Louise Beavers (1902-1962) Beavers began her performing career as a minstrel show singer, but when she moved to Hollywood in the early 20s, it was as a maid to actress Leatrice Joy. Like Hattie McDaniel and most other Black actors of the period, Louise Beavers was limited to character roles, most often playing a "mammy" a subservient but jovial African-American maid or cook. Like McDaniel, she was heavy and dark-skinned, and her characters were extremely cheerful, loyal, and asexual. Before long, though, she made her feature debut in "Gold Diggers" (1923). She acted in other silent films such as the 1927 version of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" but really made her mark with the coming of sound. In over 160 films between 1929 and 1960, working in every genre and at every studio, Beaver...