Nick Stewart

Horace Winfred Nick Stewart March 15 1910 December 18 2000 also billed as Nick ODemus was an American television and film actor Stewart was known for his role as Lightnin Willie Jefferson on TVs The Amos n Andy Show Nick Stewart was born on March 15 1910 in Harlem New York City to Joseph March 15 1888 July 1976 and Eva Stewart who were recent immigrants from Barbados British West Indies He began his show business career as a dancer at the Cotton Club and Hoofers Club Stewart also was a veteran of Broadway shows having created a comedic character he called Nicodemus and playing that role in Swingin the Dream and Louisiana Purchase as well as in the film Go West Young Man Stewart also performed comedy as a cast member of the Rudy Vallée radio show in 1941 Other acting credits include the 1936 movie Go West Young Man the voice of Brer Bear in the 1946 Disney movie Song of the South and WillyWilly on the television series Ramar of the Jungle Also in 1954 Stewart had an important role in The Reign of Amelika Joe presented by Fireside Theatre He also won a comedy role in White Christmas 1954 He was originally offered the role of Calhoun the lawyer which he turned down After his refusal it went to Johnny Lee who had the role on radio since 1949 Soon Gosden and Correll were back on the telephone this time offering Stewart the role of Lightnin on the television show Stewart accepted the role with one idea in mind to make enough money to be able to open his theater where African Americans would not be typecast as maids and porters In the 1960s he would have small roles in Mister Ed and the classic comedy film Its a Mad Mad Mad Mad World 1963 as the Migrant Truck Driver who is forced off of the road In 1987 Doris McMillon devoted an entire week of her nightly talk show On the Line to a discussion of the documentary Amos n Andy Anatomy of a Controversy and the issues surrounding the shows Stewart was one of the participants discussing the show and his role in it He also had a role in the movie Carmen Jones Stewarts final acting role would be returning to Disney to reprise the voice role of Brer Bear for the theme park attraction Splash Mountain which is based on the animated segments of Song of the South He was the only actor to return and voice his character from the aforementioned movie In an interview with author Jim Korkis he was asked about whether or not his role of Brer Bear was degrading He replied Disney treated us like Kings He went on to say that the money he earned from Song of the South was donated to a theatre for AfricanAmerican actors to play roles other than maids and butlers and was doing the same with the money from reprising his role for the Disneyland attraction