This is a list of entertainers known to have performed in blackface makeup, whether in an overtly racist or comic “minstrel” role, as satire or historical depiction of such roles, or in a portrayal of a character using racial makeup as a disguise, for whatever reason.Lew DockstaderBert Williams, shown here in blackface, was the highest-paid African-American entertainer of his day.
Contents
A–C
- Roy Acuff, country music singer, performed in blackface in 1930s-40s traveling medicine shows[1]
- Julie Andrews, in the 1964 film Mary Poppins[2]
- Fred Armisen, impersonating U.S. President Barack Obama on Saturday Night Live in 2008 and 2009[3]
- Louis Armstrong, as Zulu King during 1949’s Mardi Gras in New Orleans[4]
- Clarence Ashley, 1910s-1940s singer and blackface comedian in traveling medicine shows[5]
- Ant and Dec, in old Saturday Night Takeway sketches[6]
- Fred Astaire, in Swing Time (1936)[7] and in Easter Parade (1948)
- Gene Autry[5]
- Dan Aykroyd, in Trading Places (1983)[8]
- David Baddiel, while portraying Jason Lee on a 1995 episode of Fantasy Football League[9]
- Marcus “Buff” Bagwell, while performing for World Championship Wrestling[10]
- Fay Bainter, as Topsy in a 1933 production of Uncle Tom’s Cabin
- Milt G. Barlow, 19th-century American minstrel[11]
- Ethel Barrymore, in the 1930 play Scarlet Sister Mary [12]
- Billy Barty, in Roman Scandals (1933)[13] and Rabbit Test (1978)
- Sergei Bondarchuk, in Othello
- John Boulter, lead singer of the long-running Black and White Minstrel Show on the BBC[14]:248
- Zach Braff, in the Scrubs episodes “My Friend the Doctor” and “My Chopped Liver”[15]
- Frank Brower, 1840s-1860s minstrel performer[16]
- Bugs Bunny, in the 1942 cartoon Fresh Hare[17]
- George Burns[5]
- Butterbeans and Susie[18]
- Eddie Cantor, 1912-1927 performances in vaudeville and Ziegfeld Follies[19]
- Judy Carne, in a 1969 episode of Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In[20][21]
- Dave Chappelle, in a 2006 episode of Chappelle’s Show[22]
- George Christy, born George Harrington but became a star with Christy’s Minstrels in the 1840s[14]:8
- Charles Correll[18]
- Bing Crosby,[23] in Dream House (1932), Mississippi (1935), Road to Singapore (1940), Holiday Inn (1942), Dixie (1943), and Here Come the Waves (1944)
- Billy Crystal, in the “Negro Leagues” skit on Saturday Night Live in 1984 and whenever impersonating Sammy Davis Jr., including at the 84th Academy Awards.[24]
D–G
- Ted Danson, at a 1993 Friars Club roast of his then-girlfriend Whoopi Goldberg[25]
- Tommy Davidson in the 2000 film Bamboozled[26]
- Sammy Davis, Jr.[23] in Ocean’s Eleven (1960)[27]
- Shane Dawson, YouTuber, actor, and comedian[28]
- Neil Diamond in The Jazz Singer (1980 film)[29]
- Thomas Dilward, 1850s-1870s dwarf minstrel performer[30]
- George Washington Dixon, 1820s-1830s stage performer[31]
- Lew Dockstader, 1870s-1900s minstrel performer[32]
- Roma Downey in an episode of the television series Touched By An Angel entitled “Black Like Monica”, the character is turned black to better empathize with a community dealing with racial tensions.[33]
- Robert Downey Jr. in the 2008 film Tropic Thunder[34]
- Jimmy Durante[23]
- Jimmy Fallon, impersonating Chris Rock on Saturday Night Live[35]
- Edwin Forrest[36]
- Dai Francis, lead singer of the long-running Black and White Minstrel Show on the BBC[37]
- George Givot, in the play The Constant Sinner (1931)[38]
- Freeman Gosden[18]
- Billy Gould (1869-1950)[39]
- Savion Glover in the 2000 film Bamboozled[26]
H–L
- Sam Hague[40]
- Jon Hamm on an episode of 30 Rock[41]
- Goldie Hawn, in a 1969 episode of Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In[20][21]
- Bob Height[40]
- Charles Hicks[40]
- Ernest Hogan[18]
- C. Thomas Howell in the 1986 movie Soul Man[42]
- William A. Huntley[43] Starting 1860. Moved to whiteface in mid-1880s.
- George Jessel[5]
- Al Jolson[23]
- Louis Jordan[23]
- Buster Keaton, in vaudeville[18] in the short film Neighbors (1920), possibly with satiric intent: he alternates in and out of blackface, receiving a very different reaction from a policeman;[44] also in The Playhouse (1921) and College (1927)
- Billy Kersands, 1880s-1900s minstrel performer[45]
- Jimmy Kimmel, impersonating Karl Malone and Oprah Winfrey on The Man Show[46][47]
- Jane Krakowski twice on 30 Rock[41]
- Wallace King, 1880s minstrel performer[48]
- Francis Leon, 1870s-80s minstrel performer[49]
- Eddie Leonard, 1890s-1930s minstrel performer, “last of the great minstrels”[18]
- Peter Lorre, in the play Weisse Fracht[50]
- Matt Lucas, multiple characters in Little Britain, Precious Little in Come Fly with Me[51]
- Sam Lucas, 1870s minstrel performer[52]
M–R
- Pigmeat Markham, performer in 1920s-1950s traveling shows, as well as The Ed Sullivan Show and Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In[53]
- Mickey Mouse in the 1933 cartoon Mickey’s Mellerdrammer[2]
- Emmett Miller,[40] an important influence on early country stars like Jimmie Rodgers, Bob Wills
- Flournoy E. Miller[18]
- Irvin C. Miller[18]
- Clayton McMichen[1]
- Bill Monroe[1]
- Moran and Mack[18]
- Herbert Wassell Nadal (1873-1957)[54]
- Cornelius J. O’Brien (1869-1954)[55]
- Richard Pelham[40]
- Thomas D. Rice[40]
- Jimmie Rodgers[1]
- Benny Rubin[40]
S–Z
- Sarah Silverman[57]
- Frank Sinatra, in the Major Bowes short The Big Minstrel (1935) and Ocean’s Eleven (1960)[58]
- Grace Slick, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1968) and Teen Set magazine (1969)[59][60][61]
- Bessie Smith[23]
- Hobart Smith[5]
- Howard Stern in a series of 1991 skits as Clarence Thomas and in a 1993 New Year’s Eve special[62]
- Bert Swor (1878-1943)[63]
- Frank Tinney, in vaudeville and Broadway musical comedies[64]
- Sophie Tucker[65]
- Tracey Ullman, in a 1989 episode of The Tracey Ullman Show[66]
- Ben Vereen, as a part of the 1981 inaugural celebrations for US President Ronald Reagan [67]
- Vladimir Vysotsky, as Abram Gannibal in How Czar Peter the Great Married Off His Moor
- David Walliams, minstrel character, Desiree Devere in Little Britain[51]
- George Walker[18]
- Billy Whitlock[40]
- Gene Wilder in Silver Streak (film)[68]
- Barney Williams[69]
- Bert Williams[40]
- Hank Williams[23]
- Bob Wills[1]
- Tom Wilson[40]
- Jo Anne Worley, in a 1969 episode of Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In[20][21]
