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Fredi Washington

Fredi Washington

Actor

Born December 23, 1903 in Savannah, Georgia, United States

Died June 28, 1994

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Biography

Fredi Washington was a trailblazing African-American actress whose light skin and green eyes often hindered her from fully showcasing her remarkable acting abilities. Her talent was frequently overshadowed by society's focus on her race and complexion. Despite this, her outstanding skill was evident in the limited films she appeared in.

Her film debut was alongside Duke Ellington in the 1929 musical short Black and Tan, where she performed as a dancer. In Hollywood, studio executives encouraged her to "pass" as white, promising to make her a bigger star than Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Constance Bennett, and Greta Garbo. Fredi declined. She is best remembered for her role as Peola in the groundbreaking film Imitation of Life (1934). She also acted with Paul Robeson in The Emperor Jones (1933) and appeared in a few other films where her skin was darkened. Her strongest performances were on stage, particularly in Mamba's Daughters with Ethel Waters. Unlike contemporaries such as Waters, Josephine Baker, and Nina Mae McKinney, Fredi never reached the same level of fame because she did not appear "black" enough. Nonetheless, her talent is unmistakable in the few films she made.

Fredi’s greatest contributions were as an activist. She led the Negro Actors Guild, advocating for fair opportunities for black performers in the entertainment industry. Today, those who discover her work can appreciate her beauty and talent beyond the limitations imposed by her skin color, a perspective many in her era lacked.

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Fredi Washington Photos

Fredi Washington Videos

Preview Clip: Ouanga [a.k.a. The Love Wanga] (1936, starring Fredi Washington)

Preview Clip: Black and Tan (1929, Duke Ellington, Fredi Washington)

Filmography

Actor

15

Type

Year

TV in Black: The First Fifty Years Poster

TV in Black: The First Fifty Years Documentary2004

That's Black Entertainment Poster

That's Black Entertainment Documentary1990Self

Black Shadows on the Silver Screen Poster

Black Shadows on the Silver Screen Documentary1975Self

The Goldbergs Poster

The Goldbergs TV Series19491 episode, 1949

The Ethel Waters Show TV Special1939

One Mile from Heaven Poster

One Mile from Heaven Feature Film1937Flora Jackson

Ouanga Feature Film1936Klili Gordon

Cab Calloway's Hi-De-Ho Poster

Cab Calloway's Hi-De-Ho Short Film1934Train Conductor's Wife

Imitation of Life Poster

Imitation of Life Feature Film1934Peola Johnson

Mills Blue Rhythm Band Poster

Mills Blue Rhythm Band Short Film1934Dancer

The Emperor Jones Poster

The Emperor Jones Feature Film1933Undine

Animal Crackers Poster

Animal Crackers Feature Film1930Party Guest

Black and Tan Fantasy Poster

Black and Tan Fantasy Short Film1929Fredi - Duke's Girlfriend

The Letter Poster

The Letter Feature Film1929Opium Den Dancer

Square Joe Feature Film1922

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