''While Thousands Cheer'' is a lost American film released in 1940.

Leo C. Popkin Leo C. Popkin (1914–2011) was a film director and producer in the United States. His brother Harry M. Popkin was the executive producer of Million Dollar Productions, a partnership that included Ralph Cooper. He managed African American movie t ...

directed. It was the only football-themed film with an African American lead character for decades. It starred Kenny Washington, a football star from UCLA who went on to become the first African American in the NFL after initially being refused an opportunity to play in the league due to segregation.

Plot

The film is a football melodrama. The plot was said to be based on true stories about

gambling Gambling (also known as betting or gaming) is the wagering of something of Value (economics), value ("the stakes") on a Event (probability theory), random event with the intent of winning something else of value, where instances of strategy (ga ...

and

corruption Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense which is undertaken by a person or an organization which is entrusted in a position of authority, in order to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's personal gain. Corruption m ...

in football at a specific Black college. The story follows a star football player and his brother as they get involved with, and later break up, a gambling ring's attempting to "

fix Fix or FIX may refer to: People with the name * Fix (surname) Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Fix'' (film), a feature film by Tao Ruspoli Music * ''Fix'' (album), 2015 album by Chris Lane * "Fix" (Blackstreet song), 1997 song by Black ...

" a college game.

Cast

The film featured a mostly African American cast, including UCLA football star Kenny Washington, who was denied entry to the segregated NFL for several years. The film was Washington's first movie role.

Jeni Le Gon Jeni LeGon (born Jennie Ligon; August 14, 1916 – December 7, 2012), also credited as Jeni Le Gon, was an American dancer, dance instructor, and actress. She was one of the first African-American women to establish a solo career in tap da ...

played the leading actress. * Kenny Washington as Kenny Harrington *

Mantan Moreland Mantan Moreland (September 3, 1902 – September 28, 1973) was an American actor and comedian most popular in the 1930s and 1940s. He starred in numerous films. His daughter Marcella Moreland appeared as a child actress in several films. E ...

as Nash *Pete Webster as Downey *

as Myra * Reginald Fenderson as Phil Harrington * Lawrence Criner as Green *

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, act ...

as Johnson * Florence O'Brien as Daisy *

Ida Belle Kauffin Ida or IDA may refer to: Astronomy *Ida Facula, a mountain on Amalthea, a moon of Jupiter *243 Ida, an asteroid * International Docking Adapter, a docking adapter for the International Space Station Computing * Intel Dynamic Acceleration, a tech ...

as Rose *

Bud Harris In botany, a bud is an undeveloped or embryonic shoot and normally occurs in the axil of a leaf or at the tip of a stem. Once formed, a bud may remain for some time in a dormant condition, or it may form a shoot immediately. Buds may be spec ...

as Coach Harding *

Earl Hall Earl Hall is a building on the campus of Columbia University. Built in 1900–1902 and designed by McKim, Mead & White, the building serves as a center for student religious life. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018 fo ...

as Jerry Stevens *John Thomas as Jack Saunders/Spike * Reginald Anderson as Umpire *

Jack Spears Jack may refer to: Places * Jack, Alabama, US, an unincorporated community * Jack, Missouri, US, an unincorporated community * Jack County, Texas, a county in Texas, USA People and fictional characters * Jack (given name), a male given name, ...

as Referee * Alfred Grant as Radio announcer * Edward Thompson (actor) as Ransom

Production

The film was produced by Clifford Sanforth and Million Dollar Pictures. The premiere date was moved back due to requests from theatre managers that the film be released around the same time as other football films, to "get the minds of the public on football" and increase attendance at the theatres.

Reception

The film was praised in a review by the Hollywood ''Daily Variety''. The ''

Cleveland Call and Post The ''Call and Post'' (or ''Call & Post'') is an African-American weekly newspaper, based in Cleveland, Ohio. History The ''Call and Post'' was established around 1928 by a group of people including local African-American inventor Garrett A. ...

'' called it "one of the most exciting, interest holding pictures ever filmed to entertain the young and old, male and female, of all races."

References

{{Reflist

External links

Items related to While Thousands Cheer
in the collection of the

Oakland Museum of California The Oakland Museum of California or OMCA (formerly the Oakland Museum) is an interdisciplinary museum dedicated to the art, history, and natural science of California, located adjacent to Oak Street, 10th Street, and 11th Street in Oakland, Ca ...

Race films American sports drama films American football films 1940 drama films 1940 films 1940 lost films Lost American films Lost sports drama films 1940s sports drama films Films directed by Leo C. Popkin 1940s American films