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List of entertainers who performed in blackface

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List of entertainers who performed in blackface

This is a list of entertainers known to have performed in blackface.

Contents

A–C  D–G  H–L  M–R  S–Z

A–C

  • Roy Acuff
  • Eddie Albert in On Your Toes (1939)
  • Fred Allen, in vaudeville
  • Peter Allen, impersonating Al Jolson during his 1981-82 engagement at Radio City Music Hall
  • Ant & Dec, as Bernice & Patti
  • Fatty Arbuckle
  • Harold Arlen in vaudeville and in the play Great Day (1929)
  • Arletty in Pearls of the Crown (1937)
  • Fred Armisen, impersonating U.S. President Barack Obama on Saturday Night Live in 2008 and 2009
  • Louis Armstrong, as Zulu King during 1949's New Orleans Mardi Gras
  • Desi Arnaz, in the I Love Lucy episode "Lucy Goes to the Hospital"
  • Clarence Ashley
  • Fred Astaire in Swing Time (1936)
  • Roscoe Ates
  • Gene Autry
  • Dan Aykroyd in Trading Places (1983)
  • Marcus "Buff" Bagwell while performing for World Championship Wrestling
  • Bananarama in I Want You Back video
  • Milt G. Barlow 19th-century American minstrel
  • Ethel Barrymore in the play Scarlet Sister Mary
  • Billy Barty in Roman Scandals (1933) and Rabbit Test (1978)
  • Noah Beery in Golden Dawn (1930)
  • Ed Begley, in vaudeville
  • David Belasco, in an 1873 production of Uncle Tom's Cabin in San Francisco
  • Jean-Paul Belmondo in Itinéraire d'un enfant gate (1988)
  • Jack Benny, in vaudeville and in The Meanest Man in the World (1943)
  • Milton Berle, in vaudeville, New Faces of 1937 (1937) and Always Leave Them Laughing (1949)
  • Al Bernard
  • Michael Ian Black in an episode of Stella
  • Jack Black in Be Kind Rewind (2008)
  • Robert Blake in Mokey (1942)
  • Ben Blue in vaudeville and in My Wild Irish Rose (1947)
  • Ray Bolger in vaudeville and in the Christmas episode of Where's Raymond?
  • Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
  • Edwin Booth
  • Keefe Brasselle in The Eddie Cantor Story (1953)
  • Pierre Brasseur in Les enfants du paradis (1945)
  • Eddie Bravo, as his "Quatoof" character
  • Rory Bremner, impersonating Sir Trevor McDonald
  • El Brendel
  • Fanny Brice
  • Norman Brooks
  • Frank Brower
  • Joe E. Brown in vaudeville and in Daring Young Man (1942)
  • Tod Browning, in vaudeville
  • John Bunny, in vaudeville
  • Andrés Bustamante - During World Cup 2010 adds for Telmex.
  • Bob Burns
  • George Burns
  • Butterbeans and Susie
  • James Cagney in Here Comes the Navy (1934)
  • Cantinflas
  • Eddie Cantor
  • Jack Carson in The Time, the Place and the Girl (1946)
  • Johnny Carson, in a 1976 The Tonight Show sketch
  • Walter Catlett
  • Candis Cayne, as Cleopatra Jones in photo shoot
  • Dave Chappelle in the second lost episode of Chappelle's Show
  • Charley Chase
  • Robert Clary, on a 1952 episode of The Colgate Comedy Hour"
  • John Cleese briefly in the Monty Python's Flying Circus episode "Archaeology Today" and as one of The Three Wise Men in Monty Python's Life of Brian.
  • Jack Cole
  • William Collier Sr.
  • William Collier Jr., in vaudeville
  • George M. Cohan
  • Chester Conklin
  • Brian Conley in the play Jolson (1995)
  • Charles Correll
  • Joan Crawford in Torch Song (1953)
  • Bing Crosby, in Dream House (1932), Mississippi (1935), Road to Singapore (1940), Holiday Inn (1942), Dixie (1943), and Here Come the Waves (1944)
  • Billy Crystal, whenever impersonating Sammy Davis, Jr. and in the "Negro Leagues" sketch on SNL
  • Anthony Cumia, impersonating OJ Simpson in his former band Rotgut's music video "Gonna Electric Shock OJ"

