William “Willie” Best (May 27, 1916 - February 27, 1962), sometimes known as “Sleep n' Eat,” was an American television and film actor. Best was one of the first African-American film actors and comedians to become well known. In the 21st century, his work, like that of Stepin Fetchit, is sometimes reviled because he was often called upon to play stereotypically lazy, illiterate, and/or simple-minded characters in films. Of the 124 films he appea...
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Ellis in Freedomland
As Male Model
Blondie
As Porter
Blondie Brings Up Baby
As Hotel Janitor (uncredited)
Scattergood Survives a Murder
As Hipp
Cinderella Swings It
As Hipp
The Covered Trailer
As Baltimore
High Sierra
As Algernon
Feet First
As Janitor
The Ghost Breakers
As Alex
Hit and Rum
As Shoe Shine Man (uncredited)
A-Haunting We Will Go
As Waiter
The Littlest Rebel
As James Henry
Dangerous Money
As Chattanooga Brown
The Red Dragon
As Chattanooga Brown
Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter
As Apollo Johnson
Murder on a Bridle Path
As 'High-Pockets'
Highway West
As Bub Wellington
The Smiling Ghost
As Clarence
The Hidden Hand
As Eustis, the chauffeur
Little Miss Marker
As Dizzy Memphis (uncredited)
Murder on a Honeymoon
As Willie (as Sleep 'n' Eat)
Cabin in the Sky
As Second Idea Man
The Face of Marble
As Shadrach
Nothing But the Truth
As Samuel
Whispering Ghosts
As Euclid White Brown
Juke Girl
As Jo-Mo
Maisie Gets Her Man
As Sam (Uncredited)
Busses Roar
As Sunshine
She Wouldn't Say Yes
As Porter (uncredited)
Pillow to Post
As Lucille, Colonial Auto Court Porter
The Girl Who Dared
As Woodrow
Road Show
As Willie
The Lady from Cheyenne
As George
Super-Sleuth
As Warts, Martin's manservant
Down the Stretch
As Noah
Kisses for Breakfast
As Arnold
The Bride Wore Boots
As Joe
The Monster and the Ape
As Flash
Raised and Called
Who Killed Aunt Maggie?
As Andrew
Home in Indiana
As Mo' Rum (uncredited)
Goodbye Broadway
As Jughead
Money and the Woman
As George Washington Jones
Muss 'em Up
As Janitor at Spivali's Bar (uncredited)
Merrily We Live
As George
Gold Is Where You Find It
As Joshua
Meet the Missus
As Bootblack
Saturday's Heroes
As Sam
The Red Stallion
As Jackson
Deep South
The Lady Fights Back
As McTavish
The Powers Girl
As Men's Room Attendant (uncredited)
Youth Takes a Fling
As George
We Who Are About to Die
As Airport Porter (uncredited)
Dixie
As Steward (uncredited)
Hold That Blonde!
As Willie Shelley
To Beat the Band
As Elevator Operator
Up Pops the Devil
As Laundryman
Everybody's Doing It
As Jasper - Elevator Operator
At the Circus
As Redcap (uncredited)
Two in Revolt
As Eph
Mummy's Boys
As Catfish
Spring Madness
As Porter on Train
The Nitwits
As Sleepy
Kentucky Kernels
As Buckshot (as Sleep 'n' Eat)
Horse Heir
The Saint Strikes Back
As Algernon, Simon's Butler (Uncredited)
Mr. Moto in Danger Island
As Launch Pilot
Way Down South
As Chimney Sweep
Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation
As Driver (uncredited)
South of Caliente
As Willie, Stable Boy
Slightly Honorable
As Art, Elevator Operator
The Bride Walks Out
As Smokie
Blackmail
As Bunny - the Janitor (uncredited)
Jalna
As Sam
Racing Lady
As Brass
You Can't Buy Luck
As Airline Porter (uncredited)
Night Waitress
As Black Pedestrian
Crashing Hollywood
As Train Porter (uncredited)
Music for Millions
As Red Cap (uncredited)
Ladies of Leisure
As George (uncredited)
Blondie on a Budget
As Newsboy (uncredited)
I Take This Woman
As Sambo
Suddenly It's Spring
As Porter on Train
The Green Pastures
As Henry - the Angel (uncredited)
West of the Pecos
As Jonah (as Sleep 'n' Eat)
Thank You, Jeeves!
As Drowsy
The Mark of the Whistler
As Men's Room Attendant (uncredited)
Breakdowns of 1941
As Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Hot Tip
As Apollo
I'm from the City
As Train Porter
The Arizonian
As Pompey
General Spanky
As Henry
Mississippi Moods
Thank Your Lucky Stars
As Soldier in "Ice Cold Katie" Number (uncredited)
Vivacious Lady
As Porter
Silly Billies
As Excitement
The Monster Walks
As Exodus
The Kansan
As Bones
Harold Lloyd's World of Comedy
As Charlie (archive footage)
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
As Self (archive footage)
Straight, Place and Show
As Hannibal
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
As Self (archive footage)
Shanghai Chest
As Willie Best
Breezing Home
As Speed
Half Past Midnight
As Andy Jones
Flight from Destiny
As George
The Adventures of Mark Twain
As Butler
Scattergood Baines
As Hipp
Private Detective
As Norton's Valet
Minstrel Days
As Singer
Virtuous Husband
As Luftus
The Guilty Generation
As Club Merlin Doorman (uncredited)
The Body Disappears
As Willie
My Little Margie
Racket Squad
The Stu Erwin Show
As Willie
Waterfront
As Billy Slocum