Butterfly McQueen

Thelma Butterfly McQueen was an American actress Originally a dancer McQueen first appeared in film in 1939 as Prissy Scarlett OHaras maid in the film Gone with the Wind She was unable to attend the movies premiere because it was held at a whitesonly theater Often typecast as a maid she said I didnt mind playing a maid the first time because I thought that was how you got into the business But after I did the same thing over and over I resented it I didnt mind being funny but I didnt like being stupid She continued as an actress in film in the 1940s and then moved to television acting in the 1950s McQueen was appearing on the Broadway stage in the comedy What a Life in 1938 when she was spotted by Kay Brown talent scout for David O Selznick then in preproduction for Gone With the Wind eventually released in 1939 Brown recommended that McQueen audition for the film After Selznick saw her screen test he never considered anyone else and McQueen was cast in the role that would become her most identifiable Prissy a simpleminded house maid She uttered the famous words Oh Miss Scarlett I dont know nothin bout birthin babies Her distinctive highpitched voice was noted by a critic who described it as the itsylittle voice fading over the far horizon of comprehension While the role is well known to audiences McQueen did not enjoy playing the part and felt it was demeaning to AfricanAmericans She also played an uncredited bit part as a sales assistant in The Women 1939 filmed after Gone with the Wind but released before it She also played Butterfly Rochesters niece and Mary Livingstones maid in the Jack Benny radio program for a time during World War II She appeared in an uncredited role in Mildred Pierce 1945 where she had a good amount of screen time and played a supporting role in Duel in the Sun 1946 By 1947 she had grown tired of the ethnic stereotypes she was required to play and ended her film career During World War II McQueen frequently appeared as a comedian on the Armed Forces Radio Service broadcast Jubilee Many of these broadcasts are available on the Internet Archive From 1950 until 1952 she was featured in another racially stereotyped role on the television series Beulah She played Beulahs friend Oriole a character originated on radio by Ruby Dandridge who would then take over the TV role from McQueen in 195253 In a lighter moment she appeared in a 1969 episode of The Dating Game Offers for acting roles began to dry up around this time and she devoted herself to other pursuits including political study She received a bachelors degree in political science from City College of New York in 19751 McQueen played the character of Aunt Thelma a fairy godmother in the ABC Weekend Special episode The Seven Wishes of Joanna Peabody 1978 and the ABC Afterschool Special episode Seven Wishes of a Rich Kid 1979 her performance in the latter earned her a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Childrens Programming She had one more role of substance in the 1986 film The Mosquito Coast