    • D–G

  • D-Generation X members Triple H, Road Dogg Jesse James, Bad Ass Billy Gunn, and X-Pac during their parody of the rival WWF stable Nation of Domination on the July 6, 1998 episode of Raw
  • Rosemary DeCamp, in Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
  • Robert De Niro in Hi, Mom! (1970)
  • Willem Dafoe in the play "Route 1 & 9 (The Last Act)"
  • Dan Dailey in You're My Everything (1949)
  • Ted Danson, at a 1993 Friars Club roast of his then-girlfriend Whoopi Goldberg
  • Frankie Darro in Up in the Air (1940)
  • Doris Day in I'll See You in My Dreams (1951)
  • Marion Davies in Going Hollywood (1933) and Operator 13 (1934)
  • Philip Davies in The Black and White Minstrel Show and Newsnight
  • Tommy Davidson in Bamboozled (2000)
  • Joan Davis in Show Business (1944) and If You Knew Susie (1948)
  • Sammy Davis, Jr.
  • Shane Dawson
  • Thomas Dilward
  • Neil Diamond in The Jazz Singer (1980)
  • Die Antwoord
  • George Washington Dixon
  • Lew Dockstader
  • Morton Downey
  • Roma Downey, in the Touched by an Angel episode "Black Like Monica"
  • Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder (2008)
  • Johnny Downs in vaudeville and College Holiday (1936)
  • Alfred Drake in the musical Kean
  • Marie Dressler
  • Irene Dunne in Show Boat (1936)
  • Jimmy Durante
  • Cliff Edwards
  • Julian Eltinge
  • George "Honey Boy" Evans
  • Kenny Everett
  • Barney Fagan
  • Douglas Fairbanks in Martyrs of the Alamo (1915)
  • Jimmy Fallon, impersonating Chris Rock on SNL in 2000
  • Frank Fay
  • Jaime Fernández in Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (1954)
  • Fernandel in Monsieur Hector (1940)
  • Stepin Fetchit
  • Dusty Fletcher, in vaudeville
  • Jay C. Flippen
  • George Formby
  • Edwin Forrest
  • Dai Francis (singer)
  • Harry 'Singin' Sam' Frankel
  • William Frawley, in vaudeville and in Harmony Lane (1935)
  • Joe Frisco
  • Dwight Frye in The Circus Queen Murder (1933)
  • Judy Garland in Everybody Sing (1938), Babes in Arms (1939) and Babes on Broadway (1941)
  • Greg Giraldo on an episode of Stand-Up Nation
  • George Givot in the play The Constant Sinner (1931)
  • Savion Glover in Bamboozled (2000)
  • Whoopi Goldberg, impersonating Bert Williams in the special Night of 100 Stars II (1985)
  • Freeman Gosden
  • The Goodies
  • Billy Gould (comedian) (1869-1950)
  • Betty Grable, in Happy Days (1929), Coney Island (1943), and The Dolly Sisters (1945)
  • Stewart Granger in The Man in Grey (1943)
  • Raymond Griffith, in vaudeville and in Blue Bloods But Black Skin (1916)
  • Christopher Guest in the "Negro Leagues" sketch on SNL
  • Alec Guinness in The Comedians (1967)

    • H–L

  • Bill Hader impersonating Al Pacino playing Dr. Conrad Murray on Saturday Night Live
  • Sam Hague
  • Huntz Hall in Crazy Over Horses (1951)
  • Darrell Hammond, impersonating Jesse Jackson on Saturday Night Live in 2006
  • Oliver Hardy in vaudeville, The Hobo (1917), The Honorable Mr. Buggs (1927), Galloping Ghosts (1928), and Pardon Us (1931)
  • Otis Harlan in The Dixie Handicap (1924)
  • Edward Harrigan and Tony Hart
  • Ed Harris in Masked & Anonymous (2003)
  • Rex Harrison in the 1926 London production of Eugene O'Neill's Gold
  • June Haver in Irish Eyes Are Smiling (1944), 'The Dolly Sisters (1945) and I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now (1947)
  • Will Hay
  • Peter Lind Hayes
  • Ted Healy, in vaudeville
  • Bob Height
  • Hugh Herbert in Hollywood Hotel (1937)
  • Charles Hicks
  • Benny Hill, impersonating Idi Amin, Mr. T and in a 1981 sketch spoofing Roots
  • Paris Hilton in an episode of The Simple Life
  • Ernest Hogan
  • William Holden in Father Is a Bachelor (1950)
  • Billie Holiday
  • Libby Holman in The Little Show
  • Lou Holtz
  • Bob Hope, in vaudeville and in Road to Singapore (1940)
  • C. Thomas Howell in Soul Man (1986)
  • Walter Huston in Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
  • Betty Hutton in The Perils of Pauline (1947) and Somebody Loves Me (1952)
  • Sam Hyde
  • Eric Idle in one episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus
  • Pedro Infante in Angelitos negros (1948)
  • Kip James, professional wrestler, in a promo cut on Team 3D during a TNA iMPACT! episode that aired May 25, 2006
  • Herb Jeffries
  • Ken Jeong, in the Community episode "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons"
  • George Jessel
  • Angelina Jolie in "A Mighty Heart"
  • Al Jolson
  • Terry Jones in some episodes of Monty Python's Flying Circus
  • Louis Jordan
  • Raul Julia in the Shakespeare in the Park productions of Othello in 1979 and 1991
  • Buster Keaton, in vaudeville 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. Also in The Playhouse (1921) and College (1927)
  • Gene Kelly, in vaudeville
  • Edgar Kennedy
  • Jamie Kennedy in an episode of Blowin' Up and in various skits of The Jamie Kennedy Experiment
  • Billy Kersands
  • Larry Kert in the play Jolson Tonight (1979-80)
  • Jimmy Kimmel, as Karl Malone and Oprah Winfrey on The Man Show
  • Harmony Korine, appeared in blackface and danced in minstrel style in a short film made with Jefferson Hack.
  • Robert Klein, in The Landlord (1970)
  • Chuck Knipp, who uses blackface and drag when portraying his character Shirley Q. Liquor
  • Felix Knight as a South Seas island native in Down to Their Last Yacht (1934)
  • Jane Krakowski, in two episodes of 30 Rock
  • Wallace King
  • Lady Bunny
  • Hedy Lamarr in White Cargo (1942)
  • Harry Langdon
  • Murray Langston in Night Patrol (1984)
  • Mario Lanza in Serenade (1956)
  • Laura La Plante in Thanks for the Buggy Ride (1928)
  • Joey Lawrence in an episode of Gimme a Break!
  • Hugh Laurie in an episode of Jeeves and Wooster
  • Stan Laurel in Pardon Us (1931)
  • Pinky Lee
  • Janet Leigh in Walking My Baby Back Home (1953)
  • Valérie Lemercier in Agathe Cléry (2008)
  • Francis Leon
  • Eddie Leonard
  • Jerry Lewis
  • Chris Lilley in Summer Heights High and Angry Boys
  • Elmo Lincoln in The Birth of a Nation (1915)
  • Max Linder in Be My Wife (1921)
  • Harold Lloyd in The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1914) and Now or Never (1921)
  • Walter Long in The Birth of a Nation (1915)
  • Peter Lorre in the play Weisse Fracht
  • Bessie Love in The Girl in the Show (1929)
  • Arthur Lowe in O Lucky Man! (1973)
  • Edmund Lowe in Happy Days (1929)
  • Myrna Loy in Ham and Eggs at the Front (1927) and The Heart of Maryland (1927)
  • Ernst Lubitsch, in Black Moritz (1916)
  • Matt Lucas in Come Fly with Me (2010)
  • Nick Lucas
  • Sam Lucas

    • M–R

  • Marilyn Manson, during the Grotesk Burlesk Tour
  • Pigmeat Markham
  • Everett Marshall in the 1931 edition of George White's Scandals
  • Dean Martin, in Ocean's Eleven (1960)
  • Marcello Mastroianni in Miss Arizona (1987)
  • The Marx Brothers, in vaudeville and in A Day at the Races (1937)
  • Rob McElhenney in the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia episode "Dee Reynolds: Shaping America's Youth"
  • Carlos Mencia in various skits on Mind of Mencia
  • Ray Middleton in I Dream of Jeanie (1952)
  • Sarah Miles in Lady Caroline Lamb (1972)
  • Emmett Miller, an important influence on early country stars like Jimmie Rodgers, Bob Wills
  • Flournoy E. Miller
  • Irvin C. Miller
  • Sidney Miller in Babes in Arms (1939) and There Goes Kelly (1945)
  • Spike Milligan
  • David Mitchell in an episode of That Mitchell and Webb Look
  • Joni Mitchell
  • Mark McKinney as recurring character Mississippi Gary on The Kids in the Hall.
  • Victor McLaglen in Happy Days (1929)
  • Clayton McMichen
  • Bill Monroe
  • Colleen Moore in Synthetic Sin (1929)
  • Clayton Moore in the "Outlaws in Greasepaint" episode of The Lone Ranger
  • Constance Moore in Show Business (1944)
  • Tim Moore, in vaudeville, burlesque and on Broadway
  • Jackie Moran in There Goes Kelly (1945)
  • Polly Moran
  • Chester Morris in Pursuit (1935), After Midnight with Boston Blackie (1943), Boston Blackie Booked on Suspicion (1945) and Boston Blackie's Rendezvous (1945)
  • Chris Morris in Episode 2 "The Big Report" of British satire programme The Day Today
  • Dennis Morgan in Kisses for Breakfast (1941) and My Wild Irish Rose (1947)
  • Frank Morgan in vaudeville, Dimples (1936) and The Wild Man of Borneo (1941)
  • Moran and Mack
  • Dermot Mulroney in Kansas City (1996)
  • Paul Muni in Seven Faces (1929)
  • George Murphy in vaudeville and in Show Business (1944)
  • Billy Murray, early 1900s recording star, with Al G. Field Minstrels before recording career began
  • Herbert Wassell Nadal (1873-1957)
  • David Niven in Old Dracula (1974)
  • Cornelius J. O'Brien (1869-1954).
  • George O'Brien in My Wild Irish Rose (1947)
  • Carroll O'Connor in a 1975 episode of All in the Family
  • Donald O'Connor in The Merry Monahans (1944), Mister Big (1943), Walking My Baby Back Home (1953)
  • Laurence Olivier in Othello (1965)
  • Janis Paige in The Time, the Place and the Girl (1946)
  • Michael Palin in A Fish Called Wanda (1988) and the Monty Python's Flying Circus episode "The Money Programme".
  • Adam Parfrey in What Is It? (2005)
  • Harry Parke in vaudeville and in New Faces of 1937 (1937)
  • Larry Parks in The Jolson Story (1946) and Jolson Sings Again (1949)
  • Mandy Patinkin in The Wild Party (2000)
  • Pat Paulsen in a 1974 guest spot on The Merv Griffin Show and Night Patrol (1984)
  • Richard Pelham
  • Joe Penner in vaudeville and in New Faces of 1937 (1937)
  • "Rowdy" Roddy Piper while wrestling for the World Wrestling Federation
  • Joe Piscopo, impersonating Jesse Jackson on Saturday Night Live in 1983
  • Dana Plato in an episode of Diff'rent Strokes
  • Dick Powell in Hard to Get (1938)
  • Eleanor Powell in Honolulu (1939), "impersonating" Bill "Bojangles" Robinson
  • Georgie Price
  • Ma Rainey, in vaudeville
  • John Raitt, in vaudeville and in Minstrel Man (1944)
  • Michael Rapaport in Bamboozled (2000)
  • Martha Raye in College Holiday (1936) and Artists and Models (1937)
  • Thomas D. Rice
  • Ralph Richardson in The Volunteer (1943)
  • Harry Richman
  • Marjorie Reynolds in Holiday Inn (1942)
  • Cliff Richard in Summer Holiday (1963) and Wonderful Life (1964)
  • Michael Richards in Whoops Apocalypse (1986) and in the Seinfeld episode "The Wife (Seinfeld)"
  • Dale Robertson in Lydia Bailey (1952)
  • Bill Robinson, in vaudeville
  • Jimmie Rodgers
  • Will Rogers, in vaudeville and in In Old Kentucky (1935)
  • Mickey Rooney in Boys Town (1938), Babes in Arms (1939), and Babes on Broadway (1941)
  • Shirley Ross in Manhattan Melodrama (1934) and Kisses for Breakfast (1941)
  • Benny Rubin
  • Charles Ruggles
  • Dustin Runnels, as "Goldust", while working for the World Wrestling Federation
  • Andy Russell in Primavera el el corozon (1956)
  • Gary Russell in The Famous Five (1970s TV series) and Zagreus (audio drama)
  • Peggy Ryan in Mister Big (1943) and There's a Girl in My Heart (1949)

    • S–Z

  • Horatio Sanz, impersonating Aaron Neville on Saturday Night Live in 2007.
  • Ramblin' Tommy Scott
  • Chloë Sevigny in Manderlay (2005)
  • Reece Shearsmith in The League of Gentlemen
  • Michael Showalter in an episode of Stella
  • Frank Sinatra, in the Major Bowes short The Big Minstrel (1935) and Ocean's Eleven (1960)
  • Sarah Silverman in an episode of The Sarah Silverman Program
  • Red Skelton, in vaudeville
  • John Slattery, in the Mad Men episode "My Old Kentucky Home"
  • Grace Slick while performing with Jefferson Airplane on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
  • Bessie Smith
  • Hobart Smith
  • Kate Smith in the play Hit the Deck (1928)
  • David Spade in a skit on The Showbiz Show with David Spade
  • Sam Sparro, in his music video for "Pink Cloud"
  • Jeffree Star
  • Ford Sterling
  • Howard Stern, impersonating Clarence Thomas and Ted Danson
  • The Three Stooges in Uncivil War Birds (1946)
  • James Stewart, in It's a Wonderful World (1939)
  • Ben Stiller in Zoolander (2001)
  • Fred Stone
  • George E. Stone
  • Stu Stone in an episode of Blowin' Up
  • Bert Swor (1878-1943)
  • Eva Tanguay
  • Elizabeth Taylor in Young Toscanini (1988)
  • Shirley Temple in The Littlest Rebel (1935)
  • Danny Thomas
  • Denman Thompson
  • Scott Thompson in an episode of The Kids in the Hall
  • Frank Tinney in vaudeville and Broadway musical comedies
  • Arthur Tracy, in vaudeville
  • Spencer Tracy in Dante's Inferno (1935)
  • Fred Travalena, impersonating Eddie Murphy on Live with Regis and Kathie Lee and Michael Jackson at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards
  • Sophie Tucker
  • Sonny Tufts in Here Come the Waves (1944)
  • Ben Turpin
  • Tracey Ullman as Shaneesha Turner on Tracey Takes On...
  • The Vagabonds in vaudeville and in People Are Talking (1946)
  • Van & Schenck
  • Jim Varney in Ernest Goes to Africa (1997)
  • Lupe Vélez in Redhead from Manhattan (1943)
  • Ben Vereen has performed tributes to Bert Williams, by donning blackface and singing and dancing in Williams' style
  • Bobby Vernon
  • Glen Vernon in Hollywood Varieties (1950)
  • Monica Vitti in L'eclisse (1962)
  • Erich von Stroheim in Thunder Over Paris (1940)
  • David Wain in an episode of Stella
  • George Walker
  • David Walliams in Little Britain
  • Sean Waltman, aka X-Pac, while impersonating Mark Henry during a D-Generation X parody of the Nation of Domination on the July 6, 1998 edition of WWE Raw
  • Tony Ward
  • Ethel Waters, in vaudeville
  • H. Vernon Watson (performing under the sobriquet Nosmo King)
  • John Wayne in The Spoilers (1942)
  • Clifton Webb in vaudeville, The Little Show (1929), and Flying Colors (1932)
  • Robert Webb in an episode of That Mitchell and Webb Look
  • Weber & Fields
  • Virginia Weidler in Babes on Broadway (1941) and Born to Sing (1942)
  • Mae West, in vaudeville
  • Wheeler & Woolsey in Diplomaniacs (1933) and in vaudeville
  • Leo White, in vaudeville and in The Hobo (1917)
  • Billy Whitlock
  • Marjorie White in New Movietone Follies of 1930 (1930)
  • James Whitmore in Black Like Me (1964)
  • Gene Wilder in Silver Streak (1976)
  • Barney Williams
  • Bert Williams
  • Hank Williams
  • Bob Wills
  • Flip Wilson in the 1980 TV special Uptown: A Tribute to the Apollo Theater
  • Tom Wilson
  • Jane Withers in Can This Be Dixie? (1936)
  • Jane Wyatt in Kisses for Breakfast (1941)
  • Keenan Wynn in Finian's Rainbow (1968)
  • The Yacht Club Boys

    • References

    List of entertainers who performed in blackface Wikipedia
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