Directed by

Williams, Spencer, American, 1893-1969

Subject of

Everett, Francine, American, 1915 - 1999

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film;

16mm Film (b): acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 60 Minutes

Length (Film Reel 1): 1150 Feet

Length (Film Reel 2): 1100 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place depicted

Harlem, New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America

Place purchased

Bahamas, Caribbean, North and Central America

Place filmed

United States, North and Central America

Date

1946

Caption

Gertie, a Harlem nightclub dancer, leaves her boyfriend for a fresh start on the island of Trinidad. Comfortabkle in her own skin, she enjoys using her sex appeal to dazzle and flirt with the local men. A preachy local, Mr. Christian, meddles by making it a point to convert her into the type of woman he believes she should be.

Description

2015.167.6.1ab: 16mm black and white films.

In "Dirty Gertie from Harlem U.S.A.", a two-timing showgirl, on the run, that takes work at an island hotel, winning the heart of the hotel owner, until a vengeful ex-boyfriend catches up with her. Moral dilemmas in the tradition of Rain, with the director in the role of a lady fortune-teller.

When famous Harlem stripper Gertie LaRue arrives on the island of Rinidad, she is given celebrity treatment and taken to the Paradise Hotel, where she and her assistant, Stella Van Johnson, are placed in the posh bridal suite. The hotel's proprietor, Diamond Joe, is smitten with Gertie, but Gertie ignores Stella's suggestion that she take an interest in him. Meanwhile, in their private dormitory room, members of Gertie's troupe discuss Gertie's past relationship with a generous Harlem man named Al, whom Gertie treated poorly and deserted. Also staying at the hotel is the pious Mr. Jonathan Christian and his assistant Ezra Crumm, two missionaries who have come to the island to teach about sin. Having witnessed Gertie's flirtatious behavior on the boat, Mr. Christian tells Ezra that she is a "painted trollop." Gertie remains true to her reputation as a gregarious flirt when she joins a sailor named Tight Pants and a soldier named Big Boy for a drink at the Diamond Palace lounge. There, Larry, the bar's piano player, recognizes Gertie and plays a tune intended to stir memories of her troubled past in Harlem and her relationship with his friend Al. When Gertie returns to the hotel drunk and in the company of the two military men, Mr. Christian watches in horror as she kisses both of them. He also sees Gertie throw a liquor bottle at a hallucination of Al that has suddenly haunted her. Gertie faints when Mr. Christian emerges from the shadows, and when she regains consciousness, she misinterprets his actions and accuses him of trying to take advantage of her. Later that day, Gertie, having been spooked by bad omens since her arrival on the island, goes to a fortune teller, an old woman named Old Hager, who looks into her crystal ball and sees Gertie's misdeeds and has a vision of a man coming after her. However, neither the medium's portents nor Mr. Christian's best efforts to have the Diamond Palace shut down prevent Gertie from taking the stage and performing her striptease. During her act, Mr. Christian, who has been watching the show with interest, takes to the stage and orders an end to the show. A brawl ensues when he grabs Gertie, but Diamond Joe whisks her out of the club and takes her back to the hotel. Alone in her room, Gertie is unhappy with the image she has caught of herself in the mirror, and while she is thinking, Al bursts into the room from the balcony and shoots her. When Stella and the police rush into the room, Al tells them that he killed her because he loved her.

Sources:

AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Accessed April 4, 2016 (http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=27623)

WorldCat. Accessed April 4, 2016 (https://www.worldcat.org/title/dirty-gertie-from-harlem-usa/oclc/422866093&referer=brief_results)

Topic

African American

Dance

Nightlife

Race films

Violence

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Randall and Sam Nieman

Object number

2015.167.6.1ab

Restrictions & Rights

Unknown - Restrictions Possible

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Nieman Film Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Directed by

Dash, Julie, American, born 1952

Recorded by

Simone, Nina, American, 1933 - 2003

Subject of

Young, Linda Martina, American

Owned by

Bowser, Pearl, American, born 1931

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 8 Minutes

Length (Film): 300 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place filmed

United States, North and Central America

Date

1975

Caption

This 16mm film by Julie Dash uses dance to explore African American female identity and stereotypes. The featured dancer is Linda Martina Young, and the accompanying music is "Four Women" by Nina Simone.

