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Sack Amusements
Alfred N. Sack (1898 –1969) was an American businessperson, newspaper publisher and the proprietor of film distribution, production, and the theater-owning business Sack Amusements. Biography Sack was born in Greenville, Mississippi. He worked as a newspaper publisher in the 1920s between stints in the film industry."Alfred N. Sack, 69, Is Dead; Texas Film Executive." ''Boxoffice''. Vol. 94, Iss. 21. Mar 10, 1969. p. 11. Via Proquest. His business, Sack Amusements, included many films starring African American casts, so-called race films. He worked with his brother Lester. They were Jewish. They partnered with Spencer Williams on several films. Sack distributed several Oscar Micheaux films. Sack secured a deal with RKO to distribute four 2-reel films of "Negro spirituals". The brothers re-released some films. The brothers purchased the Lucas Theatre in Dallas, Texas. He opened the Coronet Theatre in Dallas in 1948. It opened as an art house theatre but by the time he sold it ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Greenville, Mississippi
Greenville is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 34,400 at the 2010 census. It is located in the area of historic cotton plantations and culture known as the Mississippi Delta. History Early history This area was occupied by indigenous peoples for thousands of years. When the French explored here, they encountered the historic Natchez people. As part of their colony known as ''La Louisiane'', the French established a settlement at what became Natchez, Mississippi. Other Native American tribes also lived in what is now known as Mississippi. The current city of Greenville is the third in the State to bear the name. The first, (known as Old Greenville) located to the south near Natchez, became defunct soon after the American Revolution, as European-American settlement was then still concentrated in the eastern states. The second Greenville was founded in 1824 by American William W. Blanton, who filed for land from ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Two-Gun Man From Harlem
''Two Gun Man from Harlem'' is a 1938 American contemporary Western film directed by Richard C. Kahn. It was produced by Merit Pictures, distributed by Sack Amusement Enterprises and featured an all-African-American cast. Plot summary A man wrongly accused of murder disguises himself as a Harlem gangster known as "the Deacon", in order to bring to justice the men who framed him. He succeeds and reveals himself to the girl who loves him, and they go off to live happily ever after. There are many cleverly comic interludes in the story. Cast * Herbert Jeffrey as Bob Blake/The Deacon * Margaret Whitten as Sally Thompson * Clarence Brooks as John Barker * Mantan Moreland as Bill Blake * Stymie Beard as Jimmy Thompson * Spencer Williams, Jr. as Butch Carter * Mae Turner as Mrs. Ruth Steel * Jesse Lee Brooks as Sheriff * Rose Lee Lincoln as Dolores * Tom Southern as John Steel * The Cats and the Fiddle as Specialty Act * The Four Tones as Singing Group * Paul Blackman as Paul ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harlem Hotshots
''Harlem Hotshots'' is an American short film from 1940 produced by Sack Amusements. The 20 minute film is a musical. One poster for the film includes a skyline of buildings and street sign for Lenox Avenue and 125th Street. The film was reissued in 1986 as part of ''Jazz Classics, No. 110; Harlem Harmonies Volume 1, 1940–1945''. Performances The film includes Leon Gross and his Orchestra playing " The Swingeroo Stomp", " Dear Old Southland", and "I Found a New Baby", as well as Cora Harris singing " Heaven Help That Heart of Mine". " Dance of the Bellhops" is performed by Stringbean Jackson and the Red Lily Chorus. Cast * Cora Harris and her orchestra * Lena Horne * Stingbean Jackson * Leon Gross (also known as Archibald) and his orchestra * The Red Lilly Chorus * Teddy Wilson and his orchestra Later influences A 1953 film of the same name compiles the work of rhythm & blues and jazz musicians including Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, Ruth Brown, Big Joe Turner, a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Of One Blood (film)
''Of One Blood'' is a 1944 American race film directed, written by and starring Spencer Williams. The film focuses on two orphaned African American brothers who grow up to become a lawyer and a police officer, and who work together to break up a crime ring run by a miscreant who turns out to be their long-lost oldest brother. Release, reception, and legacy Like many race films, all of Williams' works were thought to have been lost. At the time, films were printed on nitrate film, which is highly flammable and liable to decompose, and only a few prints of Williams' films were made due to their low budget. However, most of his 1940s films have been rediscovered; many were found in a Tyler, Texas warehouse by film historian G. William Jones in 1983, alongside a number of independent exploitation films and prints of popular Hollywood films from the 1930s and 40s. Williams' works recovered in the collection were restored and now held at Southern Methodist University (SMU) as the Tyle ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spencer Williams
Spencer Williams (October 14, 1889 – July 14, 1965) was an American jazz and popular music composer, pianist, and singer. He is best known for his hit songs " Basin Street Blues", "I Ain't Got Nobody", "Royal Garden Blues", "I've Found a New Baby", "Everybody Loves My Baby", "Tishomingo Blues", and many others. Biography Spencer Williams was born in Vidalia, Louisiana, United States. He was educated at St. Charles University in New Orleans. Williams was performing in Chicago by 1907, and moved to New York City about 1916. After arriving in New York, he co-wrote several songs with Anton Lada of the Louisiana Five. Among those songs was " Basin Street Blues", which became one of his most popular songs and is still recorded by musicians to this day. Williams toured Europe with bands from 1925 to 1928; during this time he wrote for Josephine Baker at the Folies Bergère in Paris. Williams then returned to New York for a few years. At the end of the 1920s, Williams was tried b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marching On!
