<I>Rock-N-Roll Revue</I>
date: label: Date
content: 1955
name: label: Directed by
content: Joseph Kohn
label: Produced by
content: Ben Frye, American
label: Distributed by
content: Studio Films, Inc., American, 1951 - 1956
label: Subject of
content: Apollo Theater, American, founded 1934
label: Subject of
content: Duke Ellington, American, 1899 - 1974
label: Subject of
content: Lionel Hampton, American, 1908 - 2002
label: Subject of
content: Sarah Vaughan, American, 1924 - 1990
label: Subject of
content: Nipsey Russell, American, 1918 - 2005
label: Subject of
content: Coles & Atkins, American, 1940 - 1959
label: Subject of
content: Larry Darnell, American, 1921 - 1983
label: Subject of
content: Willie Bryant, American, 1908 - 1964
label: Subject of
content: The Clovers, American, founded 1946
label: Subject of
content: Dinah Washington, American, 1924 - 1963
label: Subject of
content: Nat King Cole, American, 1919 - 1965
label: Subject of
content: Big Joe Turner, American, 1911 - 1985
label: Subject of
content: Leonard Reed, American, 1907 - 2004
label: Owned by
content: Pearl Bowser, American, 1931 - 2023
notes: label: Caption
content: "Rock-n-Roll Revue" is a 1955 feature film compiled by Studio Films, Inc. from previously recorded Snader Telescriptions featuring renowned African American jazz singers and musicians from the 1950s. The film includes performances by Duke Ellington, Larry Darnell, Coles and Atkins, The Clovers, Dinah Washington, Nat King Cole, Big Joe Turner, Willie Bryant, and Leonard Reed.
label: Description
content: A 35mm black and white compilation film of a variety of short musical 'Soundie' films made for music-film jukeboxes, and television, by the Snader Telescription and Studio companies in the 1950s. It consists of four 35mm prints (a-d).
label: Description
content: The film begins with a title sequence that announces each performer as a firework explodes behind their name. This is followed by a shot of a theater marquee with the title Basin Street Revue. A credit roll then displays the below the line contributors. Next, an announcer introduces the emcee, Willie Bryant, during a shot of a theater audience. Bryant emerges from behind a curtain as the audience applauds. As Bryant begins to speak, Nipsy Russell walks across the stage and interrupts Bryant with a joke about his mother-in-law. Bryant then begins his introduction of the show’s proceedings; he refers to the show as the “Harlem Variety Revue.” Bryant then introduces the first performer, Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra.
label: Description
content: The curtain parts and Hampton and His Orchestra perform “Ding Dong Baby.” An unknown woman joins Hampton on the stage as he sings but does not sing herself; he gives her a kiss on the cheek before she exits. After the conclusion of the song, the curtain closes and there are multiple shots of the audience cheering as Willie Bryant again appears to announce the next performer, Sarah Vaughan, who performs “You’re Not the Kind.” The song concludes, the curtain closes, and there are multiple shots of the cheering audience as Bryant emerges to introduce the next performers, Jimmy Brown, the saxophonist from the Apollo Theater’s house band, the Paul Williams Band. Bryant and Brown engage in some stage banter before the performance of “My Love Is True.” The song concludes, the curtain closes, and there are multiple shots of the cheering audience as Bryant emerges to introduce the next performer, Martha Davis, who performs “We Just Couldn’t Say Goodbye.” Bryant mentions that Davis is performing with her spouse, bassist, Calvin Ponder. There are multiple insert shots of the audience during the performance.
label: Description
content: The song concludes, the curtain closes, and there are multiple shots of the cheering audience as Nipsy Russell and Mantan Moreland enter the stage. They perform a short comedy routine together before Bryant introduces the next performer, Amos Milburn. He performs “Bewildered.” The song concludes, the curtain closes, and Bryant has the curtain reopened so Milburn can take a bow. The curtain again closes and Bryant invites Faye Adams onto the stage. They engage in some brief stage banter before she performs “Somebody, Somewhere” in front of the curtain.
label: Description
content: Jimmy Brown emerges from behind the curtain to perform a solo. The song concludes, there are multiple shots of the cheering audience, and Bryant introduces the next performers, The Clovers, who perform “Lovey Dovey.” The song concludes, the curtain closes, and there are multiple shots of the cheering audience as Bryant emerges to introduce Sarah Vaughan for a performance of “These Things I Offer You (For A Lifetime).” The song concludes, the curtain closes, there are multiple shots of the cheering audience, and Bryant introduces Coles & Atkins. The duo sings and then performs a tap dance routine. Their performance concludes, they bow and Bryant introduces Herb Jeffries by way of a brief skit. Jeffries performs “A Woman Is a Worrisome Thing” from the balcony of a fire escape. The song concludes, the curtain closes, there are multiple shots of the cheering audience, and Bryant introduces Cab Calloway, who performs “Calloway Boogie.” Calloway dances with an unknown female dancer. A “The End” title card appears as the song and the film conclude.
place: label: Place depicted
content: Harlem, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Comedy
label: Topic
content: Entertainers
label: Topic
content: Film
label: Topic
content: Jazz (Music)
label: Topic
content: Musical films
label: Topic
content: Musicians
label: Topic
content: Rhythm and blues (Music)
label: Topic
content: Rock and roll (Music)
label: Topic
content: Tap dancing
label: Topic
content: Variety shows (Television)
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Collection title
content: Pearl Bowser Collection
label: Classification
content: Time-based Media - Moving Images
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Pearl Bowser
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2012.79.1.84.1a-d
objectType: label: Type
content: sound films
label: Type
content: black-and-white films (visual works)
label: Type
content: 35mm (photographic film size)
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Unknown - Restrictions Possible
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: acetate film
label: Dimensions
content: Physical extent (film) (a): 1630 ft
label: Dimensions
content: Physical extent (film) (b): 1765 ft
label: Dimensions
content: Physical extent (film) (c): 1520 ft
label: Dimensions
content: Physical extent (film) (d): 1440 ft
label: Dimensions
content: Duration (total): 70 min.