cat: 'entertainment', env: 'prod', The comedian was a legend through and through: when faced with the overwhelming pressure to give in to hate, she resisted and won. Ignoring the racist calls, she interviewed a Black child during the childrens segment as well, reported The Washington Post. Betty White, whose more than 80-year career included Emmy-winning roles on sitcoms "The Golden Girls" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," died on Dec. 31. Decades later, in the doc, he was still in awe of her. He holds dual bachelor's degrees from Pace University and a master's degree from New York University. According to HITC, White's talk show was canceled in the mid-1950s because of his continued appearances on the show. [5]After several years of appearances in Europe, Duncan was discovered by Lawrence Welk's personal manager Sam Lutz. You never call. 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He typically performed one solo routine per episode, scored by the Lawrence Welk Orchestra, but also frequently danced with peers Bobby Burgess and Jack Imel. Not only had she been one of the first women to helm her own show on television, but she also laid the groundwork for how women could assert their agency in a landscape that was still dismissive of their talent and power. By the 1960s, White had made many appearances on television game shows. 0. So at age 18, he enrolled in Pasadena City College to study pharmacy. Follow reporter Asha Gilbert @Coastalasha. Arthur Duncan, 84, is a tap dancer best known for his stint on "The Lawrence Welk Show." PBS. White . Most incredibly, she was also a champion of LGBT equality. It didnt take long for the programs eponymous host to offer Duncan a permanent place in the shows musical family.. Entrepreneurs Summit You never ask me out," per People. url: 'betty,whites,controversial,hire,of,tap,dancer,arthur,duncan,made,history,in,more,ways,than,one', There was never a question at all, said Arthur regarding Bettys insistence. In 1954, Ms. White was pressured to replace Mr. Duncan, a dancer who went on to receive . env: 'prod', The Inspiring Story Of Arthur Duncan, The First Black Regular On An American Variety Show. White explained the controversy in the documentary, "All through the South there was this whole ruckus, they were going to take the show off the air if we didn't get rid of Arthur because he was Black," said White. Lets take a moment to honor the First Lady of Television and what her progressiveness meant to those watching at home. Betty knew she wasnt some prominent politician or royalty she was merely a television actress but she was still extremely self-aware of her influence on the country. She set the standard, and we will forever be grateful. subcat: '', 29K views 1 year ago Arthur Duncan (born September 25, 1933) is an American tap dancer, known for his stint as a performer on The Lawrence Welk Show from 1964 to 1982, which, along with his. 1. Now she wants restitution. Duncan reserved high praise for White during an appearance in a 2018 documentary about her titled 'Betty White: First Lady of Television.' tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { "I'm sorry, but, you know, he stays," White said,according to a PBS biography. Listen to Betty White. In 1954, Betty White rejected pressure to stop featuring tap dancer Arthur Duncan on her show because he was Black A file photo of Betty White. Sales Partnership Solutions . The almost-centenarian was an icon in every sense of the word: with a career spanning eighty years, she marked a turning point for women in entertainment. baseDivId: 'pb-slot-right-1', In a 2018 documentary honoring Bettys illustrious career, Arthur said, I credit Betty White for really getting me started in show business, in television. Betty herself wasnt blind to the outrage, but she wouldnt let the commotion, or as she said, the ruckus sway her in the least. "I hope we have a chance to visit after this is over," Duncan told White, to which she replied: "Oh, I hope so. And it was never a question at all," he recalled. Betty White was in "great spirits" and "looked amazing" while filming her final TV appearance which took place just 10 days before her death. Tell us what you think! Oborfacts What can i say? Arthur Duncan, a gifted dancer whose appearance on one of Betty White's early TV shows prompted a showdown between southern censors and White, died January 4. Of course, the social media world is full of distortions and fabrications. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. White had already spent years trying to break into film and TV and eventually managed to become a co-host of the Hollywood on Film talk show in 1949 and left only to launch her own company. As the host and producer, White hired young Black tap dancer Arthur Duncan to perform. A tap dancer with remarkable skill, Arthur Duncan was the first African American to be hired as a series regular on the variety shows of early television. On another episode, White interviewed a Black child during the childrens segment. Reunited with White on "Little Big Shots," Duncan reignited trademark banter they used to have on her show. subcat: '', Black Men XCEL "I'm sorry, but he staysLive with it!" Her respond to pressure to stop featuring him was that people had to "live with it." The show was Duncan's first big break in the business and helped launch his career. After being born in Pasadena, California in September 1933, Arthur Duncan took his first steps in the performing world at the age of just 13 and after a brief spell studying pharmacy, returned to the world of showbusiness in his early 20s. env: 'prod', He soon moved on to The Lawrence Welk Show in 1964, where he was introduced every week until 1982 as the man whos keeping tap dancing alive.. Whats more intriguing is that this wasnt Bettys sole act of defiance within the show; she interviewed a Black child on the special when it was considered controversial to do so. White, who died Friday, would have turned 100 on Jan. 17. divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-2', Following his breakthrough performances on variety shows, Arthur Duncan was invited to be part of Bob Hopes troupe of performers to tour US military bases and was the first African-American to do so. Betty White Made 1954's The Betty White Show Very Progressive. She also told her critics to "live with it.". . "I said, 'I'm sorry, but he staysLive with it!'" Sign up for notifications from Insider! White's team of talent included Black performer Arthur Duncan, who was about 21 at the time and looking for his big break. kw: 'mandc,celebrity,entertainment-industry,racism', In response, Betty White famously said Im sorry. Some facts about Betty White . url: 'betty,whites,controversial,hire,of,tap,dancer,arthur,duncan,made,history,in,more,ways,than,one', The show was the first big break for Duncan, then in his early 20s, he said in the 2018 documentary "Betty White, First Lady of Television.". In this day and age, this wouldn't be seen as any sort of big deal. "The Betty White Show" was short-lived, repeatedly rescheduled and eventually taken off air, per the Post. She deploys language as a way to connect with her audience and empower them to take action. You can empower others simply by speaking up when the opportunity arises. You never ask me out.. cat: 'entertainment', tag: 'mandc,celebrity,entertainment-industry,racism', When Harvey asked what Duncan thought about seeing White again, he jokedGod, I think I am ready to go now., Sports world reacts: Athletes, sports celebrities recall 'national treasure' Betty White, Celebrities mourn loss: Robert Redford shares his affection for Betty White, 'I had a crush on her, too! She pledged her support for same-sex marriage, saying, If a couple has been together all that time and there are gay relationships that are more solid than some heterosexual ones I think its fine if they want to get married. Additionally, she didnt understand how some people could be anti-something. She was a proponent of minding her business, standing up for the oppressed, and carving her unique place in the culture through entertainment. . When so many of her peers were justifying their ignorance by claiming to be a product of their times, Betty stood out. Duncan went on to have alustrouscareer inshow business and gained fame for being the first Black performer on The Lawrence Welk Show,according to The Library of Congress. As the world mourns actress and comedienneBetty White, who passed away on Dec. 31, many are discovering or being reminded of the way she broke TV barriers with tap dancerArthur Duncan. White's death, at the age of 99, was announced on Friday. Wikimedia CommonsBetty Whites show was canceled the same year she invited Duncan on as a guest three times. She was part of the board at the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association and regularly campaigned to raise more funds for the association. Her response: "I'm sorry. targeting: { Editor's note: This article was originally published on January 3, 2022. Email: agilbert@usatoday.com. Her show was canceled soon after. She treated Arthur like a friend and fought tooth and nail to have him on her show. Its because of people like her we were able to push the needle forward in terms of racial and gender equality. She knew exactly what was right and what was wrong, and didnt let the status quo defer her from taking a stand. "Her response: 'I'm sorry. In 1954, #BettyWhite was criticized after having Arthur Duncan, a Black tap dancer, on her show. Duncan went on to become the first Black regular on a variety show when he was hired on 'The Lawrence Welk Show' and he continued on that show for another 20 years. Part of her show would feature a young Black entertainer by the name of Arthur Duncan. The dancer, Arthur Duncan, was featured on "The Betty White Show" that aired in the 1950s. The Betty White Show gave tap dancing star Arthur Duncan his big break but his appearance on the show wasnt universally popular at all. White was briefly married to U.S. army pilot Dick Barker in 1945.Two years later, White wed Hollywood agent Lane Allen, whom she divorced in 1949. . Veteran actress Betty White, best known for her role in The Golden Girls and whose career spanned eight decades, has died aged 99. From left to right: Arthur Duncan, director Dean Hargrove, actor Norman LLoyd, and cinematographer Stephen Poster at a screening of, Arthur Duncan (left) and Betty White (seated) at their reunion on Steve Harveys, how Hattie McDaniel became the first Black Oscar winner, the first African-American photographers and their portraits. White went on to game shows, the talk-show circuit and eventually mega-stardom as Rose Nylund on the 1980s sitcom The Golden Girls.. What really defines Betty Whites legacy is her sheer willingness to go against the grain and subvert expectations. At the time, she faced criticism for including African-American actor Arthur Duncan in the series, and refused to remove him from the show despite a loss in ratings. At a time when racial segregation was at boiling point, there were strong calls from different quarters to remove a tap dancer named Arthur Duncan from her show. } In 1954 Betty White had a talk show and faced criticism for including a black tap dancer, Arthur Duncan, on her show. Less than three weeks before her 100th birthday, the actress . she bluntly told those that brought the matter to her, reported PEOPLE. Betty imbued charm, wit, and sincerity at each and every turn, always ready to poke fun at herself and those around her, eager to uncover both the humanity in comedy and the comedy in humanity. Live. Live with it. Then, she gave Duncan even more airtime when he appeared on the show twice more. Nur Nasreen Ibrahim is a reporter with experience working in television, international news coverage, fact checking, and creative writing. In fact, as per Arthur, Betty gave him more time on the air when they started receiving backlash. Betty White broke barriers, defied expectations, served her country, and pushed us all to laugh. Stay up to date with what you want to know. Given that White and Duncan both corroborated this story in the documentary, we rate this claim as True.. I know our Bo is looking forward to seeing her up in heaven. ', 'What could be better than show business? tag: 'mandc,celebrity,entertainment-industry,racism', 1956) . Even at the risk of cancelation, White insisted that Arthur Duncan stay on and thus helped launch a successful career for him. She even had a regular childrens segment. Left: Arthur Duncan/Betty White Show/NBC Right: American actor Betty White wearing a veiled hat, circa 1955. But White didnt capitulate, telling her critics, Im sorry, but he stays. Born in Pasadena, California, Duncan entered show business at age 13, when he was a member of a dance quartet that performed at McKinley Junior High School in Pasadena, California. And it was never a question at all.. url: 'betty,whites,controversial,hire,of,tap,dancer,arthur,duncan,made,history,in,more,ways,than,one', Amid the overt racism,The Betty White Show may have also been quietly sabotaged by brands who chose to stay away from the controversy. Betty White gave Arthur his first job on her televised variety show, The Betty White Show. 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When Duncan told White, "I hope we have a chance to visit after this is over," she replied, "Oh, I hope so.