AFRICAN-AMERICAN “SOUNDIES” COMPILATION: NOBLE SISSLE, DON REDMAN, FATS WALLER (1932-1941) XD44604

Want to support this channel and help us preserve old films? Visit / periscopefilm
Visit our website www.PeriscopeFilm.com
This compilation reel of two early 1930s Vitaphone “Melody Master” musical featurettes and two 1941 “soundies” features an array of underrepresented black talent in short subjects that offer glimpses of performing talents Noble Sissle, Don Redman, Fats Waller and others (TRT: 27:34).
1) “Vitaphone Presents Noble Sissle & Band in That’s The Spirit, with Cora La Reed, the Washboard Serenaders, Miller & Moreland, Directed by Roy Mack, Photography by E.B. DuPar, 1932.” Comedic actors Flournoy Miller and Mantan Moreland appear as night watchmen for a pawnshop, with Miller in blackface, an offensive tradition of theatrical makeup used primarily (but not exclusively) by non-black performers to caricature black people (0:28). Miller was known for scripting the Broadway hit “Shuffle Along” which featured the music of Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake. Moreland got his start as Miller’s vaudeville understudy and is remembered for his appearances in low budget “race movies,” plus Dick Tracy and Three Stooges shorts. The duo enters the pawnshop to find it haunted by a talking clock, a possessed rocking chair, and a miniature of Sissle’s orchestra. A medley of “St. Louis Blues, Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen, I’ve Been Working on the Railroad” (2:26). Sissle dances (4:12). A haunted washboard levitates, triggering a rhythm novelty with the Washboard Serenaders. “In a Little Shanty Town” gets a percussive treatment with piano, guitar, kazoo, scat vocals (4:38). A talking fur coat flies off a coat rack. Cora La Reed sings and tap dances to “Jig Time” (5:48). A clarinet solo introduces “Tiger Rag” (7:54). A saxophone solo, a trumpet solo with a mute, a clarinet solo with guitar backup (9:28). The jump chorus sends the night watchmen running, Moreland leaves his shoes (10:38). “The End” (11:08). (0:11-11:11).
2) “Vitaphone Presents Don Redman & His Orchestra with Red & Struggie, Directed by Joseph Henabery, Photographed by E.B. DuPar, 1934.” A newspaper headline: “Orchestra Leader Sweepstake Winner, Don Redman Opens New Cabaret” (11:42). An illuminated, spiraled “roulette wheel” decorates a cabaret nightclub set that sees Don Redman’s jazz orchestra surrounded by diners, a dancefloor between them. Don Redman was a West Virginia native who got his start with the Fletcher Henderson orchestra, then formed his own band in 1931, which got a residency at Manhattan jazz club Connie’s Inn. He provided music for a Betty Boop cartoon and later wrote arrangements for Jimmy Dorsey, Count Basie, and Harry James (11:52). This film features Manzie Johnson on drums, Benny Morton on trombone, Ed Inge on Clarinet, Sidney DeParis on trumpet, Bob Carroll on tenor, and Rupert Cole on alto. Don Redman introduces the band (12:17). Redman meets with the audience (13:35). Crossfade to a montage of folks who didn’t win the sweepstakes. Harlan Lattimore sings Harold Arlen’s “Ill Wind” (14:12). Red and Shuggie appear and sing the comic scat novelty, “Nagasaki” (17:19). The duo dances (18:47). Don Redman shows off a diamond ring then delivers a self-deprecating monologue about his diminutive stature in “Tall Man” (19:44). “The End” (21:27). (11:17-21:35).
3) “Fats Waller in Your Feet’s Too Big,” 1941, distributed by Official Films. Soundies were 3-minute shorts shot on 35mm film and originally distributed for the Panoram, a 16mm looping “movie jukebox.” Soundies are also remembered for preserving historic performances by African-American artists who were denied greater opportunities in feature films, as is the case here with the great stride piano legend Thomas Wright “Fats” Waller. He appears in a bowler hat, taking notice of the large shoes of a comic dancer in a zoot suit and oversized hat (21:47). Closeups of Waller as he mugs and plays directly to the camera (22:34). Dancers step on one another’s feet (23:05). A chorus of women dancers appears (23:58). (21:36-24:32).
4) “Fats Waller in Honeysuckle Rose,” 1941, directed by Warren Murray, distributed by Official Films. In a similarly structured soundie, Waller is surrounded by women performers wearing large bows and a floral backdrop (24:45). Waller sings in closeup (25:23). Guitar, sax solos. A chorus of dancers surround Fats (26:04). (24:33-27:24).
We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment!
This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit www.PeriscopeFi...

[@martinbryan3716]

So happy to see Harlan Lattimore perform (15:44)! I've always loved the Harold Arlen recording of this song (he composed it), but now I think Lattimore has won me over.

[@SugarBearMosher]

Excellent

[@plusheeview1482]

Fabulous! More please!

[@IceManLikeGervin]

Nice upload...

[@fetus2280]

Who is that amazingly good Clarinet player at 9:00 Does anyone know ? Thanks in advance .

[@customkey]

Probably Buster Bailey

[@MatthewBaileyBeAfraid]

Pity about having to put even darker makeup on a black person’s face to conform to stereotype.

[@TrayJayRecords]

bad acid

[@Otm_Shank]

I say good acid lol

[@adeptpeasant6161]

No such thing as "Afro-American just Americans... Stop the divisions

[@joysoyo2416]

Where we screw up is immigrants not saying I'm American. Americans born in Cuba are not Cuban Americans. They are American. African Americans are American. YESSS.

[@Twinjeremy]

EXACTLY

[@ElvisChrist6]

You're watching films made during a time when black Americans couldn't eat at the same restaurants as whites, couldn't attend the same schools, would be arrested for where they drank water or sat on a bus if they didn't obey, interracial marriage wasn't legal and were seen as less under the actual letter of the law. It's absolutely contextually important to refer to black film as such. Colour blindness is just ignorance when you're also blind to discrimination.

[@fatjeezussouthtexasoutdoor5244]

MTV

[@centeguahan3760]

Tom & Jerry sounds track

[@joysoyo2416]

I wonder if Lawrence Welk saw this and said "and a one and a two" :) is that him at 9:30? The funny part is I speak wiggity. (18:00) g, and jive, I'm a "naggy saggy" lmao giggity.

[@Astyanaz]

What is wiggity?

[@tdatda410]

What are thoooose🤣🤣

[@Doodlesthegreat]

Early music videos. >_