''Marching On!'' is a 1943 American race film directed and written by Spencer Williams (actor), Spencer Williams. Sequences were filmed at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. The film was later rereleased with additional musical sequences under the title ''Where's My Man To-nite?''. Plot The film focuses on a young African American who continues his family’s tradition of military service when he is drafted into the United States Army during World War II. Despite complications that arise during his basic training, including his jealousy following his girlfriend's flirtatious attention to his sergeant, the young soldier becomes a hero when he locates Japanese saboteurs operating a radio station outside of his military base. Cast *Hugo Martin as Rodney Tucker Jr. *George T. Sutton as Gramps Sam Tucker *Emmet Jackson as Sgt. Robert L. Keene *"Pepper" Neely as Wash, soldier *Mickey McZekkashing as Wimpy, soldier *Myra D. Hemmings as Mrs. Ellen Tucker *Clarissy Deary as Ginny *L.K. Smith as R ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Blood Of Jesus
''The Blood of Jesus'' (also known as ''The Glory Road'') is a 1941 American fantasy drama race film written, directed by and starring Spencer Williams. The plot concerns a Baptist woman who, after being accidentally shot by her atheist husband, is sent to a crossroads, where Satan tries to lead her astray. The film was very successful and, in 1991, was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". Plot In a small rural village with an African American population, a church group is holding a riverside baptismal service, and one of the faithful being immersed is the recently married Martha (Cathryn Caviness). However, Martha's husband Ras (Spencer Williams) is absent from the service – he claims he was hunting, but he actually poached a neighbor's boar. At home, Ras accidentally shoots Martha when his rifle drops on the floor and discharges. The church congregation g ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Son Of Ingagi
''Son of Ingagi'' is a 1940 American monster movie directed by Richard C. Kahn. It was the first science fiction horror film to feature an all-black cast.Moon 1997, p. 370 It was written by Spencer Williams (actor), Spencer Williams based on his own short story, ''House of Horror''. Although the film's title appears to suggest that it is a sequel to the 1930 movie ''Ingagi'', it is not. (The latter is an exploitation film in the guise of an ethnographic film in which purported African women are given over to gorillas as sex slaves.) ''Son of Ingagi'' is about Elanor and Bob Lindsay inheriting the house of doctor Helen Jackson who had just returned from her trip to Africa. Jackson also had returned with a Transitional fossil#Missing links, missing link monster named N'Gina as well as African gold. When N'Gina drinks the doctor's potion, it puts him into a rage that makes him murder Dr. Jackson. The Lindsay family inherits Jackson's house where they soon find the presence of the mon ... [...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] |
Lying Lips
''Lying Lips'' is a 1939 American melodrama race film written and directed by Oscar Micheaux who co-produced the film with aviator Hubert Fauntlenroy Julian, starring Edna Mae Harris, and Robert Earl Jones (the father of James Earl Jones). ''Lying Lips'' was the thirty-seventh film of Micheaux. The film was shot at the Biograph Studios in New York City. Plot Elsie, a popular nightclub singer, refuses to go out with the customers at the request of the white owner of the club. The owner decides to get Benjamin, the black manager of the club, to talk to Elsie and try to persuade her to cooperate. Benjamin refuses and quits his job. Benjamin tells Elsie of his conversation with the owner and persuades Elsie to stay on because she is popular and can make a lot of money, but he warns her to be careful. Elsie stays, but still refuses to date the customers. Later, the owner hires John and Clyde, Elsie's uncles, to replace Benjamin. One evening, after the club closes, Elsie goes home and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Bronze Buckaroo
''The Bronze Buckaroo'' is a 1939 American Western film directed by Richard C. Kahn. It is one of the race films made by African-American directors and performers for African-American audiences. ''The Bronze Buckaroo'' stars black cowboy singer Herb Jeffries, here billed as Herbert Jeffrey. Plot Cowboy Bob Blake receives a letter from his friend Joe Jackson, asking for help. Blake and his men travel to Jackson's ranch, only to discover from Jackson's sister Betty that Joe has been missing for three weeks. Meanwhile, Jackson's ranch hand (Slim Perkins) is learning to use ventriloquism to make the farm animals talk, and tries to convince the gullible Dusty to buy a talking mule. Blake discovers that Jackson is being held by a local land grabbing rancher, Buck Thorne, who (with his partner Pete) has discovered gold on Jackson's ranch. They killed Joe's and Betty's father, and are trying to force Joe to deed the land over to Thorne. Blake develops a plan to rescue Jackson from ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Moon Over Harlem
''Moon Over Harlem'' is a 1939 American race film directed by Edgar G. Ulmer. Plot summary A gangster, Dollar Bill Richards, seduces a wealthy widow, Minnie, to get his hands on her money. Cast * Bud Harris as Dollar Bill * Cora Green as Minnie * Izinetta Wilcox as Sue * Earl Gough as Bob * Zerita Steptean as Jackie * Petrina Moore as Alice * Daphne Fray as Pat *Mercedes Gilbert as Jackie's mother * Frances Harrod as Maud * Alec Lovejoy as Fats *Walter Richardson as Brother Hornsby * Slim Thompson as Long-Boy *Freddie Robinson as Half-Pint *John Bunn as Wallstreet * Marieluise Bechet as Nina Mae Brown *Archie Cross as A Boy from Newark * William Woodward as A Boy from Newark *John Fortune as Jamaica * Audrey Talbird as Connie * Marie Young as Jean * Christopher Columbus and His Swing Crew as Themselves *Sidney Bechet Sidney Bechet (May 14, 1897 – May 14, 1959) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer. He was one of the first important soloists in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
