''Midnight Shadow'' is a 1939 film with an all African-American cast. It was directed and produced by

George Randol George Randol (1895–1973) was an actor, screenwriter, director, and producer of films in the United States. In 1938 he was honored as an influential film executive in a newspaper writeup of the "Negro" film industry. Randol was born in Buena V ...

, who was also African American.

Plot

The mind-reading Prince Alihabad

courts A court is any person or institution, often as a government institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accorda ...

a girl from Oklahoma played by Frances E. Redd. Her parents want to make her happy, but they do not like that Alihabad worships Allah. A killer is on the loose and locals fear that it might be Alihabad.

Cast

* Frances Redd as Margaret Wilson * Buck Woods as Lightfoot * Richard Bates as Jr. Lingley *

Clinton Rosemond Clinton Rosemond (November 1, 1882 – March 10, 1966) was an American singer and actor. Born Cresent Clinton Rosemond, he served as a private in the United States Army during the Spanish–American War, and he later sang in the Southern Trio wi ...

as Mr. Dan Wilson *

Jesse 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 Sergeant Ramsey * Edward Brandon as Buster Barnett * Ollie Ann Robinson as Mrs. Emma Wilson *

Laurence Criner Laurence Criner (19 July 1898 - 8 March 1965) born John Laurence Criner, occasionally credited as J. Lawrence Criner, was an actor in the United States. An African-American, he had numerous film roles including as the male lead and star. He was ...

(billed as John Criner) as Prince Alihabad * Pete Webster (actor) as John Mason *

Ruby Dandridge Ruby Jean Dandridge (née Butler; March 3, 1900 – October 17, 1987) was an American actress from the early 1900s through to the late 1950s. Dandridge is best known for her role on the radio show '' Amos 'n Andy'', in which she played Sadi ...

as Mrs. Lingley * Napoleon Simpson as Mr. Ernest Lingley

Book coverage

The film was briefly discussed in terms of plot and as an African American production in the books ''Hollywood Be Thy Name: African American Religion in American Film, 1929-1949'' and ''Whispered Consolations: Law and Narrative in African American Life''.

References

External links

Full Cast and Crew: ''Midnight Shadow'' (1939)
IMdB * * *
"Ruth Lankford Redd Accompanies the Negro Community Chorus of Columbia, Missouri"
undated photograph from Columbia, MO includes John Roland Redd's sisters Ruth Lankford Redd (accompanist) and Frances Elizabeth Redd, Collection: African Americans in Northeast Missouri, Hannibal Free Library 1939 films 1939 mystery films American mystery films American black-and-white films 1930s mystery films Race films 1930s American films 1930s English-language films {{mystery-film-stub