Nick Stewart

Nick Stewart

Born: March 15, 1910
Died: December 18, 2000
in New York City, New York, U.S.
Horace Winfred "Nick" Stewart (March 15, 1910 – December 18, 2000) also billed as Nick O'Demus was an American television and film actor. Stewart was known for his role as Lightnin' (Willie Jefferson) on TV's 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 Br'er Bear in the 1946 Disney movie Song of the South, and Willy-Willy 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, It's 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.

Stewart's final acting role would be returning to Disney to reprise the voice role of Br'er 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 Br'er 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 African-American 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.

Movies for Nick Stewart...

Silver Streak
Title: Silver Streak
Character: Shoeshiner
Released: December 3, 1976
Type: Movie
A somewhat daffy book editor on a rail trip from Los Angeles to Chicago thinks that he sees a murdered man thrown from the train. When he can find no one who will believe him, he starts doing some investigating of his own. But all that accomplishes is to get the killer after him.
bee
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Title: It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Character: Driver run off highway
Released: November 7, 1963
Type: Movie
A group of strangers come across a man dying after a car crash who proceeds to tell them about the $350,000 he buried in California. What follows is the madcap adventures of those strangers as each attempts to claim the prize for himself.
bee
Title: Ben Casey
Released: October 2, 1961
Type: TV
Ben Casey is an American medical drama series which ran on ABC from 1961 to 1966. The show was known for its opening titles, which consisted of a hand drawing the symbols "♂, ♀, ✳, †, ∞" on a chalkboard, as cast member Sam Jaffe intoned, "Man, woman, birth, death, infinity." Neurosurgeon Joseph Ransohoff was a medical consultant for the show and may have influenced the personality of the title character.
bee
Title: Mister Ed
Released: January 5, 1961
Type: TV
Wilbur Post and his wife Carol move into a beautiful new home. When Wilbur takes a look in his new barn, he finds that the former owner left his horse behind. This horse is no ordinary horse . . . he can talk, but only to Wilbur, which leads to all sorts of misadventures for Wilbur and his trouble-making sidekick Mister Ed.
bee
Tarzan's Fight for Life
Title: Tarzan's Fight for Life
Character: Molo
Released: August 15, 1958
Type: Movie
Dr. Sturdy is trying to establish a modern hospital in the jungle. His efforts are strongly opposed by Futa, the witch doctor, and Ramo, a native warrior.
bee
Flame of the Islands
Title: Flame of the Islands
Character: Nick
Released: December 4, 1955
Type: Movie
A café singer buys a gambling casino and several men fall in love with her.
bee
Carmen Jones
Title: Carmen Jones
Character: Dink Franklin
Released: October 28, 1954
Type: Movie
The tale of the cigarette-maker Carmen and the Spanish cavalry soldier Don Jose is translated into a modern-day story of a parachute factory worker and a stalwart GI named Joe who is about to go to flying school. Conflict arises when a prize-ring champ captures the heart of Carmen after she has seduced Joe and caused him to go AWOL.
bee
Title: Amos 'n' Andy
Character: Lightnin'
Released: June 28, 1951
Type: TV
A sitcom set in Manhattan's historic black community of Harlem.
bee
Song of the South
Title: Song of the South
Character: Br'er Bear (voice)
Released: November 12, 1946
Type: Movie
Uncle Remus draws upon his tales of Br'er Rabbit to help little Johnny deal with his confusion over his parents' separation as well as his new life on the plantation.
bee
Three Little Girls in Blue
Title: Three Little Girls in Blue
Character: Mo
Released: September 3, 1946
Type: Movie
Three sisters go to Atlantic City with hopes of finding rich husbands.
bee
Night Train to Memphis
Title: Night Train to Memphis
Character: Train Porter
Released: July 12, 1946
Type: Movie
A mountain community is thrown into turmoil as the townspeople debate the advantages and disadvantages of having a railroad.
