''Murder on Lenox Avenue'' is a 1941 American

race film The race film or race movie was a genre of film produced in the United States between about 1915 and the early 1950s, consisting of films produced for black audiences, and featuring black casts. Approximately five hundred race films were produce ...

directed by

Arthur Dreifuss Arthur Dreifuss (sometimes credited as Dreyfuss; March 25, 1908 – December 31, 1993)Harlem, New York City Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street (Manhattan), 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street (Manhattan), ...

, someone gets framed for a murder while Pa Wilkins tries to replace the apartment building's former manager.

Cast

Mamie Smith Mamie Smith (née Robinson; May 26, 1891 – September 16, 1946) was an American vaudeville singer, dancer, pianist, and actress. As a vaudeville singer she performed in multiple styles, including jazz and blues. In 1920, she entered blues histor ...

as Hattie * Alec Lovejoy as Flivver Johnson * Norman Astwood as Mr. Marshall * Augustus Smith as Pa Wilkins * Alberta Perkins as Mercedes *

Edna Mae Harris Edna Mae Harris (September 29, 1914 – September 15, 1997), sometimes credited as Edna May Harris was an American actress and singer. Harris was one of the first African–American film actress of the late 1930s and early 1940s, appearing i ...

as Singer *

Sidney Easton Sidney Easton (October 2, 1885December 24, 1971) was an African-American actor, stage performer, playwright, composer, vocalist, and pianist. He worked as a performer in minstrel shows, carnivals, burlesque, and vaudeville. Starting in the 1930s ...

as Speed Simmons * Dene Larry as Ola Wilkins * Ernie Ransom as Jim Bracton * Earl Sydnor as Gregory *

Herman Green Herman may refer to: People * Herman (name), list of people with this name * Saint Herman (disambiguation) * Peter Noone (born 1947), known by the mononym Herman Places in the United States * Herman, Arkansas * Herman, Michigan * Herman, Minnes ...

as Lomax * George Williams as Montoute * Cristola Williams as Rosalia * Emily Santos as Emily * Flo Lee as Flo * Wahneta San as Wahneta

Soundtrack

* Alberta Perkins - "Hot Pies" (Written by

Donald Heywood Donald Heywood (24 October 1896 – 13 January 1967) was a Trinidadian-born American songwriter, composer, writer and director. He is best remembered for composing "I'm Coming Virginia" in 1926, which became a hit for Ethel Waters. He became a pro ...

) * Wahneta San - "I'm Trying to Forget You" (Written by Donald Heywood) *Mamie Smith with

- "I'll Get Even With You" (Written by Donald Heywood) *Wahneta San with Alec Lovejoy - "What You Know About That?" (Written by Donald Heywood)

References

External links

* * 1941 films American black-and-white films 1941 drama films American drama films American crime films 1940s crime films Race films Films directed by Arthur Dreifuss 1940s English-language films 1940s American films {{1940s-drama-film-stub