<I>Black and Tan Fantasy</I>
date: label: Date
content: 1929
name: label: Directed by
content: Dudley Murphy, American, 1897 - 1968
label: Written by
content: Dudley Murphy, American, 1897 - 1968
label: Subject of
content: Duke Ellington, American, 1899 - 1974
label: Subject of
content: Fredi Washington, American, 1903 - 1994
label: Subject of
content: Cotton Club, American, 1923 - 1940
label: Subject of
content: Alec Lovejoy, American, 1893 - 1946
label: Subject of
content: Duke Ellington Orchestra, American
notes: label: Description
content: A 16mm release print of the short film Black and Tan Fantasy. It consists of a single reel of positive, black-and-white, 16mm acetate film (a) with variable-area optical sound. A metal film reel (b), a film cannister (c) and a cardboard shipping box (d) also accompany the 16mm film strip. The film reel and cannister are both brown. The shipping box, which is also brown, has black metal corners as well as black straps made of nylon webbing.
label: Description
content: In the opening scene, two men sit and play musical instruments. Duke Ellington, who is one of the musicians, plays the piano with his back turned to the camera while the other man plays a trumpet. The film goes on to tell the story of Ellington’s struggle to get bookings for his band. Ellington’s girlfriend (played by Fredi Washington), attempts to assist him by dancing in his show in order to cement its success, even though she knows her heart condition will ultimately not allow her to survive the performance.
place: label: Place filmed
content: Astoria, New York City, Queens County, New York, United States, North and Central America
label: Place depicted
content: Harlem, New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Actors
label: Topic
content: Film
label: Topic
content: Jazz (Music)
label: Topic
content: Musicians
label: Topic
content: Race films
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Time-based Media - Moving Images
label: Movement
content: Harlem Renaissance (New Negro Movement)
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Randall and Sam Nieman
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2015.167.2.1a-d
objectType: label: Type
content: sound films
label: Type
content: black-and-white films (visual works)
label: Type
content: release prints (motion pictures)
label: Type
content: short subjects
label: Type
content: 16mm (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, cardboard, metal and nylon
label: Dimensions
content: Duration: 20 Minutes
label: Dimensions
content: Length (Film): 700 Feet