“Gone with the Wind” was one of the most successful productions in Hollywood history — per Britannica, it racked up eight competitive Academy Awards (plus two honorary Oscars) and was the top box office earner for some 30 years, even with a four-hour running time. However, as The Washington Post explains, McDaniel’s Oscar win did little to enhance her career. Although she believed it would lead her to better roles — and fewer archetypal roles — that simply was not the case (per NPR). Vanity Fair states that she lacked the support of the Black community, as they believed the roles she did take were degrading. Ultimately, Biography writes, she was unable to find film work and made the decision to return to radio, where she had worked in the early 1930s. In 1947, she once again made history when she became the first Black star on “The Beulah Show” (via Entertainment Weekly).
Sadly, this was the beginning of the end for McDaniel. According to NewsOne, she became ill not long after the show’s premiere. McDaniel had a heart attack and was subsequently diagnosed with breast cancer (via Biography). On October 26, 1957, 57-year-old Hattie McDaniel died. Per Entertainment Weekly, her last wishes were to be buried at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery and for her Oscar to be donated to Howard University, a prestigious and historically Black institution.
Per Culture Trip, Hollywood Forever was founded in 1899 and is located on Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles. The cemetery is known for being the final resting place of numerous stars, including Rudolph Valentino, and for denying McDaniel’s burial request.
