Old Hollywood Stars Who Were Forced to Live a Double Life

Onscreen, Lena Horne looked every bit the glamorous MGM star, singing in Cabin in the Sky and appearing in major wartime musicals. Yet the studio rarely gave the acclaimed singer and actress a full dramatic role, partly because Southern theaters rejected films featuring Black performers.

MGM often placed Horne’s songs in separate scenes that could be removed without disturbing the story. Theater owners in segregated markets could simply cut her out. Horne also refused to play maids, leaving Hollywood with fewer roles it was willing to offer her for years.