Description

Consists Of: 16mm Film (a).

2012.79.1.40.1a: 16mm film. The film begins with a completely black frame with the sound of chanting in the background before the title of the film appears. There is then a series of closeup shots of a dancer (L. Martina Young) underneath a large sheet of translucent fabric and large sheets of cloth as the dancer slowly moves. The sound changes to an unidentified indigenous group singing and chanting as the dancer continues to move under the fabric. As the dancer continues her interpretive moves, the sound again changes to that of a whip being used, the sound of running water, and the sound of moaning/wailing voices. In the following sequence, Nina Simone’s “Four Women” begins to play and the dancer’s costume changes to a long dress and shawl, which reflects the first character of the song, Aunt Sarah. The Aunt Sarah character is representative of slavery. In the next series of shots, the dancer has changed to a black dress and black veil as Simone describes the next character, Safronia, who is of mixed race and the product of her mother being raped by a white man. As Simone begins describing the next character, Sweet Thing, a prostitute with both black and white clients, there are close up shots of the body part being described. The dancer has changed to a loose floral print dress and her hair is no longer tied back or hidden by a veil. In the fourth and final sequence, the dancer is wearing cornrows and has changed to a brightly colored tube top and matching pants to represent Simone's character, Peaches, a black woman toughened by generations of oppression. Prior to the song’s and the film’s conclusion, there is a brief montage of all four women as portrayed by the dancer.

Topic

African American

Dance

Film

Identity

Stereotypes

Women

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Pearl Bowser

Object number

2012.79.1.40.1abc

Restrictions & Rights

Unknown - Restrictions Possible

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Pearl Bowser Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Directed by

Bourne, St. Clair, American, 1943 - 2007

Produced by

Chamba Productions, founded 1971

Composed by

Hancock, Herbie, American, born 1940

Subject of

Nairobi College, founded 1969

Created by

California State University, Los Angeles, American, founded 1947

Subject of

The City College of the City University of New York, American, founded 1847

St. Petersburg College, American, founded 1927

Clark Atlanta University, American, founded 1988

Morehouse College, American, founded 1867

Owned by

Bowser, Pearl, American, born 1931

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 30 Minutes

Length (Film): 1190 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place filmed

East Palo Alto, San Mateo County, California, United States, North and Central America

Los Angeles, California, United States, North and Central America

Saint Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida, United States, North and Central America

Harlem, New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America

Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, United States, North and Central America

Date

1971

Caption

16mm color film directed by St. Clair Bourne and produced by his production company, Chamba Productions, for the College Entrance Examination Board. The film provides various perspectives on the college experience and presents resources to encourage minority youth to attend college.

Description

16mm color film directed by St. Clair Bourne and produced his production company, Chamba Productions, for the College Entrance Examination Board. The film provides various perspectives on the college experience and presents resources to encourage minority youth to attend college.

Consists of: 16mm Film (a).

