Madame Sul-Te-Wan

Biography

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.

Known For

King Kong

as Native Handmaiden (uncredited)

The Birth of a Nation

as Black Woman

Sullivan's Travels

as Church Harmonium Player (Uncredited)

Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages

as Girl at the Marriage Market (uncredited)

College

as Cook (uncredited)

Mighty Joe Young

as Young Family Servant (Uncredited)

Carmen Jones

as Hagar – Carmen's Grandmother (Uncredited)

Imitation of Life

as Cook (uncredited)

San Francisco

as Earthquake Survivor (Uncredited)

The Buccaneer

as Good Luck Charm Vendor