Two-Gun Man from Harlem: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A 16mm release print of the feature film Two-Gun Man from Harlem. It consists of two reels of positive, black-and-white, 16mm acetate film with variable-density optical sound.

The film opens with Bob Blake (Herb Jeffries), a cowboy, leading The Four Tones, a quartet, in a musical performance under a tree. A fifth man decides to join them in chorus, but Bob accuses him of being a bad singer. The rest of the film follows Bob, who is framed for his boss’ murder. Bob flees to Harlem, New York, where he meets Deacon, a Harlem gangster with whom he bears a striking resemblance. Deacon is murdered by rival gangsters and Bob ceases the opportunity to assume the dead man’s identity. In the closing scene, Bob explains to the sheriff that he is innocent, and the real murderer is arrested.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1938
• Directed by: Richard C. Kahn, American, 1897 - 1960
• Written by: Fred Myton, American, 1885 - 1955
• Written by: Richard C. Kahn, American, 1897 - 1960
• Distributed by: Sack Amusement Enterprises, American, 1920 - 1979
• Subject of: Herb Jeffries, American, 1913 - 2014
• Subject of: Clarence Brooks, American, 1896 - 1969
• Subject of: Mantan Moreland, American, 1902 - 1973
• Subject of: Spencer Williams, American, 1893-1969
• Type: sound films
• Type: black-and-white films (visual works)
• Type: release prints (motion pictures)
• Type: feature films
• Type: 16mm (photographic film size)
• Medium: acetate film
• Dimensions: Duration: 66 Minutes
• Dimensions: Length (Film Reel 1): 600 Feet
• Dimensions: Length (Film Reel 2): 1600 Feet
• Place depicted: Wyoming, United States, North and Central America
• Place filmed: Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States, North and Central America
• Place depicted: Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Actors
• Topic: American West
• Topic: Film
• Topic: Hollywood (Film)
• Topic: Race films
• Topic: Urban life
• Object number: 2015.167.21.1ab
• 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.