In a time of near-total racial segregation, song and dance man James Baskett was spotted by Walt Disney himself and picked for the role of Uncle Remus in Song of the South (1946).
Baskett had come to the Disney studios to try out for a voice-only part but ended up not only doing the voice of Br'er Fox, but with a starring role that radiated great warmth. His genial, kindly look and merry style of singing Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah made him enormously popular.
Baskett very likely would have done more movie work had he not died young of heart problems--at age 44 in 1948. He was given a special honorary Oscar for the iconic role he played.
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