The Harlem Sandman (1943) | That's Reelblack Entertainment

[@charleswoods9809]

Hello, to the ReelBlack Family. Many of the viewers are making comments about the stereotypical speech of Nick Stewart's "Willie" character and the obvious darkening of Dorothy Dandridge. Nick Stewart, who became famous for his Lightnin' character on TV's Amos 'n Andy Show, was hired by filmmakers to act in the buffoonish, slow, and lazy tradition of Stepin Fetchit. And Dorothy Dandridge was darkened out of fear that some white viewers would think she was a white woman performing in the company of Black men. This sequence is selected because ReelBlack wanted our supporters to see the dynamic talent of Pops and Louie. Peace and Blessings!

[@philipkippel3615]

Nick Stewart was also the voice of Br’er Bear in Disney’s “Song of the South”.

[@KymelieLeonard-wb6bw]

Peace and blessings Professor Woods😊😊😊

[@KymelieLeonard-wb6bw]

Thank you for alll you do to bring about self awareness, I'm a huge Dorothy fan

[@BlakeGildaphish76]

Very interesting sequence! i've never seen it before. i'm a little disturbed by how "they" darkened Dorothy's face. It was very unnecessary, but a lot of things were unnecessary back then. However, i love seeing old footage of Black folks shining on the silver screen. Thank you for sharing!

[@kevinwhite1772]

Amazing to realize how only few of these movies survived and as an artifact priceless. I live in Kansas City do I have met many old timers who use live music like this. Thanks very much.

[@cassandra113364]

Wow 🤩 the tap dancing was phenomenal. Acrobatic movements were so on point love 💕 it.

[@ajordan1847]

"How can we know where we're going, if we don't know where we've been." I think it's fascinating to see what we went through to gain entrance into Hollywood. Yes by today's standards this would definitely not happen, but I truly appreciate the history more than anything. No special effects. True giftedness, from our past generations. Thanks for sharing.

[@dominiquejenkins5495]

I don’t understand where the class went?? Things like this was always portrayed with a sense of class and poise now is low moral immoral and degrading

[@domitype]

It is important to remember that this sequence (as in most other American films of the time) was made so it could be completely cut without effecting the overall storyline - for when it was shown in Southern theaters.

[@davyjetson]

Black Excellence on a live stage !!! 🖤🖤🖤💯 Privilege to See 👍🏾👍🏽👍🏼

[@hereforit2347]

Nick Stewart, “Willie” in this film, also played “Lightnin” on the “Amos ‘N Andy” TV show. In 1950, he and his wife opened the Ebony Showcase Theater in Los Angeles, the home of many all-Black productions and the first Black-owned theater in Los Angeles. I believe it was there that I saw a young Lynn Whitfield in a small musical production called “Showgirls” in the 1980s. I for sure attended a comedy show there in the ‘90s which was put on as a fundraiser in an attempt to keep the theater from closing. It unfortunately did close soon thereafter and was torn down in 1998. The Nate Holden Performing Arts Center, which is owned and run by the City, now stands in its place.

[@kkampy4052]

Push all the stereotypes aside and enjoy the greatness of the Count and Dorothy.

[@dyonomitereacher8140]

...and the band and dancers. Yeah man yeah. This was a great video.

[@michellehunter9762]

You have some of the Best Content. It's Awesome 👏 👏

[@rosalynjohnson488]

I was like that can't be Dorothy Dandrige

[@letakeokuk5446]

Count Basie was one cool guy!🥂🥂

[@wandadjones659]

Beautiful 🎶MUSIC

[@margaretmorrisontap]

Wow! Thank you for sharing this! Pops and Louis' flash, acrobatic, rhythm tap dancing was improvised. I''ve researched them and the Whitman Sisters, but could never find a copy of this piece. I'm in contact with Pops Whitman's descendants and will share with them.

[@TB86000]

Thanks for this channel - I am loving and learning from these videos. Great stuff. As for controversy over dialog - for me I love the obvious nod to marijuana culture way before the squares could pick up on the lingo. "I am burnt" - and still giving you the idea and the hook for a big hit you will take all the money and credit for - had to be stoned to tolerate that world. He was laughing at them. I see a lot of dignity in every black character in this snippet. Context matters.

[@eyahmeenusah7504]

Whoever said Cats weren't rappin waaay back in da day.... 4:56

[@Mimi-ex6jo]

Yep naw you know Nothing Is New‼️😂

[@SuperFashionista11]

I love this channel I keep saying it I watch the. Best movies on here I’ve never seen before my time but fabulous talent

[@SuperFashionista11]

Wow 1943!!! It’s 2021 I love it 🥰

[@RahYisrael99]

I never knew Apollo's Sandman was based on a real character.

[@dominiquejenkins5495]

Yup that’s why I’m watching lol

[@hereforit2347]

He wasn’t a “character”. He was a real person, Howard “Sandman” Sims, a dancer and actor.

[@dominiquejenkins5495]

This was a time when you HAD to have talent lol this was just an extravagant version of the electric slide lol

[@dee2slow]

Thank you for uploading this history. And we thought that the late great Michael Jackson had the baddest spin, but The Nicholas Brothers were badder ✊🏿 Out in Harlem pushin' sand

[@lc1662]

Not the Nicholas brothers.

[@msnos6245]

Angry at the stereotype, but our people paid dues so that the world could see our talents.

