Rhythm and Blues Revue: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A 35mm black-and-white compilation film of a variety of short musical 'Soundie' films made for music-film jukeboxes, and television, by the Snader Telescription and Studio companies in the 1950s. It consists of four 35mm prints (a-d).

The film begins with a title sequence that announces each performer as a firework explodes behind their name. A credit roll then displays the below-the-line contributors. Next, an announcer introduces the emcee, Willie Bryant, during a shot of a theater audience. Bryant emerges from behind a curtain as the audience applauds. Before he can begin speaking, Bryant is interrupted by the comedian Freddie (Part of the Freddie & Flo comedy duo), who begs to be on the show. Later in the skit, Florence Hill (Flo) appears as a mind reading librarian. At the conclusion of the skit, Bryant announces the first performers, Lionel Hampton and his orchestra, who perform “Jam Session.”

After the conclusion of the song, the curtain closes and there are multiple shots of the audience cheering as Willie Bryant again appears to announce the next performer, Faye Adams, who performs “Everyday” in front of the curtain. After the song ends there are multiple shots of the cheering audience and Bryant appears to announce the next performer, Bill Bailey. Bailey performs a tap-dancing routine that includes dance moves from his teacher Bill “Bojangles” Robinson and concludes with a moonwalk. At the end of the performance, the curtain closes and there are multiple shots of the audience cheering as Willie Bryant appears to announce the next performer, Herb Jeffries, who sings “In My Heart.” When the song ends, the curtain closes and there are multiple shots of the audience cheering as Freddie & Flo rush onto the stage to perform a comedy routine. After their routine there are multiple shots of the cheering audience and Bryant appears to announce the next performer, Amos Milburn, who sings “Bad Bad Whiskey” with backing from the Paul Williams Band.

At the conclusion of the song, the curtain closes and then reopens so that Milburn can bow. Bryant appears to announce the next performers, The Larks, who sing “The World Is Waiting for The Sunrise.” At the end of the performance, the curtain closes and there are multiple shots of the audience cheering as Bryant brings Freddie & Flo back onto the stage for some comedic banter. Bryant then introduces Lionel Hampton who performs “Bongo Interlude.” Two unnamed women dance during the performance. The curtain closes and there are multiple shots of the audience cheering. When the curtain opens, the stage is set up as a tobacconist and Leonard Reed is behind the counter listening to a Brooklyn Dodgers baseball game on the radio. Willie Bryant appears and the two men engage in a brief skit. Bryant then presents the next performer, Sarah Vaughan, who sings “Perdido.” The curtain closes and there are multiple shots of the audience cheering as Bryant returns to the stage. Nipsy Russell sneaks onto the stage behind Bryant and the two engage in comedic banter before Bryant presents the next performer, Count Basie who performs “Basie’s Conversation.” The curtain closes, there are multiple shots of the audience cheering, and Bryant introduces Big Joe Turner who sings “Shake Rattle and Roll.” The curtain closes, there are multiple shots of the audience cheering, and Bryant introduces the next performers, The Delta Rhythm Boys, who perform the spiritual “Dem Bones.”

The curtain closes, there are multiple shots of the audience cheering, and Bryant introduces the next performers, Martha Davis and her husband, Calvin Ponder, who perform “Just Goodbye.” The curtain closes, there are multiple shots of the audience cheering, and Bryant introduces the next performer, Little Buck, who performs a tap dance routine. The curtain closes, there are multiple shots of the audience cheering, and Bryant brings out Little Buck for more applause. Bryant then introduces the next performer, Nat King Cole, who sings “Calypso Blues.” The curtain closes, there are multiple shots of the audience cheering, and Nipsy Russell and Mantan Moreland come out for a comedy routine. Moreland leaves the stage and Russell continues on his own. Following Russell’s routine, Bryant introduces Cab Calloway who performs “Minnie the Moocher.” The curtain closes, there are multiple shots of the audience cheering, and Bryant brings out Ruth Brown for some stage banter before she performs “Teardrops from My Eyes” with backing by the Paul Williams Band. The curtain closes, there are multiple shots of the audience cheering, and Bryant introduces Count Basie for the film’s final performance, “One o'Clock Jump.”

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1955
• Created by: Studio Films, Inc., American, 1951 - 1956
• Produced by: Ben Frye, American
• Subject of: Lionel Hampton, American, 1908 - 2002
• Subject of: Faye Adams, American, born 1923
• Subject of: Bill Bailey, American, 1912 - 1978
• Subject of: Herb Jeffries, American, 1913 - 2014
• Subject of: Amos Milburn, American, 1927 - 1980
• Subject of: Sarah Vaughan, American, 1924 - 1990
• Type: sound films
• Type: color films (visual works)
• Type: 35mm (photographic film size)
• Medium: acetate film
• Dimensions: Physical extent (film): 1850 ft
• Dimensions: Physical extent (film): 1560 ft
• Dimensions: Physical extent (film): 1650 ft
• Dimensions: Physical extent (film): 1450 ft
• Dimensions: Duration (total): 72 min.
• Place depicted: Harlem, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Actors
• Topic: Comedy
• Topic: Entertainers
• Topic: Film
• Topic: Jazz (Music)
• Topic: Musical films
• Topic: Musicians
• Object number: 2012.79.1.105.1a-d
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Pearl Bowser
• 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.