Samuel Rufus McDaniel (January 28, 1886 â€" September 24, 1962) was an
American actor who appeared in over 210 television shows and films
between 1929 and 1950. He was the older brother of actresses Hattie
McDaniel and Etta McDaniel.Born in Wichita, Kansas, to former slaves,
McDaniel was one of 13 children. His father Henry McDaniel fought in
the Civil War with the 122nd USCT and his mother, Susan Holbert, was a
singer of gospel music. In 1900, the family moved to Colorado, living
first in Fort Collins and then in Denver where he grew up and
graduated from Denver East High School. The children of the McDaniel
family had a traveling minstrel show. After the death of brother Otis
in 1916, the troupe began to lose money. In 1931, McDaniel found work
in Los Angeles with sisters Hattie, Etta and Orlena. Sam was working
on KNX radio program called The Optimistic Doughnut Hour, and he was
able to get his sister a spot.McDaniel is known almost exclusively for
playing butler, doormen, valet, porter and servant roles in films. One
of his best-known roles was Doc, the competent ship's cook, in the
Oscar-winning 1937 film Captains Courageous. McDaniel is familiar to
modern viewers for his role as Spiffingham the Butler in the Three
Stooges film Heavenly Daze (1948). He is the only African-American to
ever appear on I Love Lucy, playing "Sam the Porter" in the 1955
episode "The Great Train Robbery". He appeared uncredited as a waiter
on a train in both the 1947 film The Egg and I (with Fred MacMurray
and Claudette Colbert) and its first followup Ma and Pa Kettle (1949).
He also played various supporting roles on TV's The Amos 'n' Andy Show
(1951â€"53).McDaniel died of throat cancer on September 24, 1962 in
Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California.
American actor who appeared in over 210 television shows and films
between 1929 and 1950. He was the older brother of actresses Hattie
McDaniel and Etta McDaniel.Born in Wichita, Kansas, to former slaves,
McDaniel was one of 13 children. His father Henry McDaniel fought in
the Civil War with the 122nd USCT and his mother, Susan Holbert, was a
singer of gospel music. In 1900, the family moved to Colorado, living
first in Fort Collins and then in Denver where he grew up and
graduated from Denver East High School. The children of the McDaniel
family had a traveling minstrel show. After the death of brother Otis
in 1916, the troupe began to lose money. In 1931, McDaniel found work
in Los Angeles with sisters Hattie, Etta and Orlena. Sam was working
on KNX radio program called The Optimistic Doughnut Hour, and he was
able to get his sister a spot.McDaniel is known almost exclusively for
playing butler, doormen, valet, porter and servant roles in films. One
of his best-known roles was Doc, the competent ship's cook, in the
Oscar-winning 1937 film Captains Courageous. McDaniel is familiar to
modern viewers for his role as Spiffingham the Butler in the Three
Stooges film Heavenly Daze (1948). He is the only African-American to
ever appear on I Love Lucy, playing "Sam the Porter" in the 1955
episode "The Great Train Robbery". He appeared uncredited as a waiter
on a train in both the 1947 film The Egg and I (with Fred MacMurray
and Claudette Colbert) and its first followup Ma and Pa Kettle (1949).
He also played various supporting roles on TV's The Amos 'n' Andy Show
(1951â€"53).McDaniel died of throat cancer on September 24, 1962 in
Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California.
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