Song of the South’s 1946 debut – Disney’s most shameful red carpet?

James Baskett’s Exclusion from His Own Movie Premiere

Atlanta’s Fox Theatre hosted a strange party on November 12, 1946.

Walt Disney brought his new film “Song of the South” home to Georgia with 5,000 guests and child stars in tow. Yet James Baskett, who played Uncle Remus and voiced key characters, couldn’t join them.

Jim Crow laws kept Black people out of downtown theaters, even stars of the movie being shown. While Disney left mid-screening out of nerves, Baskett would later win an Oscar for his role.

The Fox Theatre still stands today, a beautiful landmark where visitors can see both architectural splendor and the shadow of America’s segregated past.

Walt Disney Bought Uncle Remus Stories in 1939

Walt Disney started talking with Joel Chandler Harris’s family in 1939 to get rights for the Uncle Remus stories.

Harris first published these tales in 1876 after hearing them from former slaves while working at a Georgia plantation.

Disney thought these Georgia folktales would work perfectly with his plan to mix real actors with cartoon characters. He wanted to bring Br’er Rabbit stories to life using his famous animation tricks.

Production finally started in 1944 after World War II delays.

James Baskett Showed Up for a Small Role and Left with the Lead

James Baskett came to try out for a tiny butterfly part in 1945. After hearing his voice, Disney wanted to meet him right away.

He tested Baskett for the main Uncle Remus role and gave him that part plus the voices of Br’er Fox and the butterfly he first tried out for.

Walt told Baskett’s sister Ruth, “He’s the best actor, I believe, to be found in years. ” Baskett brought warmth and charm that made him the heart of the film.

Atlanta’s Fox Theatre Rolled Out the Red Carpet in 1946

Walt picked Atlanta’s Fox Theatre for the big world premiere on November 12, 1946, because the story took place in post-Civil War Georgia.

The Atlanta Junior League and Uncle Remus Memorial Association helped sponsor the event. Disney’s team set up travel plans for movie critics months ahead.

The state even created a special holiday that mixed Armistice Day with a tribute to Georgia writer Joel Chandler Harris.

Jim Crow Laws Kept the Star Away From His Own Movie

James Baskett couldn’t go to his own film premiere because Atlanta’s strict segregation laws banned Black people from white theaters.

Atlanta Constitution writer Harold Martin noted bringing Baskett to Atlanta “would cause him many embarrassments, for his feelings are the same as any man’s.”

No Black cast members joined the festivities because of Jim Crow rules. The man whose face and voice carried the film couldn’t even find a hotel room in Atlanta.

Thousands Packed the Theater While Baskett Stayed Home

More than 5,000 people filled the Fox Theatre on premiere night at 8:30 p.m. White cast members Ruth Warrick, Bobby Driscoll, and Luana Patten walked the red carpet with Walt Disney and voice actors like Cliff Edwards.

Popular radio shows like “Queen for a Day” and Art Linkletter’s “GE Houseparty” broadcast live from the Fox before the film started.

Walt gave a short speech, introduced the cast, then quietly left for his hotel room across the street.

The Mayor Sent a Telegram Instead of Changing the Rules

Atlanta mayor William B. Hartsfield asked Disney to send James Baskett a wire message sharing the city’s “appreciation” for his Uncle Remus role.

Some Southern newspapers made up a story that Baskett couldn’t come because he had to work on the “Amos ‘n’ Andy” radio show.

The mayor’s empty gesture showed how strange it was to praise a Black performer while keeping him out of the celebration. Local papers wrote about this without mentioning why Baskett really stayed away.

Critics Split on Whether Uncle Remus Helped or Hurt

Georgia papers, including the Black-owned Atlanta Daily World, mostly loved the film. National critics weren’t so kind.

New York Times reviewer Bosley Crowther called it “a travesty on the antebellum South. ” Time magazine said Uncle Remus was “a character bound to enrage all educated Negroes, and a number of damn Yankees.”

An open letter in the Atlanta Constitution blasted Disney, saying “This ‘Uncle Tom’ musical hasn’t got it.

NAACP Fought Against the Film’s Rosy View of Plantation Life

The NAACP and other civil rights groups boycotted Song of the South because it painted a happy picture of slavery times. The group said the movie “helps to perpetuate a dangerously glorified picture of slavery.”

After the New York premiere, protesters formed picket lines with signs calling Baskett “Uncle Tom.”

Civil rights leaders pointed out how the film ignored the harsh reality of racial problems in the post-Civil War South.

The Star Stood By His Work Despite Growing Criticism

Baskett defended the film against critics, saying, “I believe that certain groups are doing my race more harm in seeking to create dissension than can ever possibly come out of the ‘Song of the South.'”

His co-star Hattie McDaniel told The Criterion magazine, “If I had for one moment considered any part of the picture degrading or harmful to my people, I would not have appeared therein. ” Walt Disney kept in touch with him after filming ended.

Oscar Gold Came Just Before Tragedy Struck

On March 20, 1948, James Baskett got an Honorary Academy Award “for his able and heart-warming characterization of Uncle Remus.” Hollywood gossip writer Hedda Hopper pushed the Academy to give Baskett this special honor.

He became the first Black man to win an Oscar and only the second African American ever to receive the award after Hattie McDaniel won in 1940.

Walt Disney personally campaigned for Baskett to get this recognition from Hollywood.

The Uncle Remus Actor Died Just Four Months After His Oscar

Baskett struggled with health problems during filming because of diabetes and suffered a heart attack in December 1946 right after the movie came out.

His illness often kept him from working on the Amos ‘n’ Andy radio show, missing almost half the 1947-1948 season.

On July 9, 1948, only four months after getting his Oscar, James Baskett died at home from heart failure caused by diabetes complications. He was just 44 years old.

His grave at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis includes a marker noting his role in Song of the South.

Visiting Fox Theatre, Georgia

The Fox Theatre at 660 Peachtree Street NE offers 60-minute guided tours for $18 that explore the venue’s complex history, including when James Baskett was banned from attending his own “Song of the South” premiere due to Jim Crow segregation.

Tours cost $15 for military and seniors, $5 for kids under 10. You can buy tickets online at foxtheatre.

org or at the box office Monday-Friday 10am-6pm, Saturday 10am-3pm.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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