Cab Calloway Movies
Inaugurating his performing career in Baltimore, African-American musical entertainer Cab Calloway organized his first band in New York. Calloway already had a strong following thanks to his recordings, when, in 1931, he replaced Duke Ellington as orchestra leader at Harlem's fabled Cotton Club. His lively, athletic performing style, coupled with his trademarked "Hi De Ho" delivery, was given nationwide exposure via his guest appearances in such Paramount features as The Big Broadcast (1932) and International House (1933). He also appeared in animated form in a cluster of Betty Boop cartoons produced by Max and Dave Fleischer, and it is safe to assume that the youngest cartoon fans in the audiences enjoyed Calloway's renditions of "Minnie the Moocher" and "St. James Infirmary Blues" without fully comprehending those songs' allusions to drug use and sex. George and Ira Gershwin used Calloway as the model for the character of Sportin' Life in their 1935 folk opera Porgy and Bess; though he initially turned down an offer to play the character in the original stage production because of a scheduling conflict, he was able to accept the role for a 1952 revival starring Leontyne Price and William Warfield. He also substituted for Sammy Davis Jr. on the soundtrack recording of the 1959 film version. Newly imposed censorship strictures required the uninhibited Calloway to tone down his performances and the content of his songs in films like The Singing Kid (1936) and Manhattan Merry-Go-Round (1937). The best of his "tame" film performances was in the 1943 20th Century Fox musical Stormy Weather, in which he co-starred with Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Lena Horne, and Dooley Wilson. Breaking up his orchestra in 1958, Calloway went solo for several years, notably as Horace Vandergelder in the all-black version of Broadway's Hello Dolly! As ebullient as ever, Calloway was seen fronting a band once more in 1980's The Blues Brothers. In 1976, Calloway wrote his autobiography, an engaging if not entirely candid work, titled Of Minnie the Moocher and Me. Cab Calloway is the father of actor Kirk Calloway. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 2004
- Add Harlem Renaissance: The Music & Rhythms That Started a Cultural Revolution to Queue Add Harlem Renaissance: The Music & Rhythms That Started a Cultural Revolution to top of Queue
From Kultur comes this documentary that looks at the Harlem Renaissance through the music that defined the era. Harlem Renaissance: The Music & Rhythms That Started a Cultural Revolution includes performances of such songs as Cab Calloway's "Minnie the Moocher," Fats Waller's "This Joint Is Jumpin'," Bill "Bojangles" Robinson's "Let's Scuffle," Lena Horne's "Friday Night," and many others. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
- 2001
The 1940s was a monumental decade for the United States. Amid World War II, economic recovery, and the start of the Cold War, American music provided a soundtrack to a generation. The Music Classics line from MPI Home Video attempts to offer the chance to relieve the era with a ten-volume series of restored film footage featuring performances by many of the 40's most revered artists. Music Classics, Vol. 4 features the likes of The King Sisters, Artie Shaw, Tex Beneke, and Duke Ellington. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
- 1999
- Add Harold Arlen: Somewhere Over the Rainbow to Queue Add Harold Arlen: Somewhere Over the Rainbow to top of Queue
Songwriter Harold Arlen is the subject of this documentary. Arlen wrote several songs for famous artists, but remained in the shadows as singers such as Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett received the acclaim. Arlen's most popular song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", the noted song from the Wizard of Oz, is added to the title. Filmed performances by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Lena Horne, Mel Torme, and many others are included as they sing songs penned by Arlen and take part in several interviews that make up the bulk of this film, but his life is also well documented. ~ Ed Atkinson, Rovi
- 1998
The 1940s was a monumental decade for the United States. Amid World War II, economic recovery, and the start of the Cold War, American music provided a soundtrack to a generation. The Music Classics line from MPI Home Video attempts to offer the chance to relieve the era with a ten-volume series of restored film footage featuring performances by many of the 40's most revered artists. Among the musicians who appear in this seventh entry in the series are Monica Lewis, Count Basie, Johnny Downs, Carol Stevens, and Nat King Cole. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
- 1998
The 1940s was a monumental decade for the United States. Amid World War II, economic recovery, and the start of the Cold War, American music provided a soundtrack to a generation. The Music Classics line from MPI Home Video attempts to offer the chance to relieve the era with a ten-volume series of restored film footage featuring performances by many of the 40's most revered artists. Music Classics, Vol. 8 features such stars of the music-world as Peggy Lee, Harry "The Hipster" Gibson, Lawrence Welk, and Ozzie Nelson. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
- 1991
The 1940s was a monumental decade for the United States. Amid World War II, economic recovery, and the start of the Cold War, American music provided a soundtrack to a generation. The Music Classics line from MPI Home Video attempts to offer the chance to relieve the era with a ten-volume series of restored film footage featuring performances by many of the 40's most revered artists. This first entry of the series spotlights Dizzie Gillespie, Duke Ellington, and Cab Calloway, to name just a few. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
- 1991
This refreshing music video features Dr. Demento as he hosts this look at bizarre music videos. Included are tunes by Cab Calloway, Allan Sherman, "Weird Al" Yankovic, and many others. ~ Rovi
- 1989
A mix of comedy, dance and musical performances is featured in this installment of Storyville Films Jazz Legends series. Among the songs in Variety at the Apollo are "Only a Moment Ago" by Dinah Washington, "Mona Lisa" by Nat King Cole, and "Minnie the Moocher" by Cab Calloway and the Cabaliers. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
- 1988
- Add Harlem Roots, Vol. 1: The Big Bands to Queue Add Harlem Roots, Vol. 1: The Big Bands to top of Queue
Storyville Films presents this series of short music programs, originally produced between 1941 and 1947. Called "Soundies," these popular films were shown in a jukebox machine called a Panoram. In Harlem Roots, Vol. 1: The Big Bands, four of the most famous big band leaders perform, including Duke Ellington ("I Got it Bad, and That Ain't Good"), Cab Calloway ("Foo a Little Boogaloo"), Count Basie ("Take Me Back Baby"), and Lucky Millinder ("Hello, Bill"). ~ Alice Day, Rovi
- 1986
- R
A Musical-Educational-Informative video all in one! Cab Calloway is featured with his band in this compilation of vintage films. Beginning in 1935 with "Jitterbug Party" to a 1937 feature film, "Manhattan Merry-Go-Round, and a tune called "Mama I Wanna Make Rhythm." Skip to 1942 for four "soundies," "Blues in the Night," "Minnie the Moocher," "Virginia, Georgia and Caroline" and "The Skunk Song." This musical ride comes to the end of the line with several 1950 tunes, "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," "Minnie the Moocher" and "St. James Infirmary." ~ Rovi
- 1985
In the early days of cinema, characters were broadly sketched. Villains sported dark circles under their eyes and ingénues wore wide-eyed looks of innocence. Unfortunately, ethnic stereotypes prevailed just as strongly. Especially biased were the portrayals of people of color. The That's Black Entertainment series documents the role of African-Americans in film, from the emergence of race movies to the beginning of talkies. In That's Black Entertainment: Race Movies -- The Early History of Black Cinema, blacks in the infant years of the motion-picture industry are examined. The video also includes three short films starring black actors from the era. ~ Sarah Ing, Rovi
- 1984
Disneyland is the scene of concerts capturing the music of Lionel Hampton, Woody Herman and Cab Calloway. ~ Rovi
- 1983
Cab Calloway takes you through the Harlem of the 30s and 40s when Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller and Bill "Bojangles" Robinson were playing the clubs there. ~ Rovi
- 1980
- Add Betty Boop for President: The Movie to Queue Add Betty Boop for President: The Movie to top of Queue
The Fleischer Brothers' classic character Betty Boop stars in this animated musical comedy that finds the squeaky-voiced lass landing herself in the Oval Office as the United States' first-ever female Commander in Chief. Betty Boop for President: The Movie features music by such legends as Cab Calloway, Debbie Boone, and Tommy Smothers. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
Expanding on their Saturday Night Live characters, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd star as Jake and Elwood Blues, two white boys with black soul. Sporting cool shades and look-alike suits, Jake and Elwood are dispatched on a "mission from God" by their former teacher, Sister Mary Stigmata (Kathleen Freeman). Said mission is to raise $5000 to save an orphanage. In the course of their zany adventures, the Blues Brothers run afoul of neo-Nazi Henry Gibson, perform the theme from Rawhide before the most unruly bar crowd in written history, and lay waste to hundreds of cars on the streets and freeways of Chicago. In case you aren't swept up in the infectuous nuttiness of the brothers Blue, you might have fun spotting film's legion of guest stars, including James Brown, Cab Calloway, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, John Candy, Carrie Fisher, Steve Lawrence, Twiggy, Paul Reubens (aka Pee-Wee Herman), Frank Oz, and Steven Spielberg. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, (more)
- 1969
In this made-for-television musical fable, a young boy yearns to become an angel after he dies in a fall. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
Steve McQueen stars as the Cincinnati Kid, a crackerjack New Orleans stud poker player. Tired of chicken feed, the Kid decides to challenge The Man (Edward G. Robinson), the reigning poker champ, who is in town for a private game. The Shooter (Karl Malden), another gambling pro, arranges a game between the Kid and the Man, with the Shooter dealing. The game is compromised by the intervention of Slade (Rip Torn), an old foe of the Man's who tries to fix the outcome. The Kid finds out about this and tells Slade to get lost, preferring to win fair and square. The outcome is in the cagey hands of The Man, who is smart enough to do (as one reviewer put it) the wrong thing at the right time. The Cincinnati Kid was based on the novel by Richard Jessup. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Steve McQueen, Edward G. Robinson, (more)
- 1958
The life of legendary bluesman W.C. Handy is highly dramatized in this tuneful biopic. The story opens as his father, a minister chastises his son for playing "the devil's music." Despite his father's admonitions, Handy is drawn to the blues. He is encouraged by two disparate women, one an earthy singer from New Orleans and the other a good-hearted girl from his hometown whose main concern is Handy's happiness. Stress causes Handy to go blind for a while, but eventually he regains his sight, becomes famous for his music, and wins the respect of his father. The highlight of the film involves the performance of Handy's music by some of the great blues and jazz singers of the 1950s including Cole, Calloway, Jackson, and Fitzgerald. Songs include "Hesitating Blues," "Chantez Les Bas," "Beale Street Blues," (W.C. Handy), "Careless Love" (based on folk music by Handy; lyrics by Spencer Williams, Martha Koenig), "Morning Star," "Way Down South Where the Blues Began," "Mr. Bayle," "Aunt Hagar's Blues" (Handy; lyrics by Tim Brymn), "They that Sow" (hymn), and "Going to See My Sarah" (spiritual). ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Nat "King" Cole, Pearl Bailey, (more)
- 1955
Filmmakers Joseph Kohn and Leonard Reed assemble this patchwork collection of kinescopes featuring such legendary musicians as Sarah Vaughn, Count Basie, Cab Calloway, Nipsey Russell, and Lionel Hampton. Master of Ceremonies Willie Bryant offers a stirring rendition of "Bad Bad Whiskey". ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
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