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Million Dollar Productions
Million Dollar Productions was a movie studio in the United States active from 1937 until 1940. It was established to produce films with African American casts. It was a partnership between Harry M. Popkin, Leo C. Popkin and Ralph Cooper. History Ralph Cooper was an experienced black actor nicknamed "Dark Gable" who was also a singer, dancer, comedian and emcee at the Apollo Theatre Amateur Night in Harlem. While contracted to 20th Century Fox, Cooper learned film making skills. Together with George Randol, he formed Cooper-Randol Productions to produce ''Dark Manhattan'' (1937). Using the experience he went into partnership with the Popkin brothers, Harry and Leo to form Million Dollar Productions. Harry Popkin owned and managed a chain of Circle Theatres in Los Angeles. One of these was the Million Dollar Theatre that catered to a black clientele. The production company made several fast moving genre pictures with budgets, despite its name, of approximately $8,000 to $10,000 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Life Goes On Lobby Card
Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for growth, reaction to stimuli, metabolism, energy transformation, and reproduction. Various forms of life exist, such as plants, animals, fungi, protists, archaea, and bacteria. Biology is the science that studies life. The gene is the unit of heredity, whereas the cell is the structural and functional unit of life. There are two kinds of cells, prokaryotic and eukaryotic, both of which consist of cytoplasm enclosed within a membrane and contain many biomolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. Cells reproduce through a process of cell division, in which the parent cell divides into two or more daughter cells and passes its genes onto a new generation, sometimes producing genetic variation. Organisms, or the individual entities of life, are generally thought to be open systems that maint ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bargain With Bullets
''Bargain with Bullets'' is a 1937 American film. The first film produced by Million Dollar Productions Million Dollar Productions was a movie studio in the United States active from 1937 until 1940. It was established to produce films with African American casts. It was a partnership between Harry M. Popkin, Leo C. Popkin and Ralph Cooper. Histo ..., it features an African American cast of actors and performers. The gangster film is about the Harlem underworld. It was described as the first Hollywood "all-Negro" film. The film features several musical performances. Toddy Pictures Company acquired Million Dollar Productions and re-released the film as ''Gangsters on the Loose''. The gangster themed film drew scrutiny from film censorship boards in the U.S. requiring extensive editing of the film. Cast * Ralph Cooper as Mugsy "Killer" Moore * Theresa Harris * Frances Turham * Lawrence Criner * Clarence Brooks See also *'' Dark Manhattan'' References External links * ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
African-American Film Producers
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of 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/Central African with some European descent; some also have Native American and other ancestry. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, African immigrants generally do not self-ide ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Defunct Film And Television Production Companies Of The United States
{{Disambiguation ...
Defunct (no longer in use or active) may refer to: * ''Defunct'' (video game), 2014 * Zombie process or defunct process, in Unix-like operating systems See also * * :Former entities * End-of-life product * Obsolescence Obsolescence is the state of being which occurs when an object, service, or practice is no longer maintained or required even though it may still be in good working order. It usually happens when something that is more efficient or less risky r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mass Media Companies Disestablished In 1940
Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different elementary particles, theoretically with the same amount of matter, have nonetheless different masses. Mass in modern physics has multiple definitions which are conceptually distinct, but physically equivalent. Mass can be experimentally defined as a measure of the body's inertia, meaning the resistance to acceleration (change of velocity) when a net force is applied. The object's mass also determines the strength of its gravitational attraction to other bodies. The SI base unit of mass is the kilogram (kg). In physics, mass is not the same as weight, even though mass is often determined by measuring the object's weight using a spring scale, rather than balance scale comparing it directly with known masses. An object on the Moon would weigh l ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mass Media Companies Established In 1937
Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different elementary particles, theoretically with the same amount of matter, have nonetheless different masses. Mass in modern physics has multiple definitions which are conceptually distinct, but physically equivalent. Mass can be experimentally defined as a measure of the body's inertia, meaning the resistance to acceleration (change of velocity) when a net force is applied. The object's mass also determines the strength of its gravitational attraction to other bodies. The SI base unit of mass is the kilogram (kg). In physics, mass is not the same as weight, even though mass is often determined by measuring the object's weight using a spring scale, rather than balance scale comparing it directly with known masses. An object on the Moon would weigh l ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
