When you think about it, it’s actually surprising how much press Robert Downey Jr. is getting for his role as a black man in the new film Tropic Thunder. After all, white dudes have been playing black dudes in movies since the dawn of Hollywood. Here’s a brief look at some of the more fascinating instances of white dudes playing blacks.

Al Jolson - The Jazz Singer (1927)

Laurence Olivier - Othello (1965)

C. Thomas Howell - Soul Man (1986)