James Baskett facts for kids

Quick facts for kids James Baskett
Baskett as Uncle Remus in Song of the South
Born	(1904-02-16)February 16, 1904 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Died	July 9, 1948(1948-07-09) (aged 44) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Cause of death	Heart failure as a result of complications from diabetes
Resting place	Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Other names	Jimmie Baskette Jimmy Baskette
Occupation	Actor, singer
Years active	1929–48

James Baskett (born February 16, 1904 – died July 9, 1948) was an American actor and singer. He is best known for playing Uncle Remus in the 1946 Disney movie Song of the South. In this film, he also sang the famous song "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah". Because of his great acting as Uncle Remus, he received an Honorary Academy Award. This made him the first African-American man to win an Oscar.

Early Life and Career

James Baskett was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. He studied pharmacology, which is the study of how medicines work. However, he stopped his studies because of money problems.

To support himself, Baskett became an actor. He moved to New York City and joined the acting group of Bill Robinson. Bill Robinson was a famous dancer known as Mr. Bojangles.

In 1929, using the name Jimmie Baskette, he acted on Broadway with Louis Armstrong. This was in a musical show called Hot Chocolates.

Movies and Radio

James Baskett also acted in several movies made in New York. These films featured all black actors. One of his early movies was Harlem Is Heaven (1932), which also starred Bill Robinson.

Later, he moved to Los Angeles, California. He had a supporting role in Straight to Heaven (1939). He also had small parts in movies like Revenge of the Zombies (1943) and The Heavenly Body (1944).

From 1944 to 1948, he joined the cast of the Amos 'n' Andy radio show. He played the character of lawyer Gabby Gibson.

Becoming Uncle Remus

In 1945, James Baskett tried out for a small voice role in a new Disney movie. This film was Song of the South (1946). It was based on the Uncle Remus stories by Joel Chandler Harris.

Walt Disney was very impressed with Baskett's talent. He immediately hired him for the main role of Uncle Remus. Baskett also provided the voice for Br'er Fox, one of the animated characters. He even filled in as the voice for Br'er Rabbit in one part of the movie.

This role was very important. It was one of the first times a black actor played a main character in a Hollywood film for everyone to see. This character was not just for comedy.

Sadly, James Baskett was not allowed to attend the movie's premiere in Atlanta, Georgia. This was because Atlanta had segregation laws at the time. These laws kept people of different races separated.

Academy Award

Uncle Remus as portrayed by James Baskett in Song of the South

Some people criticized Baskett for taking the role of Uncle Remus. However, almost everyone praised his acting. Many journalists, like Hedda Hopper, said he should get an Academy Award for his work.

On March 20, 1948, James Baskett received an Honorary Academy Award. This award was for his amazing performance as Uncle Remus. He was the first African-American male actor to win an Academy Award.

Health and Passing

Around 1946, while filming Song of the South, James Baskett's health was not good. He had diabetes and suffered a heart attack. His health continued to get worse. He was often too sick to attend the Amos and Andy radio show.

On July 9, 1948, James Baskett passed away at age 44. He died from heart failure caused by his diabetes. He was survived by his wife, Margaret. He is buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: James Baskett para niños