Willie Best

Willie Best Profile Photo

Characters played by Willie Best

Lucille, Colonial Auto Court Porter — Pillow to Post (1945)

A male employee at the Colonial Auto Court, where Jean and Don are posing as newlyweds. When the deception comes to light, Lucille tells Colonel Otley that he saw Don sleeping outdoors rather than sharing a room with Jean. His account gives the couple a way to avoid the colonel pressing charges over their false claim of marriage.

Porter — Blondie (1938)

Hotel staff member assisting guests.

Driver (uncredited) — Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation (1939)

Chauffeur or transport operator moving characters or artifacts.

Algernon — High Sierra (1941)

Algernon is a handyman at the abandoned logging camp where Roy meets the robbery group. He introduces Roy to Pard, the small dog Roy adopts, thereby contributing to the bond that later helps Pard locate Roy during the mountain pursuit.

Alex — The Ghost Breakers (1940)

Larry's loyal valet who assists him at the dock, locates him in the luggage, and boards the ship to rescue him. He accompanies the couple to Cuba and later traps the seemingly catatonic zombie in a closet during the mansion exploration.

Catfish — Mummy's Boys (1936)

Catfish is a stowaway whom the expedition welcomes after he claims to be from Cairo; Whittaker and Wright later discover that he means Cairo, Illinois. At the encampment he is found tied up, and after a landslide traps the group inside the tomb, he is there with Whittaker, Wright, and Mary.

Willie Best — The Shanghai Chest (1948)

Comic relief or assistant character in the murder investigation.

Willie (as Sleep 'n' Eat) — Murder on a Honeymoon (1935)

Hotel staff member providing minor assistance and comic relief during the investigation.

Pompey — The Arizonian (1935)

Pompey is the servant who is trapped in the burning building with Clay, Orin, and Tex when Mannen's men set it alight. He makes a break for help but is shot down. Sarah is described as his would-be love interest, and she later kills Mannen.

Willie — The Body Disappears (1941)

Willie is Professor Shotesbury's servant and is involved in the story's final comic development. After Peter, Joan, and Professor Shotesbury receive the antidote, Willie suddenly becomes invisible when he sits down in the witness chair. His unexpected transformation extends the film's central invisibility gag beyond the main characters.

Algernon, Simon's Butler (Uncredited) — The Saint Strikes Back (1939)

Personal servant to Simon Templar.

Baltimore — The Covered Trailer (1939)

Minor character, likely a friend or associate on the cruise.

Career Overview

Willie Best has 118 screen credits in a career dating back to 1930. Their work spans 13 cinematic universes — most prominently Blondie with 3 titles. Signature works include Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company "B", Deep South, Horse Heir. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.

Personal Facts

Known For
Acting
Gender
male
Known Credits
118
Birth Date
1913-05-27
Birth Place
Sunflower, Mississippi, USA

Known For

Associated Universes

Universe traveler — spans 13 universes

Frequent Collaborators

Credits

Content sources

Related entry on Wikidata (Q3569064), public domain (CC0).