Film clips from Artistry in Rhythm: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A 16mm motion picture film with performances by The Tailor Maids and Gene Howard in the film Artistry in Rhythm. It consists of a single reel of positive, black-and-white,16 mm acetate film with bilateral variable-density optical sound. It opens with two women holding a banner that reads [SIBONEY / BY / THE TAILOR / MAIDS]. The picture then quickly cuts to The Tailor Maids singing the song "Siboney." Stan Kenton and His Orchestra can be seen performing in the background. At the end of their performance, the women with the banner return with a new banner that reads [SHE'S / FUNNY / THAT / WAY / BY / GENE HOWARD]. Immediately after, singer Gene Howard walks unto the stage and sings "She's Funny That Way."

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1944
• Directed by: Lewis Collins, American, 1899 - 1954
• Subject of: The Tailor Maids, American, founded 1950
• Subject of: Gene Howard, American, 1920 - 1993
• Owned by: Ernie Smith, American, ca. 1925 - 2004
• Type: sound films
• Type: black-and-white films (visual works)
• Type: 16mm (photographic film size)
• Type: film clips
• Medium: acetate film
• Dimensions: Duration (digital file): 00:04:30
• Dimensions: Physical extent (film): 200 ft
• Place made: United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Film
• Topic: Jazz (Music)
• Topic: Singers (Musicians)
• Object number: 2015.275.14.1a
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Anonymous Gift in memory of Ernest (Ernie) R. Smith, Jazz Historian
• 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: © Universal Pictures Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.