<I>Stormy Weather</I>
date: label: Date
content: 1943
name: label: Directed by
content: Andrew L. Stone, American, 1902 - 1999
label: Subject of
content: Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, American, 1878 - 1949
label: Subject of
content: Lena Horne, American, 1917 - 2010
label: Subject of
content: Cab Calloway, American, 1907 - 1994
label: Subject of
content: Fats Waller, American, 1904 - 1943
label: Subject of
content: Katherine Dunham, American, 1909 - 2006
label: Subject of
content: Nicholas Brothers, American
label: Subject of
content: Ada Brown, American, 1890 - 1950
label: Subject of
content: Dooley Wilson, American, 1886 - 1953
label: Owned by
content: D.C. Public Library, American, founded 1896
notes: label: Caption
content: Stormy Weather is a 1943 musical starring, and loosly based on the life and career of, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. Lena Horne and Cab Calloway also appear in the film, contributing to its popularity amongst music lovers both at the time of its release, as well as today. Stylized to showcase the life and talent of Robinson as Bill 'Corky' Williamson, the plot focuses on his rise to fame and the interpersonal relationships that would prove to remain significant over the course of his career. Stormy Weather was Robinson's last film before his death in 1949.
label: Caption
content: This film was a part of the Washington D.C. Public Library's circulating 16mm film collection housed at the Martin Luther King Jr. Central Library. The collection is particularly noted for the wide variety of African American and African diaspora content.
label: Description
content: A musical film with the title Stormy Weather. It consists of two (2) reels of black-and-white 16mm acetate film with optical sound.
label: Description
content: The film, which has an all-black cast, chronicles the relationship between a dancer, Bill Robinson (as himself), and a singer Selina Rogers (Lena Horne) through a series of flashbacks. It opens with Bill Robinson dancing with a group of children on a verandah, when a young girl presents him with a magazine with a photograph of him on the front cover and a note addressed to him by Noble Sizzle. In response to the children's questions, Bill begins to recall his experience after returning from World War I and meeting Selina. Several performers appear throughout the film including Cab Calloway, Fats Waller, The Nicholas Brothers, F.E. Miller, Ada Brown, and Katherine Dunham. Close to the end of the film, Selina performs the eponymous song, “Stormy Weather," to music conducted by Cab Calloway and a dance performance by Katherine Dunham and her dance troupe.
place: label: Place used
content: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
label: Place filmed
content: Los Angeles, California, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Actors
label: Topic
content: Dance
label: Topic
content: Film
label: Topic
content: Hollywood (Film)
label: Topic
content: Jazz (Music)
label: Topic
content: Music
label: Topic
content: Musical films
label: Topic
content: Popular music
label: Topic
content: Singers (Musicians)
label: Topic
content: Tap dancing
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Collection title
content: DC Public Library Film 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, Transferred from the DC Public Library
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2017.55.53.1ab
objectType: label: Type
content: sound films
label: Type
content: black-and-white films (visual works)
label: Type
content: feature films
label: Type
content: 16mm (photographic film size)
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Restrictions likely apply. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: acetate film
label: Dimensions
content: Duration (Reel 1): 36 Minutes
label: Dimensions
content: Length (Film): 1275 Feet
label: Dimensions
content: Duration (Reel 2): 38 Minutes
label: Dimensions
content: Length (Film): 1350 Feet