Stepin Fetchit Hollywood's First Black Millionaire for playing dumb and lazy in the 1930's "Really" (Bull or What) ?

 Stepin Fetchit — born Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry in 1902 — became Hollywood’s first widely recognized Black millionaire in the 1930s, but he did it through a screen persona that today is controversial: the “lazy, slow-talking, shiftless” Black man.

Here’s how it happened:

1. Breaking into Film

• Perry began in vaudeville as part of a comic duo, where his stage name “Stepin Fetchit” came from a racehorse he liked.

• He moved into silent films in the late 1920s and transitioned to talking pictures during the early sound era.

• His exaggerated “slow-witted” character was unlike anything audiences (especially white audiences) had seen — and studios saw it as bankable comedy.

2. Studio Popularity

• Fetchit appeared in more than 50 films, often alongside major stars like Will Rogers and Shirley Temple.

• He was promoted as “the Laziest Man in the World,” a stereotype that played into white audiences’ expectations at the time but brought him steady, well-paid work.

3. Big Contracts

• In the early 1930s, he signed lucrative multi-picture deals with Fox Film Corporation.

• At his peak, he was earning $1,500–$2,500 a week (equivalent to tens of thousands of dollars today), along with perks like cars, servants, and tailored suits.

4. Financial Peak

• Between film salaries, endorsements, and personal appearances, he amassed a fortune — making him the first Black actor in Hollywood to reach millionaire status.

• By the mid-1930s, he had luxury homes in Beverly Hills and Chicago, multiple cars, and a lavish lifestyle.

5. The Downside

• While Fetchit’s persona made him rich, it also locked him into playing demeaning stereotypes.

• By the late 1940s, changing attitudes, limited roles, and his own financial troubles (lawsuits, bad investments, lavish spending) brought a steep decline.

In short — Stepin Fetchit “played dumb” because that’s what Hollywood at the time would pay a Black actor the most money for, and he was savvy enough to cash in on it, even if it came at the cost of reinforcing harmful images.  No BULL ! 👍