<I>Juke Joint</I>
date: label: Date
content: 1947
name: label: Directed by
content: Spencer Williams, American, 1893-1969
label: Written by
content: True T. Thompson, American, 1896 - 1973
label: Produced by
content: Alfred N. Sack, American, 1898 - 1969
label: Produced by
content: Inez Newell
label: Distributed by
content: Sack Amusement Enterprises, American, 1920 - 1979
label: Subject of
content: July Jones, American
label: Subject of
content: Spencer Williams, American, 1893-1969
label: Subject of
content: Inez Newell
label: Subject of
content: Leonard Duncan
label: Subject of
content: Dauphine Moore
label: Subject of
content: Melody Duncan
label: Subject of
content: Katherine Moore
label: Subject of
content: Tilford Patterson
label: Subject of
content: Albert Smith
label: Subject of
content: Howard Galloway
label: Subject of
content: Clifford Beamon
label: Subject of
content: Frances McHugh
label: Subject of
content: Don Gilbert
notes: label: Description
content: A 16mm release print of the feature film Juke Joint. It consists of two reels of positive, black-and-white, 16mm acetate film with variable-area optical sound.
label: Description
content: It opens as the protagonists Bad News Johnson (Spencer Williams) and July Jones (also known as “Cornbread Green” in the film) deboard an automobile in Dallas, Texas. Both men thank their driver and after the vehicle pulls away Johnson tells Jones, “Well, here we are. Mr. Jones, you are now in the great South West.” In response to one of Jones’ question about where they will be headed next, Johnson states “Mr. Jones, we are following the advice of Horace Greeley. Mr. Greely said, ‘go west young man, and do your best; then come east and spend your grease.’” Jones later reminds Johnson that they only have twenty-five cents with them.
label: Description
content: The rest of the film chronicles how the two men pass themselves off as beauty pageant coaches in exchange for free room and board in the home of Mrs. Louella "Mama Lou" Holiday (Inez Newell). The final scene takes place in a juke joint were Mama Lou discovers her daughters celebrating winning the pageant.
place: label: Place filmed
content: Dallas, Dallas County, Texas, United States, North and Central America
label: Place filmed
content: San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: American South
label: Topic
content: Comedy
label: Topic
content: Domestic life
label: Topic
content: Film
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
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: 2015.167.10.1ab
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: feature films
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
label: Dimensions
content: Duration: 68 Minutes
label: Dimensions
content: Length (Film Reel 1): 1175 Feet
label: Dimensions
content: Length (Film Reel 2): 1175 Feet