Madame Sul-Te-Wan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Madame Sul-Te-Wan (born Nellie Crawford; March 7, 1873 – February 1, 1959) was the first African-American actress to sign a film contract and be a featured performer. She was an American stage, film and television actress for over 50 years. The daughter of former slaves, she began her career in entertainment touring the East Coast with various theatrical companies and moved to California to become a member of the fledgling film community. She became known as a character actress, appeared in high-profile films such as The Birth of a Nation (1915) and Intolerance (1916), and easily navigated the transition to the sound films. In 1986, she was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame.

Cast

The Narrow Street

(Easter)

Black Moon

(Ruva)

Who's Your Father?

(Black Mother (uncredited))

The Pagan Lady

(Carla the Servant)

Horrible Horror

(Tahama in 'King of the Zombies')

Tarzan of the Apes

(Esmeralda - Jane's Maid (uncredited))

In Old Chicago

(Hattie)

Uncle Tom's Cabin

(Slave at Wedding (uncredited))

Manslaughter

(Prison Inmate (uncredited))

The Thoroughbred

(Sacharine)

The Affairs of Annabel

(Benzedrina (uncredited))

Tell No Tales

(Jim Alley's Mother (uncredited))

Heaven on Earth

(Voodoo Sue)

Tarzan and the Trappers

(Witch Woman)

Revenge of the Zombies

(Beulah)

Kentucky

(Lily)

Thunderbolt

(Bit Role)

Maid of Salem

(Tituba)

Sarah and Son

(Belloc's Maid (Uncredited))

Torchy Blane.. Playing with Dynamite

(Ruby (uncredited))

College

(Cook (uncredited))

Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages

(Girl at the Marriage Market (uncredited))

Old Wives for New

(Viola's Maid (uncredited))

Love Thy Neighbor

(Lady McBeth)

Maryland

(Naomi)

Safari

(Native Woman)

Thank Your Lucky Stars

(Bit in "Ice Cold Katie" Number (uncredited))

San Francisco

(Earthquake Survivor (Uncredited))

Island in the Sky

(Scrubwoman (Uncredited))

So Red the Rose

(Slave (Uncredited))

King Kong

(Native Handmaiden (uncredited))

Queen Kelly

(Kali Sana – Aunt's Cook (Uncredited))

The Cause of It All

(Mary - The Hotel Cook)

A Modern Hero

(Mme. Azais' Neighbor ( Uncredited))

The Children Pay

(Uncredited)

Jungle Mystery

(Native Woman in Stockade (Uncredited))

The Carnation Kid

(The Maid (Uncredited))

Stage Struck

(Uncredited)

Ladies They Talk About

(Mustard (uncredited))

Operator 13

(Slave at Medicine Show ( Uncredited))

The Golden Bed

(Boarding House Maid (Uncredited))

His Musical Sneeze

(Maid (uncredited))

Why Change Your Wife?

(Sally's Maid (Uncredited))

Squirrel Food

(Flirt)

The Story of Seabiscuit

(Libby)

Mokey

(Miss Cully, Old Black Woman (Uncredited))

Band of Angels

(Flower Vendor (Uncredited))

The Buccaneer

(Good Luck Charm Vendor)

Carmen Jones

(Hagar – Carmen's Grandmother (Uncredited))

Mighty Joe Young

(Young Family Servant (Uncredited))

The Toy Wife

(Eve, a Black Servant (Uncredited))

Sullivan's Travels

(Church Harmonium Player (Uncredited))

Something of Value

(Midwife (Uncredited))

King of the Zombies

(Tahama)

The Birth of a Nation

(Black Woman)

Hoodoo Ann

(Black Cindy)

The Lightning Rider

(Mammy)

Imitation of Life

(Cook (uncredited))

The Show

(Maid (uncredited))