that is a good question...i really cant think of any besides a episode of Dick Van Dyke, but that might had been later.

That episode used race as a joke too. Rob Petry was convinced that the hospital mixed up his newborn with that of another couple's. When he had the other couple stop by his home, he immediately realized he was wrong because the couple was black. It was rare for tv to inject this type of humor then.

olivant, I recall only a couple episodes of Andy Griffith with black people, but they were extras without speaking parts. Didn't Jack Benny feature a black character in his show in the 50s? Also, The Little Rascals and Our Gang had Buckwheat, whom I liked more than Alfalfa, but not as much as Froggy.

Yes, Kly. Benny had Rochester. By the way, Greg Morris of Mission Impossible played the black parent of the child Rob thought got mixed up with his.

I also remember Frank (pronounced Frahnk), the gardener on Fathers Knows Best. I believe he was supposed to be hispanic.

What about Amos & Andy which had an entire Black cast if I recall. This was way way back in the 50's when tv was very new. That had to have been unusual for sure. I can't say I remembe specifics of the show, but to my memory, that was the first (and only) show at the time that had a Black cast. I remember watching it regularly though. SC & TB, surely you guys remember it.


TIS

Yeah, TIS, "Amos & Andy" was one of the early pioneers with blacks on tv. It was thought to be a politically UNcorrect show, though, and I think the NAACP bought up the rights to the show vowing to never air it again.

Nat King Cole starred in his own variety show in the mid 50s.

Bill Cosby is generally regarded as the first black to co-star in a major series and that came in the mid 60s ("I Spy").

Buckwheat was the last of the blacks on the Little Rascals. Before him there was Sunshine Sammy, Farina and Stymie.

"Sunshine Sammy" Morrison went on to star as Scruno in the Bowery Boys movies during the 40s.

OMG I used to love those flicks!! I hope they make it to DVD one of these days... it's been a while, to say the least!

Wasn't the show "Julia" one of the first of its kind as well?

Yes, Babe, it was. In fact, she predated MTMoore as a single mother. Being a black single mother was even more progressive.

Glad ya'll mentioned Amos 'an Andy. God, it was one of the authentically funny shows on TV ever. It was hilarious. It was predated on radio though. The performers then were white.

how the hell did i forget about buckwheat? i wonder though when was the first time that African Americans were shown in film?

I used to love those movies too. I was turned on to them when I was a kid and a local tv station used to air one each weekend morning. It was a few years before I discovered that the "regulars" (Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, etc.) were a part of the Dead End kids before being "The Bowery Boys" or "The East Side Kids".

If you've never seen the movie "Dead End" (Joel McCrea and Sylvia Sidney star along with a young Humphrey Bogart) you should really try to catch it on tv or rent it. It was a serious movie showcasing the poverty of a tenement street and some of its inhabitants. The kids were supposed to be tough kids (dated by today's standards) rather than the clowns they later portrayed.

Back to the subject of blacks in film.... Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, arguably one of the best dancers who ever performed in the 20th century appeared in a movie with a very young Shirley Temple in the mid 30s. It created quite an uproar to have them dancing together.

Sammy Davis Jr appeared in a film in the late 20s.... I'd highly recommend his autobiography, "Yes I Can", for some good insight into blacks and films and the entertainment industry back then.

wow i didnt knew sammy davis jr went that far back. also too has anybody heard about the upcoming three stooges movie...staring jim carey as curly, and sean penn as larry fine.

http://www.variety.com/VR1118001643.html

I happened to be channel surfing and found The Good, The Bad & The Ugly. I forgot Eli Wallach was really that young?
Of course Eastwood was in his prime too.




TIS

I'm not sure what to make of this. The Stooges are sacred. I don't know the guy playing Moe, but he sounds capable. It will be tough, I imagine, to recreate the slapstick hilarity of the Stooges.

A new Jim Gaffigan standup special is premiering tonight on Comedy Central in about 10 minutes. Although maybe you guys on the East Coast might have missed it already? He's one of my favorite comedians, a very goofy extremely pale white guy. If you ever get a chance to see his standup he's hilarious.

I didn't see the show, blib, but Jim Gaffigan is hilarious. He's one of the best.

Just saw "Primal Fear" on T.V. I hadn't seen it since I was in primary School. I don't like Gerbil loving, Richard Gear, But in this film he's actually pretty decent. I couldn't believe this was Edward Norton's movie debut. He got an Oscar nomination for this part and he is friggin' fantastic in this. Definitely a great actor.

Good film.

I liked that movie too Whisper. And, I agree Norton was fabulous. It's been a long time since I've seen it as well. It definitely is worth watching again.


TIS

I too like this film and especially Edward Norton's acting. His transformation for American History X is amazing, though I don't like the movie as much.

Pale white guy from Indiana? Oh, the OTHER one.

Just about to watch Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares USA. Watch big Gord sort out some softie Americans by swearing constantly at them

I just found out who he was a couple of months ago. He's very funny and entertaining.

Farrah Fawcett has been hospitalized and is in bad shape, sources close to family and friends tell RadarOnline.com exclusively.

She has been battling cancer for three years and recently returned from Germany, where she had experimental stem-cell treatment. Sources told RadarOnline.com that she is critical but stable in a Los Angeles-area hospital. They also say she is unconscious and has been hospitalized for days.

Long-time love Ryan O’Neal has been by Farrah’s bedside, as has troubled son Redmond, who bolted from rehab earlier this week.

Farrah, 62, was diagnosed with anal cancer in 2006 and later pronounced cancer free at a press conference.

It is not known whether she will survive.

I've only heard she's in the hospital, but no story, even on the local L.A. News (although I could have missed it) on how or "if" it's life threatening at this time.

I'm sorry to hear that though. I pray she survives her cancel battle.


TIS

damn...i hope she makes it though

Watched a thing on the BBC last night called FIVE MINUTES OF HEAVEN. I know you have a US BBC channel so if you get the chance watch it.

Set in Northern Ireland during the troubles and featuring both sides of the divide,a great human drama starring the ever excellent Liam Neeson and James Nesbitt (who you may not be so famaliar with).

Excellent viewing and highly recommended.

There was a multi-part series on Jesus on DSC last night. On it they even used skulls from Palestine to figure out what Jesus might have looked like. They definitely don't think he was blonde.

Some scientists performed a similar study some years ago.

In his life on Earth Jesus most likely never saw a person with blue eyes.

Whether you liked the film or not, that's one thing THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST had right: a black haired, dark eyed Jesus. I really can't imagine another Jeffrey Hunter type being cast in the part ever again.

During the past year I was able to locate on Youtube the opening scene of Patton which is a speech performed by George C. Scott as Patton. However, I've been searching Youtube the past couple of days to view it agaibn and I cannot locate it. Anyone else find it?