James Baskett

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James Baskett (born February 16, 1904 in Indianapolis , Indiana , † July 9, 1948 in Los Angeles , California ) was an American film and stage actor . He was the second African American to be awarded an Oscar.

Life

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He had to give up his original dream of becoming a pharmacologist for financial reasons. In Chicago he was on various stages before he moved to New York City , where he was on stage with Bill Robinson, among others . His talent quickly helped him become one of New York's most sought-after black actors. In California, Baskett met Freeman Gosden , part of the cast of the radio show Amos 'n' Andy , who helped him to his first national fame. On the radio show, Baskett appeared as Gabby Gibson's attorney.

In 1932 Baskett first appeared in front of the camera in the independent film Harlem Is Heaven . Six more feature films followed by 1946 before he took on his most famous film role. In the Walt Disney film Uncle Remus' Wonderland , he played the main and title role, for which he was awarded an honorary Oscar in 1948 . James Baskett became the second African American to win an Oscar after Gone With the Wind co-star Hattie McDaniel in 1940 and the first actor in a Disney movie to attract the attention of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) . Despite the success that he could book, Baskett also had to deal with the prevailing racism . The main actor could not be present at the premiere of his film on November 12, 1946 in Atlanta because he could not find a hotel room because of the color of his skin.

James Baskett died of heart failure two years later at the age of 44 . Some sources give as the date of death September 9, 1948, others July 9, 1948. He was buried in the Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis .

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personal data
SURNAME Baskett, James
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American film and stage actor
DATE OF BIRTH February 16, 1904
PLACE OF BIRTH Indianapolis , Indiana , USA
DATE OF DEATH July 9, 1948
Place of death Los Angeles , California , USA