theloudestvoice: Happy birthday Etta Lee (September 12, 1906 - October 27, 1956) Hawaiian-born and o

theloudestvoice:Happy birthday Etta Lee (September 12, 1906 - October 27, 1956)Hawaiian-born and of Asian ancestry, Etta Lee’s filmography is loaded with roles like “Manicurist,” “Girl in Gambling Den,” “Slave Girl,” “Second Gossip,” and “Maid.” The narrow scope of these roles is evidence enough of how heavily the odds were stacked against anyone who did not appear Caucasian in 1920s-30s Hollywood. During a time when the roles of other races were often played by whites in makeup and costume, seeing actual actors and actresses of other races in films must have been both exhilarating and a bit depressing for non-white audiences. Exhilarating because finally there was proof that people of other races could appear on screen, too; depressing because there was also ample evidence that they would only be permitted to make it so far. Typecast in roles that nearly always portrayed them as “less-than,” “exotic,” or criminal, these actors made the most of the roles they were allowed and paved the way for the broader (but still nowhere near perfect) range of expression seen in Hollywood today. I’ve barely been able to find any biographical information on Etta Lee, but there is a very brief bio here. -- source link

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