While Thousands Cheer
''While Thousands Cheer'' is a lost American film released in 1940. Leo C. Popkin directed. It was the only football-themed film with an African American lead character for decades. It starred Kenny Washington, a football star from UCLA who went on to become the first African American in the NFL after initially being refused an opportunity to play in the league due to segregation. Plot The film is a football melodrama. The plot was said to be based on true stories about gambling and corruption in football at a specific Black college. The story follows a star football player and his brother as they get involved with, and later break up, a gambling ring's attempting to " fix" a college game. Cast The film featured a mostly African American cast, including UCLA football star Kenny Washington, who was denied entry to the segregated NFL for several years. The film was Washington's first movie role. Jeni Le Gon played the leading actress. * Kenny Washington as Kenny Harringt ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gang War (1940 Film)
''Gang War'' is an American film released in 1940. It features an African American cast and was directed by Leo C. Popkin. It was produced by Million Dollar Productions. The film is about the rivalry between two gangs. In 1998, the Turner Classic Movies (TCM) television channel screened the film as part of a month-long showing of race films. Cast * Ralph Cooper as Bob "Killer" Meade *Gladys Snyder as Mazie "Sugar" Walford * Reggie Fenderson as Danny * Lawrence Criner as Lew Baron *Monte Hawley Monte Hawley (? - November 30, 1950) was an American actor from Chicago, Illinois. Biography He began his entertainment career as one of the original Lafayette Players. He studied under Richard B. Harrison and, after moving to New York City, acte ... as Bill *Jesse Brooks *Johnny Thomas *Maceo Sheffield ( Maceo Bruce Sheffield) *Charles Hawkins *Robert Johnson *Henry Roberts *Harold Garrison References {{Reflist 1940 films Films directed by Leo C. Popkin African-American films Ameri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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] |
Straight To Heaven
''Straight to Heaven'' is an American film released in 1939. It was produced by Million Dollar Productions. It was advertised as having an all colored cast. Arthur A. Leonard directed. Sack Amusement Enterprises was the distributor. The story features a cabaret singer, her singer son, and the criminal underworld. The film starred Nina Mae McKinney in her last major film role and Jackie Ward, a 12 year old performer from Harlem. Ward performs three songs in the film and McKinney one. Cast *Nina Mae McKinney as Cabaret Singer Ida Williams * Jack Carter *Jackie Ward *Lionel Monagas *James Baskett James Franklin Baskett (February 16, 1904 – July 9, 1948) was an American actor who portrayed Uncle Remus, singing the song "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" in the 1946 Disney feature film '' Song of the South''. In recognition of his portrayal of Remus, h ... References {{Reflist American black-and-white films 1939 films ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
One Dark Night (1939 Film)
''One Dark Night'' is an American film released in 1939. Also known as ''Night Club Girl''. It was directed by Leo C. Popkin. It was produced by Harry M. Popkin. The film features an African American cast including Mantan Moreland in a dramatic role. Cast *Mantan Moreland * Josephine Pearson * Betty Treadville * Jessie Coles Grayson Production and release Hattie McDaniel reportedly turned down the role played by Bette Treadville. The film was made by Million Dollar Productions and distributed by Sack Amusement Enterprises. It was produced by Clifford Sanforth. The film drew various black celebrities to a showing. Josephine Edwards performs two songs in the lost film. The film was re-released as ''Night Club Girl'' in 1944. It is categorized as a race film, and is now lost. The Yale University Library has a lobby card A film poster is a poster used to promote and advertise a film primarily to persuade paying customers into a theater to see it. Studios often print several ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Reform School (film)
''Reform School'' is an American film produced by Million Dollar Productions in 1939, starring Louise Beavers. The film was directed by Leo C. Popkin. In 1944 the film was re-released as ''Prison Bait''. Beavers plays as Mother Barton, a probation officer of a large city that believes in a plan for an "honor system" at a reform school. When the previous superintendent of the school is ousted, she becomes superintendent and has to address a brutal guard, the previous superintendent's "henchmen", and teens at the school. Reginald Fenderson played a supporting role as "Freddie Gordon", one of the boys at the school. The film debuted a group called the "Harlem Tuff Kids", which included Eugene Jackson playing as "Pete", DeForrest Covan as "Bill", Eddie Lynn as "Joe" and Bob Simmons as "Johnny". The Harlem Tuff Kids also appeared in the 1942 film ''Take My Life''. The executive producer of the film was Harry M. Popkin. The writers were Jos. O'Donnell and Hazel Jamieson. Posters fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
