Betty White's Staunch Defense Of Black Tap Dancer In 1950s Risked Her Show

Feb 14, 2022

Actress and comedian Betty White had arguably one of the most iconic and noteworthy careers in Hollywood. With a career spanning over eight decades, White was a pioneer in the entertainment industry, both on and off the camera. 

White was named the honorary Mayor of Hollywood in 1955 after becoming the first woman to produce a sitcom in the United States. She was also the first woman to receive a Daytime Emmy Award for hosting the show "Just Men!" in 1983. Because of this, she was often referred to as "The First Lady of Television," which also happens to be the title of a 2018 documentary that takes viewers through White's career and personal life. 

White earned a Guinness World Record for the "longest TV career by a female entertainer" in 2014 and in 2018 for her work in television, both on and off the screen. White was a 1995 Television Hall of Fame inductee. Over her career, she earned eight Emmy Awards, three American Comedy Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards and a Grammy Award. Fittingly, she has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Over the course of her career, White did everything she could to make a positive impact on the entertainment industry. She's known for her bluntness in her comedy, and when she saw a talented individual, she did everything she could to support them, no matter the consequences. 

This is how she became friends with tap dancer Arthur Duncan. She gave Duncan his first big role when she cast him on "The Betty White Show," White's variety show that aired throughout the 1950s. 

Uplifting Others Through Comedy

Though this decision may not seem unusual today, Betty White's decision to include a person of color in her regular cast was almost unheard of. After Arthur Duncan made his first appearance on White's show, many viewers were unhappy, to say the least. 

On a 2017 episode of Steve Harvey's show "Little Big Shots: Forever Young," Duncan explained what happened when he first appeared on the show. 

"I was on the show, and they had some letters out of Mississippi and elsewhere that some of the stations would not carry the show if I was permitted to stay on there," Duncan said. He went on to explain that though White could have removed him from the show, she responded to those letters with the same forwardness that she's always been known for. 

"Well, Betty wrote back and said, 'Needless to say, we used Arthur Duncan every opportunity we could,'" Duncan said. 

Duncan spoke about the experience again in White's 2018 documentary. In it, he said that he owes his career to White, and that it was never a question in her mind of whether he would stay. 

"I credit Betty White for really getting me started in show business," he said.

White gave her opinion on the situation in the documentary as well. She called the complaints "a whole ruckus," and said the network threatened to take the show off the air if Duncan stayed on. White called their bluff, telling them that she didn't care what anyone thought. 

"I said, 'I'm sorry, but he stays...Live with it!'" White said. 

A Friendship To Last a Lifetime 

Duncan was unaware of the controversy until years later. White's variety show was canceled that same year, but because of the exposure he had already received, Duncan soon received an offer from Lawrence Welk to be a regular cast member on "The Lawrence Welk Show." This role made Duncan the first African-American regular on a variety television program. 

Duncan turned this initial opportunity from White into a successful career that spanned over 60 years. When he appeared as a guest on Steve Harvey's show, Harvey surprised him by inviting Betty White onto the stage. At 83 years old, Duncan joked that now that he had seen White again, his life was complete. 

When Harvey asked him how he felt about seeing White, Duncan said, "I'm ready to go now," and he told White that he hoped they could catch up after the show. White laughed and said, "Oh, I hope so. You never call. You never ask me out."

On Dec. 31, 2021, White died in her sleep, just two weeks before her 100th birthday. Millions of fans and giants in the entertainment industry mourned White's death. The Martin Luther King Jr. Center publicly expressed their condolences on Twitter, and praised the actress for her support of racial equality over the years. 

The tweet explained how White had supported Duncan, despite pressure from the network and viewers to drop him from her show. The post concluded with the phrase, "Rest well, Betty," and a hashtag that read, "thank you for being a friend." 

At 99 years old, White lived a full, happy life, and she will always be remembered for her selfless acts of kindness in an industry that often promoted the opposite. 

What do you think about Betty White's decision to keep Arthur Duncan on her show? Pass this along to anyone you know who can't get enough of the beloved Hollywood icon!