2012.79.1.54.1a: 16mm film. Film begins with an introduction animated segment of a young black man walking down a city sidewalk and then entering a doorway with the word College written over it. A musical soundtrack accompanies the animation. He walks down the hallway past doors and a trophy case while the voiceover narration begins. The narration focuses on thinking about how to get started on applying for college. The animation sequence depicts the prospective student collecting paperwork and talking to the appropriate people to take to the door with a college sign next to it. The animated introduction ends and the film transitions to live action and the title of the film. A man runs out of a storefront across a parking lot to his car. The next scene shows a professor leading a class discussion in a classroom. Then there is an exterior shot of Nairobi College and the man from earlier in the film running in the front door. The college is located in a small house. The narrator introduces the college and the man joins the classroom conversation. The narrator introduces Nate Perry, the man that has been in the film, and he talks about enrolling in Nairobi College. The narrator explains that the purpose of the college is to teach leaders for non-white communities and break down the separation of the college and the community by holding classes in different locations. The next scene shows the Nairobi College Cultural Center and students playing music and dancing. The next subject of the film is California State College (California State University) in Los Angeles. The narrator discusses the importance of the college for the Mexican American community. There is a shot of the front door of College Recruitment for Educational Opportunity (CREO). The door also has a sign for Community Relations for Educational Opportunity (also CREO). People are shown walking into the office and talking to someone in the office and he answers questions about gaining admission to college. A man is shown talking outside and a group discussion ensues about confronting the power structure. An inside classroom discussion also shows students talking about similar problems as those in the outside discussion. The next scene shows New York City and the narrator begins talking about City College of New York in Harlem and the importance of providing both financial assistance as well as special counseling and tutoring. However, the narrator points out that black and Puerto Rican students demanded an open admissions policy. A group of students is shown discussing education issues and going back to the community to work and raise awareness. The narrator introduces Megan McLaughlin, and she describes through a voiceover narration the Search for Elevation, Education, and Knowledge (SEEK) Program. She is shown walking on sidewalks during the voiceover narration. The next scene features St. Petersburg College, and the narrator discusses attending a junior college before attending a four-year institution. Students share their experiences and how students can benefit from attending a junior college. The smaller classes are beneficial and the opportunity to balance home life with attending college are among those benefits. The scene is filmed inside of a moving car while Don Gekkins, director of the Service Center Program, talks about how the program works. The next scene shows him entering a classroom where children are reciting words displayed on cards held by a tutor from the junior college. Don Gekkins is then shown leaving his house with his two sons and playing with them. Gekkins, in a voiceover narration, describes growing up in a depressed area of St. Petersburg. The next scene shows a college marching band leading a parade down a street. The narrator discusses this parade in the context of a four-year university and the distractions of a four-year university, particularly sports events. The university being discussed appears to be Howard University in Washington, D.C. After footage of cheerleaders and a football game, a football player is interviewed about attending college on a scholarship. After the interview, there is footage of a football practice. The next scene includes an interview with Tom Nelson, a college graduate and ex-professional football player. The next scene shows two men picking up trash on the sidewalk, then some other men performing municipal trash service. There is footage of a college campus, probably Clark University in Atlanta, while the narrator discusses the main reasons for attending college. The next scene shows a woman walking on a sidewalk and into a building while the narrator begins a discussion about financial aid. The woman enters an office and talks to a financial aid officer while the narrator discusses the difference between types of financial aid. The next scene shows a student from Nigeria at Morehouse College in Atlanta, and he discusses studying science to bring back knowledge to Nigeria. The film ends with the narrator presenting a summary of what has been discussed, and there is a montage of images from the entire film.

Topic

African American

Dance

Education

Football

Urban life

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Pearl Bowser

Object number

2012.79.1.54.1a

Restrictions & Rights

Public Domain

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Pearl Bowser Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Directed by

Bourne, St. Clair, American, 1943 - 2007

Produced by

Chamba Productions, founded 1971

Composed by

Hancock, Herbie, American, born 1940

Subject of

Nairobi College, founded 1969

California State University, Los Angeles, American, founded 1947

The City College of the City University of New York, American, founded 1847

St. Petersburg College, American, founded 1927

Clark Atlanta University, American, founded 1988

Morehouse College, American, founded 1867

Owned by

Bowser, Pearl, American, born 1931

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 30 Minutes

Length (Film): 1190 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place filmed

East Palo Alto, San Mateo County, California, United States, North and Central America

Los Angeles, California, United States, North and Central America

Saint Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida, United States, North and Central America

Harlem, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, United States, North and Central America

Date

1971

Caption

16mm color film directed by St. Clair Bourne and produced by his production company, Chamba Productions, for the College Entrance Examination Board. The film provides various perspectives on the college experience and presents resources to encourage minority youth to attend college.

Description

16mm color film directed by St. Clair Bourne and produced his production company, Chamba Productions, for the College Entrance Examination Board. The film provides various perspectives on the college experience and presents resources to encourage minority youth to attend college.

Consists of: 16mm Film (a).