bee
Behind Green Lights
Title: Behind Green Lights
Character: Man reporting stolen car
Released: February 15, 1946
Type: Movie
An unscrupulous private investigator with a penchant for blackmail is found dead in a car and the leading suspect is Janet Bradley, the daughter of a mayoral candidate. With the election just weeks away, shady and ruthless individuals muscle the medical officer into switching the corpse with another body. Lieutenant Sam Carson, one of the few good apples in the bunch must find a way to get to the bottom of it all.
bee
Dakota
Title: Dakota
Character: Nicodemus (as Nicodemus Stewart)
Released: December 15, 1945
Type: Movie
In 1871, professional gambler John Devlin elopes with Sandra "Sandy" Poli, daughter of Marko Poli, an immigrant who has risen to railroad tycoon. Sandy, knowing that the railroad is to be extended into Dakota, plans to use their $20,000 nest egg to buy land options to sell to the railroad at a profit. On the stage trip to Ft. Abercrombie, their fellow passengers are Jim Bender and Bigtree Collins, who practically own the town of Fargo and Devlin is aware that they are prepared to protect the little empire... trying to drive out the farmers by burning their property, destroying their wheat, and blaming the devastation on the Indians. Continuing their journey north on the river aboard the "River Bird', Sandy and John meet Captain Bounce, an irascible old seafarer. Two of Bendender's henchmen, Slagin and Carp, board the boat and relieve John of his $20,000 at gunpoint. Captain Bounce, chasing the robber's dinghy..
bee
She Wouldn't Say Yes
Title: She Wouldn't Say Yes
Character: Porter (uncredited)
Released: November 29, 1945
Type: Movie
Susan Lane is a gifted psychiatrist, grounded in self-control. Before returning by train to her practice in Chicago, she spends time back East with war veterans, building their self-esteem, but frowning on the impulsive, as represented by a favorite comic strip called "The Nixie." She bumps into Michael Kent, an officer and the comic strip's author. He likes her instantly and she dislikes him. He's headed to the Pacific, sees her on the train, gets off in Chicago, and with her father's help, pursues her and hatches a plan to marry her. Meanwhile, she has her own plan to get rid of him with the help of a blond patient. Will the Nixie get into her psyche?
bee
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood
Title: Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood
Character: Houseboy (uncredited)
Released: October 5, 1945
Type: Movie
When two bumbling barbers act as agents for a talented but unknown singer, they stage a phony murder in order to get him a plum role.
bee
Delightfully Dangerous
Title: Delightfully Dangerous
Character: Desk Clerk
Released: March 31, 1945
Type: Movie
Young Sherry Williams dreams of having a singing career, and she idolizes her older sister Josephine, who has gone to New York to perform on the stage. When Sherry is distraught just before performing at her school, a visiting Broadway producer encourages her by telling her positive things about her sister. Soon afterwards, Sherry decides to make a surprise trip to New York to visit Josephine - but what she finds there is not at all what she expected
bee
Gildersleeve's Ghost
Title: Gildersleeve's Ghost
Character: Chauncey
Released: June 1, 1944
Type: Movie
Gildersleeve, running for office, is aided by two ghosts and hindered by a mad scientist and an invisible woman.
bee
Hoosier Holiday
Title: Hoosier Holiday
Character: Aloysius Lincoln (as Nicodemus)
Released: September 13, 1943
Type: Movie
During World War II three brothers go to enlist in the Air Force, but since they're farmers they're told they're needed at home more than in the service. Determined to join up, they enlist the aid of a pretty young girl whose father is head of the local draft board.
bee
Stormy Weather
Title: Stormy Weather
Character: Cousin Jake (uncredited)
Released: July 21, 1943
Type: Movie
