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I did something a little different, Duncan told her. 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. Betty White, whose more than 80-year career included Emmy-winning roles on sitcoms "The Golden Girls" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," died on Dec. 31. Betty imbued charm, wit, and sincerity at each and every turn, always ready to poke fun at herself and those around her, eager to uncover both the humanity in comedy and the comedy in humanity. There was the time she ignored criticism about having Arthur Duncan, . "Well, Betty wrote back and said: 'needless to say, we used Arthur Duncan every opportunity we could,'" he said. "Well, Betty wrote back and said, 'Needless to say, we used Arthur Duncan every opportunity we could.'" In 1954 Betty White had a talk show and faced criticism for including a black tap dancer, Arthur Duncan, on her show.Betty responded with Im sorry. Tap dancer & Singer Arthur Duncan performing "Sing You Sinners,Sing" (1954) Live with it. , Betty White, one of the most endearing and enduring faces on television, dies at 99. Duncan performed alongside stars like actress Jayne Mansfield, singer Jerry Colonna, comedian Hedda Hopper, and the Les Brown orchestra in places like Pearl Harbor, Korea, Okinawa, and Guam. But even in California, Duncans regular presence on the show drew criticism. In 1954, Betty White was criticized after having Arthur Duncan - iFunny Betty White - Wikipedia She just stood up for her beliefs, said Duncan. "I was on the show and they had letters from Mississippi and elsewhere that some of the stations would not carry the show if I was permitted to stay on there," Duncan recalled said in a 2017 interview onSteve Harvey's "Little Big Shots: Forever Young.". env: 'prod', Whats more intriguing is that this wasnt Bettys sole act of defiance within the show; she interviewed a Black child on the special when it was considered controversial to do so. Duncan appeared in three episodes of The Betty White Show according to IMDb and it was these episodes, in particular, that drew criticism. In 1954 Betty White had a talk show and faced criticism for including a black tap dancer, Arthur Duncan, on her show. Live with it. Then, she gave Duncan even more airtime when he appeared on the show twice more. "I did something a little. She also starred in and produced The Betty. She was fond of leveraging her power to extend empathy towards those who were far less privileged than her. And it was never a question at all.. ]); tag: 'mandc,celebrity,entertainment-industry,racism', And all through the South, there was this whole ruckus, White remembered in the doc. When she was encouraged to take him off because of the color of his skin, she politely declined.. tude.cmd.push(function() { Masthead, Economic Equity & Racial Justice Townhall Series, Elevate Black Podcast sponsored by Fifth Third Bank, 100 Founders of Change by American Express, Chasing Success Podcast by JP Morgan Chase, Black Business Month Sponsored by Nationwide, 2022 Registry Of Corporate Directors Listing, 2021 BE Registry Of Corporate Directors Listing. So at age 18, he enrolled in Pasadena City College to study pharmacy. It was the first award in an entirely new category. Email: agilbert@usatoday.com. She made sure to strengthen causes that needed backing, those that required people to break the mold and upset the masses. In 1954, Ms. White was pressured to replace Mr. Duncan, a dancer who went on to receive . Betty White pushed back against pressure for her to stop featuring a Black tap dancer on her show in 1954, The Washington Post reported. The dancer, Arthur Duncan, was featured on "The Betty White Show" that aired in the 1950s. Kindness and consideration of somebody besides yourself keeps you feeling young. cat: 'entertainment', And by his 21st birthday, hed caught the eye of TV pioneer Betty White. 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. After the Pacific tour, Duncan spent several years performing at countless venues across Europe. Betty White Reunited With Tap Dancer Whose Career She Launched - Yahoo! Sandy Duncan: Funny Face 1973 Mary Tyler Moore: Mary Tyler Moore: Bea Arthur: Maude Jean Stapleton: . Betty White (1954), (Bettmann/contributor/Getty images) . env: 'prod', . In 1961, the then 39-year-old actress met the man . According to IMDb, Duncan appeared on three episodes of White's show in 1954. pos: 'right_rail_1', After appearing as a guest on the show, Lawrence Welk offered Duncan a permanent spot as a member of his \"musical family.