Jess Lee Brooks
Jess Lee Brooks (June 10, 1894 – December 13, 1944), also known as Jesse Brooks, was an American actor. He is perhaps most famous for playing the African-American church preacher in the critically acclaimed motion picture ''Sullivan's Travels'', where he leads his congregation in singing "Go Down Moses". Partial filmography *''Dark Manhattan'' (1937) * ''Spirit of Youth'' (1938) * ''Two-Gun Man from Harlem'' (1938) * '' The Sun Never Sets'' (1939) * ''Four Shall Die'' (1940) as Bill Summers * ''Sullivan's Travels'' (1941) (uncredited) as Black preacher * ''Lucky Ghost'' (1942) as Door Man * ''Jungle Siren'' (1942) as Chief Selangi * '' Broken Strings'' (1942) *'' Mr. & Mrs. North'' (1942) as Oscar * ''Drums of the Congo'' (1942) as Chief Madjeduka * '' Thank Your Lucky Stars'' (uncredited) as The Justice *''Girl Crazy ''Girl Crazy'' is a 1930 musical by George Gershwin with lyrics by Ira Gershwin and book by Guy Bolton and John McGowan. Ethel Merman made her stage debut in t ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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African-American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of Slavery in the United States, enslaved Africans who are from the United States. While some Black immigrants or their children may also come to identify as African-American, the majority of first generation immigrants do not, preferring to identify with their nation of origin. African Americans constitute the second largest racial group in the U.S. after White Americans, as well as the third largest ethnic group after Hispanic and Latino Americans. Most African Americans are descendants of enslaved people within the boundaries of the present United States. On average, African Americans are of West Africa, West/Central Africa, Central African with some European descent; some also have Native Americans in th ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Broken Strings (film)
''Broken Strings'' is a 1940 American film directed by Bernard B. Ray and produced by L.C. Borden. Plot summary Concert violinist Arthur Williams and his manager Earl Wells are involved in a car accident in which Arthur's fingers are paralyzed. Instead of playing at concerts he becomes a music teacher. He favors his student Dickie Morley's classical musical preferences over his own son John's, which tends towards modern swing. Williams' daughter Grace is romantically interested in a man named Gus, and they both work for the same company that makes hair products, which is owned by a James Stilton. Stilton's son, Sam, is attracted to Grace and is jealous of the attention she gives Gus. As a result, Sam refuses to give Grace an advance when she needs to pay for her father's appointment at a doctor that specializes in neurology, Dr. Charles Matson. The doctor promises Grace that she can pay the fee of $1,000 later, when her brother John has raised the money. Sam goes on to frame Gu ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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1944 Deaths
Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 2 – WWII: ** Free France, Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command First Army (France), French Army B, part of the Sixth United States Army Group in North Africa. ** Landing at Saidor: 13,000 US and Australian troops land on Papua New Guinea, in an attempt to cut off a Japanese retreat. * January 8 – WWII: Philippine Commonwealth troops enter the province of Ilocos Sur in northern Luzon and attack Japanese forces. * January 11 ** President of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt proposes a Second Bill of Rights for social and economic security, in his State of the Union address. ** The Nazi German administration expands Kraków-Płaszów concentration camp into the larger standalone ''Konzentrationslager Plaszow bei Krakau'' in occupied Poland. * January 12 – WWII: Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle begin a 2-day conference in Marrakech ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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1894 Births