[@denisecoleman4099]

True

[@denisecoleman4099]

Grear

[@dyonomitereacher8140]

Ms Nos , we pay dues to pay the bills. All we have is talent, some guy just finished a book where he titled it BLACK PEOPLE INVENTED EVERYTHING. There are about 1,000,000 books in the last 150 years that already proven that, the point being ALL WE ARE IS TALENT!!!!!!

[@jamievalenzuela1706]

​@@dyonomitereacher8140 lol, yeah, I'm sure you read all 1,000,000 books and can verify everything 😒

[@dyonomitereacher8140]

@@jamievalenzuela1706 , nice INSULT, now any adult facts to state would be nice

[@beingmarilyngail8470]

The dancers were magnificent. 👏👏👏👏👏

[@dodgecharger904]

DANM! THAT SPIN WAS NICE LOL

[@davyjetson]

You seen that 👀👀👀

[@letakeokuk5446]

The two dancers in the white jackets are on that Nicholas Brothers level...I wonder who they are?💖💖🥂🥂

[@N2LADIES55]

Those two dancers at the end were amazing and in the league of the Nicholas brothers!

[@petrinajohnson5656]

Love it! This was fun

[@bruceshelton1498]

Wonderful

[@blaxsmith]

...the way our speech is presented in these films and cartoons have always been sickening

[@dare_challenge_a_god1536]

2:08

[@dyonomitereacher8140]

BLAX SMITH, still the same in the talk shows, radio and otherwise. Still the same in the movies, t.v. and ANY medium whites pay us to perform, white supremacy and Black servitude is first and foremost.

[@blaxsmith]

@@dyonomitereacher8140 ...it’s a general statement

[@dyonomitereacher8140]

@@blaxsmith ALREADY agree with you, keep rising.

[@petegarrido5406]

You lived back then ? You wouldn't have survived . Keep takin' from the Zionist and White Liberal instead of goin' solo .

[@Hawaii1313]

DORTHY'S MAKE UP WAS TOO DARK. PEACE&LUV to the Children of the Prime Creator

[@davyjetson]

Please keep going!!!

[@lhdollbaby]

BraaaaVOOOOOO!!!@🤗👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@cheardsful]

The Nicholas Brother's the all time greatest no one could do what they we're capable of absolutely mind blowing no schooling of the arts just raw talent rip my elders rest on the world did not deserve you.

[@lc1662]

That wasn't the Nicholas brothers.

[@rustyfrank]

This was Pops Whitman and Louis Williams

[@zaccaicurtis36251]

Count Basie…. Genius…

[@KymelieLeonard-wb6bw]

DOROTHY💃💃💃💃💃💕💕💕

[@MaLiArtworks186]

There are really stereotypes in today's music. 2020's rap will really be scrutinized as horrible in years to come. Performances done in the 1900's had class. Today's performers are low life.

[@cherylkruisheer3365]

Thank you.!

[@ericdudley4169]

Folk have been putting down and singing the swan song of Hip Hop/Rap music for 45 years. It’s it’s own art form with its very own style and artistry that should be respected for its inventiveness and accomplishments on the world stage, even if it’s not liked by you. The world is big enough for classics and rap, they need not be compared when they are so clearly very different.

[@andresrtidwell8933]

Is that Black Face 🤔😳😐

[@tahirah0073]

I thought it was my imagination

[@miggy420]

Dorothy Jean Dandridge

[@freddsims648]

I can only assume that because Dorothy Dandridge (who was black) had such a light complexion, her skin was darkened so that it wouldn't appear this white woman was dancing with blacks.

[@TheJayblaze3]

Weird huh,

[@lisablack8892]

This is America not much have changed. 😳👿

[@mca4093]

Good clean entertainment.

[@wandadjones659]

Better than This New Today

[@obsocky779]

Rapping in 1943!

[@dominiquejenkins5495]

Dang they got Dorthy looking crazy lol 😂

[@TheStranger513]

Hideous. You just can't fake melanin.

[@mauricioellis568]

Thats cold...and beautiful at the same time...😃 the original sandman... just goes to show you, you are not doing nothing new kid....

[@denisecoleman4099]

I love my people.

[@denisecoleman4099]

They always tryed to make us look dumb , but the joke on them.

[@dare_challenge_a_god1536]

I hate the way he talks. 2:08

[@sonjastorm5414]

There is a SCRIPTURE IN THE BIBLE THAT SAYS; WE ARE THEIR MUSIC!!! SOMEONE.. HELP ME , PLEASE!!!!

[@obsocky779]

Susan Hayward?

[@chipschannel9494]

Yes!!!

[@lisablack8892]

I was trying to recognize this actress . But could not but thanks I can see clearly now.

[@chipschannel9494]

@@lisablack8892 it was making me crazy I couldn’t remember her name

[@andresrtidwell8933]

Sorry I didn't know that she was so light skinned

[@deewilson3239]

Oh boy .....well it was during the war we had to prove that we did not think like hitler

[@dgf6275]

I was entertained! Eve Arden and Susan Hayward.

[@mauricethomas9781]

Is this how apollo started

[@Jordan5arker-tx8ro]

The original pushing p

[@julisnetesilva4557]

Nunca teremos músicas como antigamente,os cérebros estragados precisam ser reciclados para saberem o que é a verdadeira música e vozes maravilhosas!! Nessa época os artistas eram completos,cantavam,dançavam e atuavam! Acho que nesse ponto,regredimos!! 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@charleswoods9809]

Gracias por su apoyo visual. Paz y bendiciones!

[@sonjastorm5414]

WTF!!!

[@crewshaw2122]

The stole that black man’s stuff

[@bruceshelton1498]

Wonderful