\"The 1989 film Tap featured Duncan in a cameo appearance with other famous tap dancers.In 2004 Duncan was honored at the annual \"Tap Extravaganza\" in New York City.In 2006, Duncan was honored for his contributions to tap dance at the 15th Annual St. Louis Tap Festival.In 2017, Duncan appeared on the series premiere episode of the reality talent series Little Big Shots: Forever Young, where he performed a dance and reunited with actress Betty White.In 2018, Duncan made an appearance on The Talk as part of a surprise for co-host Sheryl Underwood who performed a tap dance routine with Savion Glover as part of the show's New Year's Evolution. Betty White Made History With Arthur Duncan, He Did It Twice More Women of Power TECH, PODCASTS In 2010, the Forest Service made Betty White an honorary forest ranger. Betty White was born in 1922 and sliced bread was introduced in 1928. 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. url: 'betty,whites,controversial,hire,of,tap,dancer,arthur,duncan,made,history,in,more,ways,than,one', divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-3', When she's not writing or scouring the internet for ideas, you can find her playing Genshin Impact or eating Biriyani. targeting: { The producers wanted to remove him from the show, but White said "He stays. The dancer, Arthur Duncan, was featured on "The Betty White Show" that aired in the 1950s. She extended his airtime instead, and responded to racists with "I'm sorry. Was Betty White Slammed for Having Black Tap Dancer Arthur Duncan on Arthur Duncan, an 83-year-old tap dancer, was on the premiere of Steve Harvey 's Little Big Shots: Forever Young. This means that White had already made history by making Duncan the first Black series regular on a talk show. White, a boundary-breaking television star by 1952, then became the first woman to produce a sitcom, Life with Elizabeth, which she also starred in. So on her nationally televised The Betty White Show, she sang, interviewed guests, performed in skits and read the commercials live. However, it was during an appearance on Steve Harveys show Little Big Shots: Forever Young in 2017 that Duncan felt truly blessed when Betty White surprised him onstage. 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. ABOUT 29K views 1 year ago 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. tude.cmd.push(function() { 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. The Betty White Show is a television series that aired on KTLA in 1952 and 1953, and on NBC in 1954. 'The Betty White Show' saw her perform songs and entertain viewers with skits and interviews with guests. "The Betty White Show" was short-lived, repeatedly rescheduled and eventually taken off air, per the Post. What really defines Betty Whites legacy is her sheer willingness to go against the grain and subvert expectations. divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-1', The 98-year-old actress is loved by almost all and has had an unbelievably successful career spanning more than eight decades. Betty White rejected attempts to keep Black dancer Arthur Duncan off her show in the 1950s. 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. At 21, the California native had been performing in a dance quartet for years and was looking for his big break. When Betty White was in her early 30s she landed her very own self-titled variety show. Watch The Betty White Show (November 29th, 1954) 1 Video 3 Photos Family Music Talk-Show Daytime show with Betty White talking to guests, singing with the orchestra, etc. Her respond to pressure to stop featuring him was that people had to "live with it.". 1925) Norman Fruchter, 85, writer and academic (b. The special is called Betty White: First Lady of Television. 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. And that included the young tap dancer Arthur Duncan, who would become the only Black man on the program. When encouraged to take Arthur Duncan off the air, White, then in her 30s, said: "I'm sorry, but, you know, he stays," per the Post. 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. 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! TIL that, in 1954, Betty White was criticized for having Arthur Duncan } It didnt take long for the programs eponymous host to offer Duncan a permanent place in the shows musical family.. "I said, 'I'm sorry, but he staysLive with it!'" She paid respect to everyone, regardless of their race, gender, religion, or what have you. That year, 1954, also saw the Supreme Court handing make the Brown vs. Board of Education decision which banned segregated schools. Arthur Duncan - Biography - IMDb This material may not be reproduced without permission. After just one appearance, Duncan was asked to remain onThe Lawrence Welk Show, making him the first Black regular on a variety show. cat: 'entertainment', Arthur Duncan obituary: tap dancer dies at 97 - Legacy.com - Wikipedia-----Video originally shared on archive.orgShared for historical purposes. Betty Whites show was canceled the same year she invited Duncan on as a guest three times. Betty White was in "great spirits" and "looked amazing" while filming her final TV appearance which took place just 10 days before her death. But when the shows reach was extended beyond LA, Duncans inclusion as part of the cast made waves across the Jim Crow South. 