Events January–March * January 4 – A military alliance is established between the French Third Republic and the Russian Empire. * January 7 – William Kennedy Dickson receives a patent for motion picture film in the United States. * January 9 – New England Telephone and Telegraph installs the first battery-operated telephone switchboard, in Lexington, Massachusetts Lexington is a suburban town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is 10 miles (16 km) from Downtown Boston. The population was 34,454 as of the 2020 census. The area was originally inhabited by Native Americans, and was firs .... * February 12 ** French anarchist Émile Henry (anarchist), Émile Henry sets off a bomb in a Paris café, killing one person and wounding twenty. ** The barque ''Elisabeth Rickmers'' of Bremerhaven is wrecked at Haurvig, Denmark, but all crew and passengers are saved. * February 15 ** In Korea, peasant unrest erupts in the Donghak Peasant ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Son Of Dracula (1943 Film)
''Son of Dracula'' is a 1943 American horror film directed by Robert Siodmak with a screenplay based on an original story by his brother Curt Siodmak. The film stars Lon Chaney, Jr., Louise Allbritton, Robert Paige, Evelyn Ankers, and Frank Craven. The film is set in the United States, where Count Alucard (Chaney Jr.) has just taken up residence. Katherine Caldwell (Allbritton), a student of the occult, becomes fascinated by Alucard and eventually marries him. Katherine begins to look and act strangely, leading her former romantic partner Frank Stanley (Paige) to suspect that something has happened to her. He gets help from Dr. Brewster (Craven) and psychologist Laszlo ( J. Edward Bromberg) who come to the conclusion that Alucard is a vampire. The film is the third in Universal's ''Dracula'' film series following ''Dracula's Daughter'' (1936). The film was made under different circumstances than the previous two entries in the series with a new Chairman of the Board working ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Girl Crazy (1943 Film)
''Girl Crazy'' is a 1943 American musical film starring Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney. Produced by the Freed Unit of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it is based on the stage musical ''Girl Crazy''which was written by Guy Bolton and Jack McGowan, with music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin. It was the last of Garland and Rooney's nine movies as co-stars, the pair appearing only once more together on film, as guest stars in 1948's '' Words and Music''. Production began with Busby Berkeley as director, but he was soon replaced by Norman Taurog. The film used all six songs from the original stage musical, plus another Gershwin song, "Fascinating Rhythm".Green, Stanley; Schmidt, Elaine"Girl Crazy, 1943"''Hollywood Musicals Year By Year'' (2 ed.), Hal Leonard Corporation, 2000, , p. 125 Plot Dan Churchill, Jr., a young playboy, is a headache for his concerned tycoon father. In hopes that isolation from girls will help Junior concentrate on his studies, Churchill senior takes Danny out o ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Thank Your Lucky Stars (film)
''Thank Your Lucky Stars'' is a 1943 American musical comedy film made by Warner Brothers as a World War II fundraiser, with a slim plot involving theater producers. The stars donated their salaries to the Hollywood Canteen, which was founded by John Garfield and Bette Davis, who appear in this film.Landazuri, Margaret"Articles: Thank Your Lucky Stars"." ''Turner Classic Movies'' (TCM.com). Retrieved: January 26, 2015. It was directed by David Butler and stars Eddie Cantor, Dennis Morgan, Joan Leslie, Edward Everett Horton and S.Z. Sakall.Film review: 'Thank Your Lucky Stars'." ''Variety'', August 18, 1943, p. 10.Film review: 'Thank Your Lucky Stars'." ''Harrison's Reports'' , August 21, 1943, p. 136. Plot Two theater producers try to stage a wartime charity extravaganza called Cavalcade of Stars. The egotistical Eddie Cantor has Dinah Shore under contract and will only allow her to appear if he is made chairman of the benefit committee, so he is allowed to take command. Meanwh ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Drums Of The Congo