2012.79.1.54.2a: 16mm film. Film begins with an introduction animated segment of a young black man walking down a city sidewalk and then entering a doorway with the word College written over it. A musical soundtrack accompanies the animation. He walks down the hallway past doors and a trophy case while the voiceover narration begins. The narration focuses on thinking about how to get started on applying for college. The animation sequence depicts the prospective student collecting paperwork and talking to the appropriate people to take to the door with a college sign next to it. The animated introduction ends and the film transitions to live action and the title of the film. A man runs out of a storefront across a parking lot to his car. The next scene shows a professor leading a class discussion in a classroom. Then there is an exterior shot of Nairobi College and the man from earlier in the film running in the front door. The college is located in a small house. The narrator introduces the college and the man joins the classroom conversation. The narrator introduces Nate Perry, the man that has been in the film, and he talks about enrolling in Nairobi College. The narrator explains that the purpose of the college is to teach leaders for non-white communities and break down the separation of the college and the community by holding classes in different locations. The next scene shows the Nairobi College Cultural Center and students playing music and dancing. The next subject of the film is California State College (California State University) in Los Angeles. The narrator discusses the importance of the college for the Mexican American community. There is a shot of the front door of College Recruitment for Educational Opportunity (CREO). The door also has a sign for Community Relations for Educational Opportunity (also CREO). People are shown walking into the office and talking to someone in the office and he answers questions about gaining admission to college. A man is shown talking outside and a group discussion ensues about confronting the power structure. An inside classroom discussion also shows students talking about similar problems as those in the outside discussion. The next scene shows New York City and the narrator begins talking about City College of New York in Harlem and the importance of providing both financial assistance as well as special counseling and tutoring. However, the narrator points out that black and Puerto Rican students demanded an open admissions policy. A group of students is shown discussing education issues and going back to the community to work and raise awareness. The narrator introduces Megan McLaughlin, and she describes through a voiceover narration the Search for Elevation, Education, and Knowledge (SEEK) Program. She is shown walking on sidewalks during the voiceover narration. The next scene features St. Petersburg College, and the narrator discusses attending a junior college before attending a four-year institution. Students share their experiences and how students can benefit from attending a junior college. The smaller classes are beneficial and the opportunity to balance home life with attending college are among those benefits. The scene is filmed inside of a moving car while Don Gekkins, director of the Service Center Program, talks about how the program works. The next scene shows him entering a classroom where children are reciting words displayed on cards held by a tutor from the junior college. Don Gekkins is then shown leaving his house with his two sons and playing with them. Gekkins, in a voiceover narration, describes growing up in a depressed area of St. Petersburg. The next scene shows a college marching band leading a parade down a street. The narrator discusses this parade in the context of a four-year university and the distractions of a four-year university, particularly sports events. The university being discussed appears to be Howard University in Washington, D.C. After footage of cheerleaders and a football game, a football player is interviewed about attending college on a scholarship. After the interview, there is footage of a football practice. The next scene includes an interview with Tom Nelson, a college graduate and ex-professional football player. The next scene shows two men picking up trash on the sidewalk, then some other men performing municipal trash service. There is footage of a college campus, probably Clark University in Atlanta, while the narrator discusses the main reasons for attending college. The next scene shows a woman walking on a sidewalk and into a building while the narrator begins a discussion about financial aid. The woman enters an office and talks to a financial aid officer while the narrator discusses the difference between types of financial aid. The next scene shows a student from Nigeria at Morehouse College in Atlanta, and he discusses studying science to bring back knowledge to Nigeria. The film ends with the narrator presenting a summary of what has been discussed, and there is a montage of images from the entire film.

Topic

African American

Dance

Education

Football

Urban life

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Pearl Bowser

Object number

2012.79.1.54.2a

Restrictions & Rights

Public Domain

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Pearl Bowser Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Directed by

Lathan, Stan, American, born 1945

Produced by

Chamba Productions, founded 1971

Created by

Collins, Kathleen, American, 1942 - 1988

Produced by

Garrett, Kent, American, born 1941

Subject of

Brooklyn Museum, American, founded 1895

Owned by

Bowser, Pearl, American, born 1931

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 19 Minutes

Length (Film): 750 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place filmed

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

Date

1971

Caption

16mm color film directed by Stan Lathan and produced by Chamba Productions for the Brooklyn Museum about a program to bring children from the local community into the museum to create performance art. Includes footage of children interacting with objects in the museum and creating performances based upon their reaction.