'He stays, live with it': Betty White refused to remove Black dancer The entertainer, in her early 30s at the time, was center stage, speaking to the young Black tap dancer seated on her right. "I'm sorry, but, you know, he stays," White said,according to a PBS biography. baseDivId: 'pb-slot-right-1', Amid the overt racism,The Betty White Show may have also been quietly sabotaged by brands who chose to stay away from the controversy. FLASHBACK: Lawrence Welk star Arthur Duncan credits Betty White for his The show was the first big break for Duncan, then in his early 20s, he said in the 2018 documentary "Betty White, First Lady of Television.". Arthur Duncan on The Betty White Show (1954) | Tap Dance You never call, responded White. Arthur Duncan performed wherever he could. A colleague. Betty knew she wasnt some prominent politician or royalty she was merely a television actress but she was still extremely self-aware of her influence on the country. GOOD aligns unparalleled expertise in social science, social media, and social change. She hired a Black tap dancer, Arthur Duncan, for "The Betty White Show" in 1954, a full three years before the first federal civil-rights legislation since Reconstruction was passed,. As producer of her own show, White decided to give Duncan a national platform to share those skills with the rest of the country. But her decision to defy conventional norms and balk at Southern naysayers allowed Duncan to go one to make history at least twice more. But this story is true. Underwood said Duncan was her inspiration for tap dancing. Duncan looked at White and joked that his life was now complete. 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. Arthur, did you have a nice weekend? Betty White asked Arthur Duncan. She just prioritized building earnest relationships with people, and if progress came as a result, no problem. White explained the controversy in the documentary, "All through the South there was this whole ruckus, they were going to take the show off the air if we didn't get rid of Arthur because he was Black," said White. You never ask me out.. page_type: 'article', Life With Elizabeth ran until 1955; during 1954, White simultaneously presented her own variety show, her second Betty White show. Betty didnt let her age hamper her ability to empathize with others, even if they were of a completely different background than her. She treated Arthur like a friend and fought tooth and nail to have him on her show. Betty White In Person (1987). Duncan, 88, was a regular featured performer on White's NBC variety talk show, The Betty White Show , in the . 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. Duncan reserved high praise for White during an appearance in a 2018 documentary about her titled 'Betty White: First Lady of Television.' kw: 'mandc,celebrity,entertainment-industry,racism', Editor's note: This article was originally published on January 3, 2022. In 2020, the American Tap Dance Foundation inducted Duncan into the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame. In the early 1950s, White faced criticism for featuring Arthur Duncan, a Black tap dancer and singer, on a few episodes of her variety talk show The Betty White Show.. baseDivId: 'pb-slot-right-1', Arthur had seen everything he needed to see in life after reuniting with Betty. pos: 'right_rail_3', The comedian was a legend through and through: when faced with the overwhelming pressure to give in to hate, she resisted and won. R.I.P. Betty White: Hollywood Pays Tribute to the TV Icon - W Magazine Arthur Chester Duncan (September 25, 1925 - January 4, 2023) was an American tap dancer, also called an "Entertainer's Entertainer," known for his stint as a performer on The Lawrence Welk Show from 1964 to 1982. Racial justice wasnt the only focus of her activism, either. Wikimedia Commons Arthur Duncan became the first Black regular on a televised American variety show. Theres a reason why shes widely celebrated as a trailblazer of her generation: she didnt offer any excuses or apologies. Arthur Duncan was honored in 2004 and 2006 at the Tap Extravaganza in New York and the 15th Annual St. Louis Tap Dance Festival. kw: 'mandc,celebrity,entertainment-industry,racism', But there was never a question at all., I said, Im sorry, but, you know, he stays, she said. The comedian passed away on December 31, 2021, just weeks away from what would have been her 100th birthday. Betty White, known for her role as Rose Nylund on 'Golden Girls,' dies. But just who is Arthur Duncan and why did his appearance on The Betty White Show cause such controversy at the time? He soon moved on to The Lawrence Welk Show in 1964, where he was introduced every week until 1982 as the man whos keeping tap dancing alive.. She was part of the board at the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association and regularly campaigned to raise more funds for the association. page_type: 'article', subcat: '', -----#####Reelblack's mission is to educate, entertain, enlighten, and empower through Black film. Betty White Helped Launch Career of Black Tap Dancer in 1950s - Peoplemag