Person Biography:
Lillian Yarbough, known professionally as Billie Yarbo, was an African-American actress, comedienne, dancer, and singer who made a name for herself on both the stage and screen during Hollywood's "Golden Age". Born on March 17, 1905, in Washington, D.C., Yarbo's early life and parents remain unknown. She eventually moved to New York, where she began her career in the late 1920s, gaining recognition for her performances in Harlem night spots and on the Broadway stage.
Yarbo's breakout performance in the 1936 Broadway revue "Keep Shufflin'" earned her praise from critics, including Charles Brackett, who wrote in The New Yorker, "There is a Miss Billie Yarbough, who must have been designed by Covarrubias and must be seen." Her film career began in 1936, with uncredited appearances in several films, before she received her first onscreen credit in the 1938 film "Wives Under Suspicion". Yarbo went on to appear in over 40 films between 1936 and 1949, often in bit parts and uncredited roles.
Despite her thriving stage career, Yarbo's film work is what has come to define her legacy. She was recognized for her performances, including being named the best Negro comic actress of 1938 by Pittsburgh Courier film critic Earl J. Morris and the Sepia Theatrical Writers Guild. However, her career was marked by setbacks, including a potentially career-altering opportunity that fell through in 1943 and a near-fatal car crash in 1944.
Yarbo's career concluded with an uncredited role as the maid of the musical comedy star Marilyn Miller in the 1949 film "Look for the Silver Lining". Despite her talent and accomplishments, Yarbo's face remains largely forgotten, a testament to the challenges faced by African-American performers during Hollywood's "Golden Age".