Description

16mm color film directed by Stan Lathan and produced by Chamba Productions about a program to bring children from the local community into the Brooklyn Museum to create performance art.

Consists of: 16mm Print (a).

2012.79.1.63.1a: 16mm Print. The film begins with the camera panning around a room with many cases in the Brooklyn Museum. Children are heard in the voiceover narration describing the statues. The footage also includes close-ups of some of the statues. The next scene shows children and young adults following spoken directions to pretend they are holding various objects in their hands. The narrator describes how the children spent time in the rotunda of the museum for six weeks, and there is footage of the children participating in dance exercises in the rotunda. The narrator describes the idea for the project to bring children together with an object and create a performance around that. The next scene shows an object and children touching the face of another object. Some other children are shown in front of a different museum object and holding the same pose as that object. Children in the voiceover narration describe thinking about the objects and questioning what the people depicted in the objects are doing. As the narrator describes, the children participated in improvisation based on the space and the objects around them. The footage includes a group of students discussing how to put on an improvisation based on an object. The next scene shows the students performing the improvisation in the rotunda that they created. One of the boys reflects on how he did the improvisation. In the next scene, the students perform a dance while a man plays a drum. The next scene shows a man playing the piano and singing and the children sing along with him. The music accompanies a montage of the students doing various activities shown in the film. The final scene shows the students leaving the museum, a bus traveling a city street, one of the students exiting the bus and greeting some friends as the credits appear. The film ends with children playing in a circle on a playground.

Topic

African American

Art

Children

Communities

Dance

Education

Instrumentalists (Musicians)

Museums

Singers (Musicians)

Theatre

Urban life

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Pearl Bowser

Object number

2012.79.1.63.1a

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Pearl Bowser Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Directed by

Lathan, Stan, American, born 1945

Produced by

Chamba Productions, founded 1971

Edited by

Collins, Kathleen, American, 1942 - 1988

Produced by

Garrett, Kent, American, born 1941

Subject of

Brooklyn Museum, American, founded 1895

Owned by

Bowser, Pearl, American, born 1931

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 19 Minutes

Length (Film): 750 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place filmed

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

Date

1971

Caption

16mm color film directed by Stan Lathan and produced by Chamba Productions for the Brooklyn Museum about a program to bring children from the local community into the museum to create performance art. Includes footage of children interacting with objects in the museum and creating performances based upon their reaction.

Description

16mm color film directed by Stan Lathan and produced by Chamba Productions about a program to bring children from the local community into the Brooklyn Museum to create performance art.

Consists of: 16mm Print (a).

2012.79.1.63.2a: 16mm Print. The film begins with the camera panning around a room with many cases in the Brooklyn Museum. Children are heard in the voiceover narration describing the statues. The footage also includes close-ups of some of the statues. The next scene shows children and young adults following spoken directions to pretend they are holding various objects in their hands. The narrator describes how the children spent time in the rotunda of the museum for six weeks, and there is footage of the children participating in dance exercises in the rotunda. The narrator describes the idea for the project to bring children together with an object and create a performance around that. The next scene shows an object and children touching the face of another object. Some other children are shown in front of a different museum object and holding the same pose as that object. Children in the voiceover narration describe thinking about the objects and questioning what the people depicted in the objects are doing. As the narrator describes, the children participated in improvisation based on the space and the objects around them. The footage includes a group of students discussing how to put on an improvisation based on an object. The next scene shows the students performing the improvisation in the rotunda that they created. One of the boys reflects on how he did the improvisation. In the next scene, the students perform a dance while a man plays a drum. The next scene shows a man playing the piano and singing and the children sing along with him. The music accompanies a montage of the students doing various activities shown in the film. The final scene shows the students leaving the museum, a bus traveling a city street, one of the students exiting the bus and greeting some friends as the credits appear. The film ends with children playing in a circle on a playground.

