Black and Tan Fantasy: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

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.

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.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1929
• Directed by: Dudley Murphy, American, 1897 - 1968
• Written by: Dudley Murphy, American, 1897 - 1968
• Subject of: Duke Ellington, American, 1899 - 1974
• Subject of: Fredi Washington, American, 1903 - 1994
• Subject of: Cotton Club, American, 1923 - 1940
• Subject of: Alec Lovejoy, American, 1893 - 1946
• Subject of: Duke Ellington Orchestra, American
• Type: sound films
• Type: black-and-white films (visual works)
• Type: release prints (motion pictures)
• Type: short subjects
• Type: 16mm (photographic film size)
• Medium: acetate film, cardboard, metal and nylon
• Dimensions: Duration: 20 Minutes
• Dimensions: Length (Film): 700 Feet
• Place filmed: Astoria, New York City, Queens County, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Place depicted: Harlem, New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Actors
• Topic: Film
• Topic: Jazz (Music)
• Topic: Musicians
• Topic: Race films
• Object number: 2015.167.2.1a-d
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Randall and Sam Nieman
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: Unknown - Restrictions Possible Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.