Dancing great Bill Williamson sees his face on the cover of Theatre World magazine and reminisces: Just back from World War I, he meets lovely singer Selina Rogers at a soldiers' ball and promises to come back to her when he "gets to be somebody." Years go by, and Bill and Selina's rising careers intersect only briefly, since Selina is unwilling to settle down. Will she ever change her mind? Concludes with a big all-star show hosted by Cab Calloway.
bee
False Faces
Title: False Faces
Character: Mack (as Nicodemus)
Released: May 28, 1943
Type: Movie
A district attorney sets out to vindicate his son who's been accused of murdering a nightclub singer.
bee
Cabin in the Sky
Title: Cabin in the Sky
Character: Dude
Released: April 9, 1943
Type: Movie
When compulsive gambler Little Joe Jackson dies in a drunken fight, he awakens in purgatory, where he learns that he will be sent back to Earth for six months to prove that he deserves to be in heaven. He awakens, remembering nothing and struggles to do right by his devout wife, Petunia, while an angel known as the General and the devil's son, Lucifer Jr., fight for his soul.
bee
My Son, The Hero
Title: My Son, The Hero
Character: Nicodemus
Released: April 5, 1943
Type: Movie
Learning that his long-unseen son is soon to arrive for a visit, a small-time con-man enlists the help of his cronies to help him pretend to be a wealthy and important businessman. Comedy.
bee
The Meanest Man in the World
Title: The Meanest Man in the World
Character: Elevator Operator
Released: February 12, 1943
Type: Movie
Compassionate small-town lawyer Richard Clarke moves to New York City to seek his fortune, but is unsuccessful until he takes a friend's advice and tries to convince the world he's a ruthless heel. Suddenly he's the most popular lawyer in town -- but he could lose his fiancée.
bee
Shine
Title: Shine
Character: (as Nicodemus)
Released: June 1, 1942
Type: Movie
Louis Armstrong performs with Nicodemus on this Soundie from 1942.
bee
Robin Hood of the Pecos
Title: Robin Hood of the Pecos
Character: Mose Johnson (uncredited)
Released: January 14, 1941
Type: Movie
Robin Hood of the Pecos is a 1941 American film starring Roy Rogers and directed by Joseph Kane. Following the Civil War, the South still faced many dangers not the least of which were the armies of carpetbaggers that descended on impoverished towns, intent on making a fast greenback at the expense of the local populace.
bee
Wall Street Cowboy
Title: Wall Street Cowboy
Character: Train Porter
Released: August 6, 1939
Type: Movie
When his ranch falls on hard times, Cowboy Roy Roger has trouble making his mortgage payment and he takes his song and dance to Wall Street to try to raise cash fast.
bee
International Crime
Title: International Crime
Character: Bootblack
Released: April 23, 1938
Type: Movie
The second and final Grand National Pictures film to feature The Shadow, played again by Rod La Rocque. In this version, Lamont Cranston is an amateur detective and host of a radio show with his assistant Phoebe (not Margo) Lane. Cabbie Moe Shrevnitz and Commissioner Weston also appear.
bee
Mind Your Own Business
Title: Mind Your Own Business
Character: Butler (as Nicodemus)
Released: December 18, 1936
Type: Movie
Nature reporter Orville Shanks retreats to the woods for material for his "Our Wild Friends" column and to volunteer for his favorite cause, the Boy Scouts. When Orville's editor, Crane, orders him to spice up his column, Orville's wife Melba writes a gossip column using animals as metaphors for people. Crane loves Melba's article and gives Orville a raise, and the column becomes a hit.
bee
Go West Young Man
Title: Go West Young Man
Character: Nicodemus (as Nicodemus Stewart)
Released: November 18, 1936
Type: Movie
Mavis Arden is a sensational movie star. Her following spans the world and her personal appearance tours prove her popularity. On her way home from one such appearance, Arden's car breaks down. She orders her publicity man to find her a place to stay, suspicious that he planned the break down to keep her away from a man. However, she soon finds herself mooning over an attractive repairman in town and listening to his ideas about inventing equipment for film.
bee
Who Killed Cock Robin?
Title: Who Killed Cock Robin?
Character: Blackbird (voice) (uncredited)
Released: June 25, 1935
Type: Movie
A robin is shot so the woodland community holds a trial to investigate.