Ethel Waters: Ethel Waters. Actress: Cabin in the Sky. The child of a teenage rape victim, Ethel Waters grew up in the slums of Philadelphia and neighboring cities, seldom living anywhere for more than a few weeks at a time. "No one raised me, " she recollected, "I just ran wild." She excelled not only at looking after herself, but also at singing and dancing; she began performing at church functions, and...
Known For: Cabin in the Sky (Petunia Jackson), Pinky (Dicey Johnson), The Member of the Wedding (Berenice Sadie Brown), Cairo (Cleona Jones)