Sam McDaniel and Hattie McDaniel

Sam McDaniel and Hattie McDaniel were siblings, who both began their film acting careers at the advent of the Pre-Code era. They would prove to be pioneers during the Golden Age of Hollywood, as Black actors. A third sibling, Etta McDaniel, was also an actress in Hollywood at that time.

Sam McDaniel first appeared in a film as “Adam” in King Vidor’s American Pre-Code Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical, ‘Hallelujah’ - (1929), also featuring Daniel L. Haynes as “Zeke”, Nina Mae McKinney as “Chick”, William Fountaine as “Hot Shot”, Victoria Spivey as “Missy Rose”, and also featuring the Dixie Jubilee Singers.

Hattie McDaniel began her career in a Pre-Code film short, Jester Hairston’s ‘Deep South’ - (1930), and she later made her feature film debut in Robert F. Hill’s American Pre-Code mystery film, ‘Love Bound’ (1932), also fraturing Jack Mulhall, Natalie Moorhead, and Clara Kimball Young.

Samuel Rufus McDaniel (January 28, 1886 – September 24, 1962), appeared in over 210 television shows and films between 1929 and 1950.

Hattie McDaniel (June 10, 1893 – October 26, 1952) was an actress, singer-songwriter, and comedienne whose career spanned between 1920 and 1952. For her role as “Mammy” in ‘Gone with the Wind’ (1939), she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, becoming the first African American to win an Oscar. She has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame in 1975, and in 2006 she became the first Black Oscar winner honored with a U.S. postage stamp.