Judge Priest - Stepin Fetchit

Stepin Fetchit

Stepin Fetchit’s character in Judge Priest, Jeff Poindexter, is the early twentieth-century stereotypical black man. Jeff Poindexter is extremely dull, slow and lazy. Stepin Fetchit (actually born Lincoln Perry) built his reputation by stereotyping blacks in this manner. It was this portrayal of blacks that enraged many black activists who were fighting the very stereotypes he was portraying. Many blacks labeled him a traitor and purposely avoided events that he was scheduled to attend.

Stepin Fetchit was born in 1902, in Key West, Florida. Although he was uneducated, he was a very shrewd and calculating man. Despite the on screen appearance of being dim-witted, Stephin Fetchit was aggressive with the moguls and producers who controlled Hollywood. Fetchit had pride in being a “militant Negro”. Fetchit was able to work with both black and whites, allowing him to reach high levels of success. In this way Fetchit was the first Black actor to fight for equal treatment from Hollywood executives.

In his role as Jeff Poindexter, Director John Ford gave Fetchit some room to expand his comic performance. When Judge Priest asked Jeff why he was not wearing his shoes, Jeff comically replied, “I’m saving them for when my feet wear out.”

Stepin Fetchit was known for attending lavish parties and causing mischief while off the studio lot. In fact, Fox Studios would hire a white bodyguard to ensure that he did not get into trouble while he was off set. Right before the shooting of Judge Priest, Fetchit caused a commotion at a benefit show at the Apollo Theater in New York City. When he arrived back in Hollywood for the filming of Judge Priest, Fetchit’s behavior was much better. In fact, only once was Fetchit late for a shoot (he forgot his make-up kit).