Topic

African American

Art

Children

Communities

Dance

Education

Instrumentalists (Musicians)

Museums

Singers (Musicians)

Theatre

Urban life

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Pearl Bowser

Object number

2012.79.1.63.2a

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Pearl Bowser Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Owned by

Bowser, Pearl, American, born 1931

Produced by

Chamba Productions, founded 1971

Edited by

Collins, Kathleen, American, 1942 - 1988

Directed by

Lathan, Stan, American, born 1945

Produced by

Garrett, Kent, American, born 1941

Subject of

Brooklyn Museum, American, founded 1895

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 19 Minutes

Length (Film): 720 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place filmed

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

Date

1971

Caption

16mm color film directed by Stan Lathan and produced by Chamba Productions for the Brooklyn Museum about a program to bring children from the local community into the museum to create performance art. Includes footage of children interacting with objects in the museum and creating performances based upon their reaction.

Description

16mm color film directed by Stan Lathan and produced by Chamba Productions about a program to bring children from the local community into the Brooklyn Museum to create performance art.

Consists of: 16mm Print (a).

2012.79.1.63.3a: 16mm Print. The film begins with the camera panning around a room with many cases in the Brooklyn Museum. Children are heard in the voiceover narration describing the statues. The footage also includes close-ups of some of the statues. The next scene shows children and young adults following spoken directions to pretend they are holding various objects in their hands. The narrator describes how the children spent time in the rotunda of the museum for six weeks, and there is footage of the children participating in dance exercises in the rotunda. The narrator describes the idea for the project to bring children together with an object and create a performance around that. The next scene shows an object and children touching the face of another object. Some other children are shown in front of a different museum object and holding the same pose as that object. Children in the voiceover narration describe thinking about the objects and questioning what the people depicted in the objects are doing. As the narrator describes, the children participated in improvisation based on the space and the objects around them. The footage includes a group of students discussing how to put on an improvisation based on an object. The next scene shows the students performing the improvisation in the rotunda that they created. One of the boys reflects on how he did the improvisation. In the next scene, the students perform a dance while a man plays a drum. The next scene shows a man playing the piano and singing and the children sing along with him. The music accompanies a montage of the students doing various activities shown in the film. The final scene shows the students leaving the museum, a bus traveling a city street, one of the students exiting the bus and greeting some friends as the credits appear. The film ends with children playing in a circle on a playground.

Topic

African American

Art

Children

Communities

Dance

Education

Instrumentalists (Musicians)

Museums

Singers (Musicians)

Theatre

Urban life

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Pearl Bowser

Object number

2012.79.1.63.3a

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Pearl Bowser Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Created by

Studio Films, Inc., American, 1951 - 1956

Directed by

Kohn, Joseph

Produced by

Frye, Ben

Subject of

Apollo Theater, founded 1913

Reed, Leonard, American, 1907 - 2004

Bryant, Willie, American, 1908 - 1964

Vaughan, Sarah, American, 1924 - 1990

Lionel Hampton, American, 1908 - 2002

Adams, Faye, American, born 1923

Jeffries, Herb, American, 1913 - 2014

Calloway, Cab, American, 1907 - 1994

The Clovers, American, founded 1946

Davis, Martha, American, 1917 - 1960

Frank Foster, American, 1928 - 2011

Moreland, Mantan, American, 1902 - 1973

Russell, Nipsey, American, 1918 - 2005

Milburn, Amos, American, 1927 - 1980

Coles & Atkins, American, 1940 - 1959

Williams, Paul Hucklebuck, American, 1915 - 2002

Owned by

Bowser, Pearl, American, born 1931

Medium

35mm Film (a): acetate film;

35mm Film (b): acetate film;

35mm Film (c): acetate film;

35mm Film (d): acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 61 minutes

Length (Film) - Reel 1: 1520 Feet

Length (Film) - Reel 2: 1320 Feet

Length (Film) - Reel 3: 1290 Feet

Length (Film) - Reel 4: 1370 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place depicted

Harlem, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

Date

1956

Caption

"Basin Street Revue is a 1956 feature film compiled by Studio Films, Inc. from previously recorded Snader Telescriptions featuring renowned African American jazz singers and musicians from the 1950s. Performers include Willie Bryant, Sarah Vaughan, Lionel Hampton, Paul Williams, Jimmy Brown, Amos Milbur, Faye Adams, Coles and Atkins, Herb Jefferies, Cab Calloway, Count Basie, The Clovers, Nat King Cole, Martha Davis, Frank Foster, Mantan Moreland, Nipsey Russell, and Marie Bryant.

