "live with it." The show was Duncan's first big break in the business and helped launch his career. And check out our host, Kylie Mar, on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. Why You Need This All-Access Design Program. Wikimedia CommonsBetty Whites show was canceled the same year she invited Duncan on as a guest three times. With substantial clout, she developed her own variety show in 1954 and wasted no time giving talented performers a shot. "Her response: 'I'm sorry. In 2020, the American Tap Dance Foundation inducted Duncan into the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame. Live with . . And by his 21st birthday, hed caught the eye of TV pioneer Betty White. Ignoring the racist calls, she interviewed a Black child during the childrens segment as well, reported The Washington Post. Racial justice wasnt the only focus of her activism, either. Theres a reason why shes widely celebrated as a trailblazer of her generation: she didnt offer any excuses or apologies. Duncan performed on The Lawrence Welk Show for nearly 20 years, making him the first Black regular on a variety show. ', 'What could be better than show business? Arthur first appeared on The Betty White Show in 1954. 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. pic.twitter.com/toipvY9cyQ. Arthur Duncan (born September 25, 1933) is an American tap dancer, known for his stint as a performer on The Lawrence Welk Show from 1964 to 1982, which, along with his earlier inclusion (despite Southern objections) on the 1954 Betty White Show, made him the first African-American regular on variety television programs.Born in Pasadena, California, Duncan entered show business at age 13, when he was a member of a dance quartet that performed at McKinley Junior High School in Pasadena, California.He later entered Pasadena City College to study pharmacy, but left to pursue a career in show business, touring with The Jimmie Rodgers Show and The Betty White Show. Wikimedia CommonsArthur Duncan became the first Black regular on a televised American variety show. subcat: '', Less than three weeks before her 100th birthday, the actress . Betty Whites show was canceled the same year she invited Duncan on as a guest three times. Live. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider And there was Duncan. Duncan recalled the furor and the actor backing him during those testing times. Arthur Duncan, a gifted dancer whose appearance on one of Betty White's early TV shows prompted a showdown between southern censors and White, died January 4. 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. From left, producer Steve Boettcher, Arthur Duncan, Georgia Engel and Gavin . Betty White rejected attempts to keep Black dancer Arthur Duncan off her show in the 1950s. Live with it. , Betty White, one of the most endearing and enduring faces on television, dies at 99. 3. In 1957, he became the first Black performer to joinBob Hopes USO troop as they entertained U.S. troops in the Pacific for Christmas. White's death, at the age of 99, was announced on Friday. R.I.P. tude.cmd.push(function() { }); window.tude = window.tude || { cmd: [] }; White was briefly married to U.S. army pilot Dick Barker in 1945.Two years later, White wed Hollywood agent Lane Allen, whom she divorced in 1949. The comedian was a legend through and through: when faced with the overwhelming pressure to give in to hate, she resisted and won. Among White's decisions as host and producer were to hire a female director and make Arthur Duncan, who is Black, a series regular. 65 Backyard . Live with it. Then, she gave Duncan even more airtime when he appeared on the show twice more. Email: agilbert@usatoday.com. His reply to her that they would be performing at local hospitals and orphanages was as wholesome as the beloved actress and entertainer, who died this week at 99. Duncan looked at White and joked that his life was now complete. The beloved actress was preparing to celebrate her 100th birthday with a big televised special that will still air despite her passing only a few weeks before the age . There was never a question at all, said Arthur regarding Bettys insistence. } Betty White Made 1954's The Betty White Show Very Progressive. } I am one bad ass bitch. Her response: "I'm sorry. Part of her show would feature a young Black entertainer by the name of Arthur Duncan. He was 97. Let us not forget that in 1954 Betty White's show was canceled shortly after receiving backlash for her refusal to cancel Black tap dancer, Arthur Duncan. Some facts about Betty White . 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 admits that Betty helped get him the kind of exposure that really launched his career. You never call. A staff writer for All Thats Interesting, Marco Margaritoff has also published work at outlets including People, VICE, and Complex, covering everything from film to finance to technology. 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. And that included the young tap dancer Arthur Duncan, who would become the only Black man on the program. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. But this story is true. div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-2', env: 'prod', White hired a female director and Arthur Duncan, an African American actor, . One particular way in which Ms. White refused to bow to systemic racism was by insisting Arthur Duncan, a Black dancer, remain on her 1950s show, The Betty White Show.. White died on Friday, just a few weeks shy of her 100th birthday, news that prompted a look back on a career that included advocacy on many fronts. Tap dancer & Singer Arthur Duncan performing "Sing You Sinners,Sing" (1954) "I said, 'I'm sorry, but he staysLive with it!'" 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. 1937) Casey Hayden, 85, civil rights activist (b. Kindness and consideration of somebody besides yourself keeps you feeling young. In February 1955, the show became the shortest run program to ever receive an Emmy nomination for Best Daytime Program. 0. targeting: { She treated Arthur like a friend and fought tooth and nail to have him on her show. B.E. Left: Arthur Duncan/Betty White Show/NBC Right: American actor Betty White wearing a veiled hat, circa 1955. So on her nationally televised The Betty White Show, she sang, interviewed guests, performed in skits and read the commercials live. But this was 1954 and racial inequality was still rife. A colleague. 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. BE 100s 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! We bring people together, change perceptions, and inspire actions that impact culture for good.