''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 A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or exces ...

. The plot was said to be based on true stories about gambling 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 Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of primarily serving the African-American community. Mo ...

. 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 played the leading actress. * Kenny Washington as Kenny Harrington * Mantan Moreland as Nash *Pete Webster as Downey * Jeni Le Gon as Myra * Reginald Fenderson as Phil Harrington * Lawrence Criner as Green * Monte Hawley as Johnson *

Florence O'Brien Romer Wilson (born Florence Roma Muir Wilson (''married name'' O'Brien); 26 December 1891 in Sheffield – 11 January 1930 in Lausanne) was a British writer who wrote about 13 novels during the inter-war period. In 1921, she won the Hawthornd ...

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 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 Clifford Sanforth was a film director and producer in the United States. See also Clifford S. Elfelt, his birth name and the name he used prior to the 1930s. He produced and directed under that name through 1926. Sanforth said he got the idea to ...

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

Plot

Cast

Production

Reception

References

External links