Film clips of a dance contest and a performance of “Old Rockin' Chair": Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A film strip with two clips: one from a dance competition and another of Louis Armstrong and Jack Teagarden performing "Old Rockin' Chair" at the "Timex All Star Jazz Show." It consists of a single reel of positive, black-and-white, 16mm acetate film with bilateral variable-area optical sound. The first footage opens with a master of ceremonies talking about a dance competition. He then calls the dance couple. After their performance, he calls another couple to the stage. A third couple also performs. After the third couple's performance, the master of ceremonies himself also dances as a jazz band performs in the background. The second film in the compilation opens with a jazz band performing onstage at the first "Timex All Star Jazz Show." At the end of the performance, jazz trombonist Jack Teagarden walks forward and begins singing a new song before he starts playing the trombone. He is joined onstage shortly afterwards by Louis Armstrong and both men sing the lyrics to "Old Rockin' Chair." The audience applauds at the end of their performance.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: ca. 1957
• Directed by: Dwight Hemion, American, 1926 - 2008
• Subject of: Louis Armstrong, American, 1901 - 1971
• Subject of: Jack Teagarden, American, 1905 - 1964
• 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): 00:10:03
• Dimensions: Physical extent (film): 400 ft
• Place made: United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Dance
• Topic: Film
• Topic: Instrumentalists (Musicians)
• Topic: Jazz (Music)
• Object number: 2015.275.26.1a
• 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: Restrictions likely apply. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.