Mantan Moreland was almost one of The Three Stooges

The Three Stooges: There could have been a black one

Mantan Moreland was an African American actor born September 3, 1902 and passed away on September 28, 1973. He was a comedian who was most popular during the 1930s and 1940s. He starred in a number of films includiing Cabin in the Sky where his hair was pointed like horns and he portrayed Lucifer Jr. The actor was well known for his comedic timing and the way he bulged his eyes. Mantan did Broadway and also toured Europe.

Mantan Moreland: A child actor

The rumor mill suggests that Moreland ran away from home at age 8 to join a minstrel show but his daughter Marcella Moreland says he was probably around 14 when he left home. Marcella was a child actress and appeared in several films.

Moreland got his start in movies with all black casts that were made for African American audiences. His face is unforgettable even for those who did not know his name. He later had roles as chauffeur Birmingham Brown in a number of Charlie Chan movies where his talent was obvious and he once almost made history by being cast as one of the Three Stooges. The fact that he was being considered during an era when segregation was at its height is a testament to his talent as a comedian.

It was Stooge brothers Moe and Shemp Howard themselves who suggested Moreland be a part of the internationally-known trio. At that time the actor was working what was then known as “the chitlin’ circuit." This was a string of theaters and nightclubs that were considered safe for black comedians during segregation and in the case of Mantan Moreland led to hsi film career.

Moreland's first screen role was as a night watchman working inside a haunted pawn shop in the 1933 film That’s the Spirit. This was followed by the role of an angel in The Green Pastures in 1936. Moreland quickly rose up the ranks to supporting roles in all-black westerns like Harlem on the Prairie (1937) and Two-Gun Man from Harlem (1938). He was the comedic sidekick to Herb Jeffries (the Bronze Buckaroo- and, America’s first black singing cowboy. Sadly these films are not being shown today on the retro channels so most people are not aware that they were ever made.

Today there is criticism of the roles that Moreland took on in order to survive and care for his family. He was most often a servant to white men and was always afraid of something. The fright scenes gave the actor a chance to bulge his eyes and sweat and personally I think he was funny. He accepted the jobs that were available at the time and should be commended for doing so rather than judged, This is a part of history and should not be erased.

At the end of the day Moreland was funny and kept audiences of all colors in stitches. Moe Howard once said that Mooerland would be a great Stooge if the need ever arose and this was a wonderful compliment. Moreland was famous for a routine where he and one or more of his partners would finish each other’s sentences and it was hilarious. You can see his work with Ben Carter in the above video. The actor had the jive moves, physical shtick, and double take receptions that would easily have filled in the gaps for the Three Stooges.

Moe Howard saw the actor's comedic talent and was impressed. He did not consider Morelands race but others did not feel the same way. Shemp Howard died in 1955 and the two remaining Stooges needed someone who would fit right in with their skits. Moe recommended Moreland Columbia Picture's execs were afraid to use the black actor who had over 300 films under his belt.

There probably was also some consideration of how audiences at that time would react to a black Stooge. Joe Besser was hired and the trio of comedians was never the same. Moreland would have fit right in but the times he as living in dictated that he never got the chance. During the 1950s studio heads began reassessing the type of roles that were given to African American actors so Moreland was not getting as much work as he had in the past. Working as one of The Three Stooges would have been great for his career.

Moreland's last featured film role was in the "Darkly humorous" 1968 horror movie Spider Baby. The actor suffered a stroke in the early 1960s, began working with the comedians like Carl Reiner, Bill Cosby, and Moms Mabley. The comedic genius died in Hollywood at age 71 from a cerebral hemorrhage on September 28, 1973.