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Spencer Williams Jr.
Spencer Williams (July 14, 1893 – December 13, 1969) was an American actor and filmmaker. He portrayed Andy on TV's '' The Amos 'n' Andy Show'' and directed films including the 1941 race film ''The Blood of Jesus''. Williams was a pioneering African-American film producer and director. Early career Williams (who was sometimes billed as Spencer Williams Jr.) was born in Vidalia, Louisiana, where the family lived on Magnolia Street. As a youngster, he attended Wards Academy in Natchez, Mississippi. He moved to New York City when he was a teenager and secured work as call boy for the theatrical impresario Oscar Hammerstein. During this period, he received mentoring as a comedian from the African American vaudeville star Bert Williams. Williams studied at the University of Minnesota and served in the U.S. Army during and after World War I, rising to the rank of sergeant major. During his military service, Williams traveled the world, serving as General Pershing's bugler ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vidalia, Louisiana
Vidalia is the largest city and the parish seat of Concordia Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 4,299 as of the 2010 census. Vidalia is located on the west bank of the Mississippi River. The city of Natchez, Mississippi, lies on the opposite bank of the river, connected by the Natchez–Vidalia Bridge, carrying U.S. Routes 65, 84, and 425. History Vidalia was founded by Don José Vidal, when he was secretary to Manuel Gayoso de Lemos, the Spanish Governor of the Natchez District from 1792 to 1797. This was in a brief period of Spanish rule of former French territory west of the Mississippi River. Napoleon took it back and he sold it to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. In 1811 the Orleans Territorial legislature changed the name of the city to Vidalia after the founder. Vidal had donated land along the river to the city, where it later constructed its civic buildings. He also donated land for the first school in Concordia Parish. The G ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and to the east by the Gulf of Mexico. Mexico covers ,Mexico ''''. . making it the world's 13th-largest country by are ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gloria Swanson
Gloria May Josephine Swanson (March 27, 1899April 4, 1983) was an American actress and producer. She first achieved fame acting in dozens of silent films in the 1920s and was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Actress, most famously for her 1950 return in Billy Wilder's ''Sunset Boulevard'', which also earned her a Golden Globe Award. Swanson was born in Chicago and raised in a military family that moved from base to base. Her infatuation with Essanay Studios actor Francis X. Bushman led to her aunt taking her to tour the actor's Chicago studio. The 15-year-old Swanson was offered a brief walk-on for one film, beginning her life's career in front of the cameras. Swanson was soon hired to work in California for Mack Sennett's Keystone Studios comedy shorts opposite Bobby Vernon. She was eventually recruited by Famous Players-Lasky/Paramount Pictures, where she was put under contract for seven years. With the company she became a global superstar. She starr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oft In The Silly Night
''Oft in the Silly Night'' is an American short comedy film released in 1929. It was produced by Al Christie from a story by Octavus Roy Cohen, part of a series published in the ''Saturday Evening Post'' and adapted to film in Christie productions. Among the early "talkie" films featuring an African American cast, the film survives and is available online. The plot has a chauffeur sneaking out with his employer's car and daughter. The film and the series feature exaggerated "Negro" dialect and stereotypes. The film was re-released on the DVD ''Birmingham Black Bottom'' in 2003. Cast * Edward Thompson as Temus Robinson * Roberta Hyson as Mezanine Conner * Arthur Ray as Julip Conner * Spencer Williams as Eli Rubb * Laurence Criner as L. J. Criner See also *" Oft in the Stilly Night", a poem by Thomas Moore Thomas Moore (28 May 1779 – 25 February 1852) was an Irish writer, poet, and lyricist celebrated for his ''Irish Melodies''. Their setting of English-language verse to o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Music Hath Charms
''Music Hath Charms'' is a 1935 British musical comedy film directed by Thomas Bentley, Walter Summers, Arthur B. Woods and Alexander Esway. It stars Henry Hall with the BBC Dance Orchestra, Carol Goodner and Arthur Margetson. It was given a trade show in October 1935 and went on full release in March the following year. Musical numbers * "Music Hath Charms"—the theme tune is performed twice, first with Dan Donovan on vocals at the beginning of the film, and later at the end with a harmony quartet and mixed chorus. * "I'm Feeling Happy"—performed when Henry Hall goes to the recording studio. Dan Donovan provides the vocals. * "There Is No Time Like the Present"—performed at a rehearsal. * "Honey-Coloured Moon"—performed with vocals by Hildegarde. * "Many Happy Returns Of The Day"—performed during a montage of Henry Hall's "birthday parade", after which the band-members go missing. This song should not be confused with the Burke-Dubin song of the same name, published in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldest film studio in the world, the second-oldest film studio in the United States (behind Universal Pictures), and the sole member of the Major film studio, "Big Five" film studios located within the city limits of Los Angeles. In 1916, film producer Adolph Zukor put 24 actors and actresses under contract and honored each with a star on the logo. In 1967, the number of stars was reduced to 22 and their hidden meaning was dropped. In 2014, Paramount Pictures became the first major Hollywood studio to distribute all of its films in digital form only. The company's headquarters and studios are located at 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, California. Paramount Pictures is a member of the Motion Picture Association of America, Motion Picture Associ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Lady Fare
