"Stepin Fetchit"....made a million bucks for just playing dumb (Wasn't so Dumb, Now Was He!)

Stepin Fetchit, born Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry in 1902, was a pioneering American actor and comedian known for his roles in early Hollywood films. Fetchit was the first Black actor to earn a million dollars in film, making him one of the wealthiest Black actors of his time. He gained fame during the 1930s, primarily through his roles portraying the “lazy” and “befuddled” archetype in films like Steamboat Round the Bend (1935) and Judge Priest (1934). This persona, though popular with mainstream audiences, was highly controversial and has since been criticized as perpetuating harmful stereotypes. Despite his financial success, Fetchit’s wealth dwindled in later years due to mismanagement and challenges in Hollywood's changing landscape. By the end of his life, his finances had suffered significantly. He passed away in 1985, leaving a complex legacy both as a groundbreaking Black actor and as a figure associated with stereotypical representations in American cinema.

BJ 🙈🙉🙊