Description

35mm black and white compilation film of a variety of short musical 'Soundie' films made for music-film jukeboxes, and television, by the Snader Telescription and Studio companies in the 1950s.

Consists of: Four 35mm Prints (a-d)

2012.79.1.85.1a-d: 35mm film. The film begins with a title sequence that announces each performer as a firework explodes behind their name. This is followed by a shot of a theater marquee with the title Basin Street Revue. A credit roll then displays the below the line contributors. Next, an announcer introduces the emcee, Willie Bryant, during a shot of a theater audience. Bryant emerges from behind a curtain as the audience applauds. As Bryant begins to speak, Nipsy Russell walks across the stage and interrupts Bryant with a joke about his mother in law. Bryant then begins his introduction of the show’s proceedings; he refers to the show as the “Harlem Variety Revue.” Bryant then introduces the first performer, Lionel Hampton and his orchestra. The curtain parts and Hampton and his orchestra perform “Ding Dong Baby.” An unknown woman joins Hampton on the stage as he sings, but does not sing herself; he gives her a kiss on the cheek before she exits. After the conclusion of the song, the curtain closes and there are multiple shots of the audience cheering as Willie Bryant again appears to announce the next performer, Sarah Vaughan, who performs “You’re Not The Kind.” The song concludes, the curtain closes, and there are multiple shots of the cheering audience as Bryant emerges to introduce the next performers, Jimmy Brown, the saxophonist from the Apollo Theater’s house band, the Paul Williams Band. Bryant and Brown engage in some stage banter before the performance of “My Love Is True.” The song concludes, the curtain closes, and there are multiple shots of the cheering audience as Bryant emerges to introduce the next performer, Martha Davis, who performs “We Just Couldn’t Say Goodbye.” Bryant mentions that Davis is performing with her spouse, bassist, Calvin Ponder. There are multiple insert shots of the audience during the performance. The song concludes, the curtain closes, and there are multiple shots of the cheering audience as Nipsy Russell and Mantan Moreland enter the stage. They perform a short comedy routine together before Bryant introduces the next performer, Amos Milburn. He performs “Bewildered.” The song concludes, the curtain closes, and Bryant has the curtain reopened so Milburn can take a bow. The curtain again closes and Bryant invites Faye Adams onto the stage. The engage in some brief stage banter before she performs “Somebody, Somewhere” in front of the curtain. Jimmy Brown emerges from behind the curtain to perform a solo. The song concludes, there are multiple shots of the cheering audience, and Bryant introduces the next performers, The Clovers, who perform “Lovey Dovey.” The song concludes, the curtain closes, and there are multiple shots of the cheering audience as Bryant emerges to introduce Sarah Vaughan for a performance of “These Things I Offer You (For A Lifetime).” The song concludes, the curtain closes, there are multiple shots of the cheering audience, and Bryant introduces Coles & Atkins. The duo sing and them perform a tap dance routine. Their performance concludes, they bow and Bryant introduces Herb Jeffries by way of a brief skit. Jeffries performs “A Woman Is A Worrisome Thing” from the balcony of a fire escape. The song concludes, the curtain closes, there are multiple shots of the cheering audience, and Bryant introduces Cab Calloway, who performs “Calloway Boogie.” Calloway dances with an unknown female dancer. A “The End” title card appears as the song and the film conclude.

Topic

African American

Actors

Comedy

Dance

Entertainers

Film

Jazz (Music)

Variety shows (Television)

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Pearl Bowser

Object number

2012.79.1.85.1a-d

Restrictions & Rights

© Studio Films, Inc. Permission required for use.

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Pearl Bowser Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture