I think we can make a profit on her

Seeing great potential in Hattie McDaniel after her performance as Mammy in Gone with the Wind (1939), producer David O. Selznick signed her to an exclusive contract in December of 1939. In the following memo to Jock Whitney (his business partner) and Lowell Calvert (representative of Selznick International Pictures), Selznick informs them of the just closed contract and discusses how to make a profit on McDaniel. He also mentions McDaniel's singing qualities --she had been working as a singer prior to Gone with the Wind-- and thinks she could be "an enormous favorite" on the radio with an Aunt Jemima type of program. McDaniel would indeed become a hit on the radio: from 1947 to 1952 she had her own show "Beulah", making her the first African-American to star in her own radio program. McDaniel was also the first African-American to receive an Academy Award, winning for her supporting role of Mammy in Gone with the Wind.

Image courtesy of heritage auctions

Transcript:

TO: Mr. John Hay Whitney, Mr. L.V. Calvert

SUBJECT:

DATE: 12/12/39

We have closed a term contract with Hattie McDaniel covering pictures, radio, personal appearances, commercial tie-up rights, etc.

We did this for several reasons:

1. I thinks she is going to score a great sensation in "Gone With the Wind" and that we can use her to advantage on trades for other featured players.

2. I think we can make a profit on her.

3. I wanted to be sure she wasn't thrown into any cheap quickies that would commercialize on "Gone With the Wind".

4. I think we can make a further profit on her, and probably our most substantial profit, out of personal appearances, as well as protecting the picture. She has been showered with offers already for personal appearances, including one from a theatre in San Francisco to play opposite "Gone With the Wind" when it opens there. I believe we could sell her ourselves to great advantage. Among other things, she is reputed to be quite a singer, and could probably dish out a couple of Southern songs and what not in her personal appearances. She is quite a good show woman, works to improve herself constantly, and even went to the extent of having duplicates made of her "Gone With the Wind" dresses for her personal appearances. I think that Mr. Calvert should give the Loew theatres the first crack at her. We will be paying her $500 weekly, and I think we ought to get $1000, to protect us against any idle time.

5. I think we can make money out of her on the air. I think she could be an enormous favorite on the air and that in particular she would be a wonderful spot for something such as an Aunt Jemima program, and that we might get a great deal of money for such a program. We will handle this out here so you needn't do anything back East about her radio program. 

6. I think we can make further money out of her in commercial tie-ups and I suggest that this will be turned over to Carrier in connection with products especially designed for negroes, as well as products which use the Mammy type of figure such as Aunt Jemima.

DOS

Praise for the Academy

The 12th Academy Awards Ceremony, held on 29 February 1940 at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, was a memorable one. Not only did Gone with the Wind take home almost all of the Oscars, but amongst the winners was also the first African American ever to win an Oscar. For her great performance as Mammy in Gone with the Wind Hattie McDaniel was awarded the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, beating co-star Olivia de Havilland who was also nominated. The fact that the Academy had the courage to award an African American inspired John Weaver (an African American himself) to put pen to paper. Two weeks after the ceremony, on 15 March 1940, Weaver wrote the Academy the following letter.

Photo: Hattie McDaniel with presenter Fay Bainter at the 12th Academy Awards in 1940

Source: academy of motion picture arts and sciences

Transcript:

Dear sirs:

Please accept my belated congratulations for your "Courage" in Judging (Our) Miss Hattie McDaniels [sic] the Best Supporting Actress. 

I am Proud to see the Motion Picture Industry grow more Detirmined [sic] to Apply Democracy.

I know your Act will Create a Vast amount of Goodwill and will help Americans to Grow out of their Mistaken Beleifs [sic] about each other.

May All of you Grow in Wisdom and Understanding and enjoy Good Health, Happiness and Success in All of your Efforts.

Sincerely yours

John Weaver

*Click here if you'd like to watch a clip of Fay Bainter presenting the Oscar to Hattie McDaniel, followed by McDaniel's acceptance speech.