''The Lady Fare'' or ''Lady Fare'' is a 1929 American short comedy film directed by William Watson, from a story by Octavus Roy Cohen, and screenplay by Spencer Williams (actor), Spencer Williams. It was produced by Christie brothers, Al Christie and filmed by the Christie Film Company. The film was one of the first African American talkie, talking movies, described as a "singie" and a "dancie". It featured an all-female chorus line, possibly inspired by the Cotton Club. The 20-minute film premiered on September 28, 1929. Cast *Herbert V. Skinner *Leroy Broomfield *Claude Collins *Vernon Elkins *Aurora Greeley *Leon Hereford *Roberta Hyson *Gus Jones *Evelyn Preer *Junie Rutledge *Zack Williams (actor), Zack Williams *Spencer Williams Jr. *Edward Thompson (actor), Edward Thompson References External links * 1929 comedy films 1929 short films African-American musical comedy films {{1920s-US-film-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Framing Of The Shrew
''The Framing of the Shrew'' is a 1929 American comedy film. It features an African American cast. It was produced by Al Christie and the story was by Octavus Roy Cohen. It was directed by Arvid E. Gillstrom. The plot depicts a husband who gets the upper hand on his wife using various tactics. ''Framing of the Shrew'' was one in a series of films made from Cohen's stories featuring the same characters portrayed by established African American actors and vaudeville performers. Synopsis Privacy Robson decides that he must be free of his wife, Clarry, as she has been pushing for him to find a job. His friend Florian Slappey advises him to go on a hunger strike to get even with her. Privacy takes this advice, however he is unable to resist sneaking some of his wife's cooking even after declining to eat supper. In the end Privacy wins out and is able to continue his daily routine. Cast *Evelyn Preer as Clarry Robson *Edward Thompson (actor), Edward Thompson as Privacy Robson *Charl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Melancholy Dame
''The Melancholy Dame'' is a short American comedy film made with an African American cast and released in 1929. It was an Al Christie film based on the Octavus Roy Cohen comedy series called "Darktown Birmingham" published in the ''Saturday Evening Post'' . Arvid Gillstrom directed and Florian Slappey was portrayed by Charles Olden. The film was produced and released by Paramount Pictures, and includes racial caricatures. It has been described as the first African American talkie. It featured a vision of high society and comic dialogue set in a Birmingham restaurant with a piano and dance show. The ''Los Angeles Times'' summarized the plot as, "A cabaret owner’s wife demands that her husband fire the sexy star attraction (if he doesn’t, she warns, 'there’s going to be a quick call for an undertaker'). Little does she (or the singer’s husband) know that the singer and the club owner were once married." It is a 2-reel film. The film is extant and posted on YouTube along wit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Short Film
A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all credits". In the United States, short films were generally termed short subjects from the 1920s into the 1970s when confined to two 35 mm reels or less, and featurettes for a film of three or four reels. "Short" was an abbreviation for either term. The increasingly rare industry term "short subject" carries more of an assumption that the film is shown as part of a presentation along with a feature film. Short films are often screened at local, national, or international film festivals and made by independent filmmakers with either a low budget or no budget at all. They are usually funded by film grants, nonprofit organizations, sponsor, or personal funds. Short films are generally used for industry experience and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Al Christie
Charles Herbert Christie (April 13, 1882 – October 1, 1955) and Alfred Ernest Christie (November 23, 1886 – April 14, 1951) were Canadian motion picture entrepreneurs. Early life Charles Herbert Christie was born between April 13, 1880 and April 13, 1882, and Alfred Ernest Christie was born between October 23, 1881 and November 23, 1886, both in London, Ontario. Their father managed the Opera House and their mother was its box-office manager and accountant. Charles graduated from school at age 14, and graduated from the four-year accountancy course in two years at age 16. Career Charles, at age 23, was offered a job as the stage manager for Liebler and Company and accepted it on the condition that his brother Al also be given a job. They worked for the organization for three years. Charles joined the film industry after being hired as an accountant for the Nestor Film Company. William Horsley stated that "I wonder if we would have survived as a viable industry had ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Steamboat Bill, Jr
''Steamboat Bill, Jr.'' is a 1928 silent comedy film starring Buster Keaton. Released by United Artists, the film is the final product of Keaton's independent production team and set of gag writers. It was not a box-office success and became the last picture Keaton made for United Artists. Keaton ended up moving to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where he made one last film in his trademark style, ''The Cameraman'', before his creative control was taken away by the studio. Charles Reisner directed the film, and the credited story writer was Carl Harbaugh. The film, named after Arthur Collins's popular 1911 recording of the 1910 song "Steamboat Bill", also featured Ernest Torrence, Marion Byron, and Tom Lewis. The film is known for what may be Keaton's most famous film stunt: The facade of a house falls around him while he stands in the precise location of open window to avoid being flattened. In 2016, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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