''Drums of the Congo'' is a 1942 American drama film, directed by Christy Cabanne. It stars Ona Munson, Stuart Erwin, and Peggy Moran, and was released on July 17, 1942. Cast list * Ona Munson as Dr. Ann Montgomery * Stuart Erwin as Congo Jack * Peggy Moran as Enid Waldron * Don Terry as Capt. Kirk Armstrong * Richard Lane as George Coutlass * Jules Bledsoe as Kalu * Turhan Bey as Juma * Ernest Whitman as King Malaba * Edwin Stanley as Col. S. C. Robinson * Jess Lee Brooks Jess Lee Brooks (June 10, 1894 – December 13, 1944), also known as Jesse Brooks, was an American actor. He is perhaps most famous for playing the African-American church preacher in the critically acclaimed motion picture ''Sullivan's Travels'', ... as Chief Madjeduka References External links * * * American drama films 1942 drama films 1942 films Universal Pictures films Films directed by Christy Cabanne American black-and-white films Films scored by Hans J. Salter 1940s American ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Jungle Siren
''Jungle Siren'' is a 1942 American film directed by Sam Newfield. Cast *Ann Corio as Kuhlaya *Buster Crabbe as Captain Gary Hart * Evelyn Wahl as Frau Anna Lukas *Paul Bryar as Sergeant Mike Jenkins *Milton Kibbee as Dr. Thomas Harrigan *Arno Frey as Herr George Lukas *Jess Lee Brooks as Chief Selangi * Manart Kippen as Major Renault - Commandant *James Adamson as Johnny - a Native *Greco as himself, a chimpanzee Soundtrack *Ann Corio - "Song of the Jungle" (Written by Johnny Lange and Lew Porter Lew Porter (February 4, 1892, New York City – January 29, 1956, Los Angeles) was an American composer and songwriter, contributing to the soundtracks of 72 films.1942 films [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Sullivan's Travels
''Sullivan's Travels'' is a 1941 American comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges. A satire on the film industry, it follows a famous Hollywood comedy director (Joel McCrea) who, longing to make a socially relevant drama, sets out to live as a tramp to gain life experience for his forthcoming film. Along the way he unites with a poor aspiring actress (Veronica Lake) who accompanies him. The title is a reference to ''Gulliver's Travels'', the 1726 novel by satirist Jonathan Swift about another journey of self-discovery. ''Sullivan's Travels'' received disparate critical reception: ''The New York Times'' described it as "the most brilliant picture yet this year", praising Sturges's mix of escapist fun with underlying significance, and ranked it as one of the ten best films of 1941. But ''The Hollywood Reporter'' said that it lacked the "down to earth quality and sincerity which made turges'sother three pictures of 1941 – ''The Great McGinty'', ''The Lady Eve'', and '' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Lucky Ghost
''Lucky Ghost'' is a 1942 American film directed by William Beaudine. The film is a sequel to the 1941 film ''Mr. Washington Goes to Town''. The film is also known as ''Lady Luck'' (new American title). Plot Washington Delaware Jones has never done much good for his town, and ultimately he is ordered by a judge to leave for good. In following the judge's order he brings his friend and collaborator Jefferson, and the two men go on a search for a new place to live. Both lack professional experience and start thinking about what kind of jobs they might get. Since they both agree on liking food, they decide on becoming food tasters. When they come to the first destination on the road, they pretend to be food inspectors and start stealing chickens from a farm, but the farmer shoots at them. They meet a man of some wealth named Brown, whose car has stopped alongside the road, and his friend Dawson. While Brown's chauffeur runs along to find gas, the four remaining men start throwing ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Four Shall Die
''Four Shall Die'' is a 1940 American supernatural crime film directed by William Beaudine. It features Dorothy Dandridge in her first credited film role. Cast * Niel Webster as Pierre Touissant * Mantan Moreland as Beefus, Touissant's Chauffeur * Laurence Criner as Roger Fielding * Dorothy Dandridge as Helen Fielding * Vernon McCalla as Doctor Webb * Monte Hawley as Dr. Hugh Leonard (as Monty Hawley) * Reginald Fenderson as Hickson (as Reggie Fenderson) * Jack Carr as Lew Covey * Jess Lee Brooks Jess Lee Brooks (June 10, 1894 – December 13, 1944), also known as Jesse Brooks, was an American actor. He is perhaps most famous for playing the African-American church preacher in the critically acclaimed motion picture ''Sullivan's Travels'', ... as Bill Summers * Edward Thompson as Sgt. Adams References External links * 1940 films 1940s crime films American crime films American black-and-white films Films directed by William Beaudine American supernatural films ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |