1950s Jazz, R&B, Gospel and Black music and dance performances in Film or TV
includes mainstream movies with scenes that could be easily cut for jim crow
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- StarsThe Mello-LarksMarsha Van DykeClark BrothersA live big-band musical series, airing on Tuesday evenings.
- DirectorLászló KardosStarsMickey RooneySally ForrestWilliam DemarestDrummer Stanley Maxton moves to Los Angeles with dreams of opening his own club, but falls in with a gangster and a nightclub dancer and ends up accused of murder.
- StarsFrank SinatraJune HuttonBen BlueThe Frank Sinatra Show (also known as Bulova Watch Time) was an American musical variety series hosted by Frank Sinatra from 1950 to 1952.
- StarsMilton BerleSid StoneJimmy NelsonThe Texaco Star Theatre was one of the most popular shows in the history of television. In the first year, Milton Berle was not the permanent emcee, but once he replaced the rotation, the show soared to ratings dominance (Number One in 1950-51), NBC dominated Tuesday night, and Berle became the first great star of the new medium, "Mr. Television". The basic format was modeled after a vaudeville variety hour, spotlighting Berle's jokes, sight gags, and costumes.
- StarsJack LescoulieThe June Taylor DancersRay BlochLive variety show with Jackie Gleason.
- 1953–TV Episode
- DirectorMaurice LabroGiorgio SimonelliStarsPhilippe LemaireCatherine ErardClément DuhourCarlo Mastelli, the young radio presenter of "New Voices" has run short of ideas and his program is likely to be suspended from the radio schedule if he does not find any new ones. He is saved by chance in the person of Marina, a charming young school teacher, who takes advantage of the presence of a radio crew in her village for the recording of a singing contest to broadcast an appeal in favor of Tonino, the most underprivileged of her pupils. She asks the listeners to send postcards from any place in the world to cheer up little Tonino. The response is enthusiastic and tons of mail land in the radio studios, at the same time boosting the audience of Calo's moribund program. Eventually, despite some trouble with a rare stamp, all ends well and Carlo marries Marina.
- CreatorFred HamiltonStarsDean MartinJerry LewisAl GoodmanThis was a Colgate-sponsored comedy hour that featured many notable comedians and entertainers of the era as guest stars.
- StarsLouis ArmstrongGrandma MosesEdward R. MurrowPortraits of "Two American Originals," jazz great Louis Armstrong and painter Anna Mary Robinson (Grandma Moses). Armstrong is interviewed in Paris during his world tour and she is interviewed at her home in New York State. The segment with Grandma Moses was the program's first segment in color.
- DirectorClark JonesStarsLouis ArmstrongNejla AtesDick BeardA small-time traveling circus is stranded in a small Kansas town that has been devastated by a drought. The town government has subjected the circus to large fines in order to raise money to hire a rainmaker to alleviate the drought. The circus folk find a way to turn the tables on the town to raise their own money to enter the circus' trick horse in the county race.
- DirectorDick SchneiderStarsDave GarrowayLouis ArmstrongMilton BerleA wonderful around the world look at the variety of talents and music performances.
- DirectorSeymour BernsStarsLouis ArmstrongGeorge ChakirisDon CrichtonRevue of songs by Cole Porter.
- StarsPerry ComoMitchell Ayres OrchestraThe Ray Charles SingersPerry Como was an American Singer, who got his start on NBC Radio. In 1948, Because of his popularity, The cameras were simply brought into the radio studio to televise the radio broadcast and named it The Supper Club. In 1950 Como and his Sponsors moved to CBS and named this The Perry Como Chesterfield Show.
- StarsLouis ArmstrongEdward R. MurrowLeonard BernsteinIn this 1957 biography film of the jazz-great Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong, he and his band tour the world as American good-will ambassadors bring jazz at its best to the people of the world. Within the film, the life of Louis Armstrong is portrayed through the music. One of the outstanding scenes in this "biography/docudrama" shows blind songwriter W. C. Handy, with tears streaming down his face, as Armstrong, backed by Leonard Bernstein leading the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, play Handy's immortal "St. Louis Blues."
- DirectorBill ColleranStarsRex HarrisonJulie AndrewsLouis Armstrong"My Fair Lady" star Rex Harrison portrays a visiting Englishman who takes a dim view of American culture. To overcome his skepticism, he is introduced to a wide variety of American musical styles. Highlights: Play it cool--dancers; The Mary had a little lamb cha-cha-cha--Channing; Go west, young man--Arnold, singers, dancers; Shine on, harvest moon, Baby bumblebee, Silvery moon--singers, dancers; Streets of Laredo--singers, dancers; Basin Street blues, Trouble I've seen--Armstrong; Blues in the night--Lee; Sit down, you're rockin' the boat--Kaye; Didn't it rain--Jackson; Bill Bailey--Miles, Murphy; The birth of the blues--Washington; blues sequence--Goodman, Carroll; jazz sequence--Goodmann, Armstrong.
- DirectorSeymour BernsStarsBing CrosbyFrank SinatraRosemary ClooneyBing Crosby and Frank Sinatra host a program that's wall-to-wall music.
- StarsSteve AllenGene RayburnLouis NyeThe Steve Allen Show was an American variety show hosted by Steve Allen.
- DirectorNorman AbbottAlan HandleyBob HultgrenStarsAnna Maria AlberghettiJune AllysonLouis ArmstrongThis 1958 Christmas spectacular was produced by the USO for the entertainment of troops stationed overseas. Over 50 top names from stage, screen and television appear in this truly all-star concert film - a magical evening of music, comedy and fun. Feeaturing Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, George Burns, Milton Berle, Jack Benny, Louis Armstrong, Lena Horne, Danny Kaye, Dinah Shore, Shirley MacLaine, Jimmy Durante, Jimmy Stewart, Danny Thomas, Anna Maria Alberghetti, June Allyson, Ray Bolger, Red Buttons, Sid Caesar, Marge & Gower Champion, Cyd Charisse, Van Cliburn, Leo Durocher, Rhonda Fleming, Benny Goodman, Eydie Gormé, Betty Hutton, Frankie Lane, Tony Martin, David Niven, Kim Novak, Gregory Peck, Walter Pidgeon, Dick Powell, Jane Powell, Martha Raye, Jimmie Rogers, Jane Russell, Dick Shawn, Jo Stafford, Gale Storm and Miyoshi Umeki.
- DirectorBert SternAram AvakianStarsLouis ArmstrongMahalia JacksonChuck BerryThe highlights of the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival.