Louise Beavers - Acting Career

Acting Career

Louise Beavers started her career in the 1920s during the time of racism towards African Americans because African Americans on film were stuck in the same roles over and over again. She played the mammy in many of the movies she acted in. She started to gain more attention in the acting world after she played the role of Julia in Coquette, which starred Mary Pickford. In this film she played the black maid and mother figure to a young white woman. She once received a review which stated, "Personally Miss Beavers is just splendid, just as fine as she appears on screen, but she also has a charm all her own, which needs no screen role for recognition. She has a very pleasing personality, one that draws people to her instantly and makes them feel that they are meeting a friend instead of a Hollywood Star.” Beavers had a personality that brought people towards her and caused a common reaction, people wanted to watch her charm in more movies. In most of her films, she is the one who helps one of the white protagonists mature throughout the movie. In most of the movies, her roles were written so that as an African American she would be a fund, “of servitude and/or comic relief”.

It was in 1934, when Beavers played Delilah in Imitation of Life that gave her a leading role that was not overshadowed by a white actor or actress. Her character, Delilah, plays a black maid again but instead of the usual subservience, Delilah has a story equivalent to the white lead. The main line of the movie parallels that of African Americans in real life. After the movie was made, the public was reportedly quite impressed by her performance. It was not only a huge breakthrough for Beavers, but it was also, “the first time in American cinema history that a black woman's problems were give major emotional weight in a major Hollywood motion picture”. California Graphic Magazine wrote, “the Academy could not recognize Miss Beavers. She is black!”

As her career grew over time, she received criticism for allegedly choosing roles that made African Americans subservient to whites, but as she said, given the limited opportunities available, she was “only playing the parts. I don't live them”. Beavers had to learn the southern “Negro” dialect. But as she became more popular, it was harder for her earn roles in Hollywood. As she became more famous, she started to speak out against how the Hollywood industry was portraying African Americans and how they were treated during production and also after promoting the films.

Beavers was one of four actresses (including Hattie McDaniel, Ethel Waters, and Amanda Randolph) to portray housekeeper Beulah on the Beulah television show. That show was the first television sitcom to star an African American. She also played a maid, Louise, on the first two seasons of The Danny Thomas Show (1953–1955).

Beavers started to become involved in aspects of life other than acting, where she helped support African Americans. She endorsed Robert S. Abbott, the editor of the Chicago Defender, who helped fight for African Americans' civil rights. She supported Richard Nixon, whom she believed would help African Americans in the United States in the civil rights battle.