''Blackbirds of 1939'' was an African-American musical revue in

Lew Leslie Lew Leslie (born Lewis Lessinsky; April 15, 1888 – March 10, 1963) was an American writer and producer of Broadway shows. Leslie got his start in show business in vaudeville in his early twenties. Although white, he was the first major imp ...

's series of Blackbirds productions. It was the last revue, following on from '' Blackbirds of 1928'', ''Blackbirds of 1930'', '' Blackbirds of 1933'', 1934, 1935, 1936 and 1937. The show was staged at the

Hudson Theatre The Hudson Theatre is a Broadway theater at 139–141 West 44th Street, between Seventh Avenue and Sixth Avenue, in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. One of the oldest surviving Broadway venues, the Hudson was built ...

.Jack Burton, Larry Freeman ''The blue book of Broadway musicals'' 1969 - Page 272 "BLACKBIRDS OF 1939 Lena Horne made her stage debut in this all-Negro revue with book by Lew Leslie. —THURSDAY By Louis Haber and Dorothy Sachs. —SHAKE YOUR BLUESIES WITH DANCING SHOESIES By Louis Haber and ." The revue's stars were Lena Horne, Tim Moore, Dewey Markham, Hamtree Harrington, Doc Sausage, Joe Byrd, and Rosalie King. There were several featured dancing specialty acts, as well as singers. Music was by

Mitchell Parish Mitchell Parish (born Michael Hyman Pashelinsky; July 10, 1900 – March 31, 1993) was an American lyricist, notably as a writer of songs for stage and screen. Biography Parish was born to a Jewish family in Lithuania, Russian Empire in July 190 ...

and others. The revue was short-lived, only running for nine performances, before closing.

Songs

*1. "Thursday" Dorothy Sacks & Irvin Graham, melody Louis Haber. Later recorded by

Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...

. *2. Shake Your Bluesies with Dancing Shoesies (by Louis Haber and Dorothy Sachs) *3. Father Divine (by Louis Haber and Dorothy Sachs) *4. I Did It for the Red, White and Blue (by Rube Bloom and Johnny Mercer) *5. When a Blackbird Is Blue (by Sammy Fain and Mitchell Parish) *6. You're So Indifferent (by Sammy Fain and Mitchell Parish) *7. Swing Struck (by Vic Mizzy and Irving Taylor) *8.

Rhapsody in Blue ''Rhapsody in Blue'' is a 1924 musical composition written by George Gershwin for solo piano and jazz band, which combines elements of classical music with jazz-influenced effects. Commissioned by bandleader Paul Whiteman, the work premiered i ...

(by George Gershwin)

References

{{reflist 1939 musicals Revues American musicals