Imitation of Life
The 1933 novel "Imitation of Life" by Fannie Hurst features an Aunt Jemima-type character, Delilah, a maid struggling in life with her widowed employer, Bea. Their fortunes change dramatically when Bea capitalizes on Delilah's family pancake recipe to open a pancake restaurant that attracts tourists at the Jersey Shore. It became a great success and was eventually packaged and sold as Aunt Delilah's Pancake Mix. They achieve that success due to selling flour with a smiling Delilah on the box dressed in Aunt Jemima fashion. The Academy Award-nominated 1934 film version of "Imitation of Life" starring Claudette Colbert and Louise Beavers retains this part of the plot, which was excised from the 1959 remake of "Imitation of Life" starring Lana Turner and directed by Douglas Sirk.