Sizzle with Sissle

An all-black musical featuring the talent of funnyman Mantan Moreland.

In Junction 88, a small all-black community, pretty Lolly Simpkins loves gentle songwriter Buster Jenkins, who makes too little money to marry. Her father favors rival suitor Onnie, crude but with a better income. Buster's best chance comes when impresario Bob Howard, to whom he's sent songs, comes to town looking for him. But Bob is looking for a pseudonym, 'Hewlett Green', that nobody's ever heard of. Will Buster reveal himself? Meanwhile, a very jazzy church concert.

Mantan Moreland hosts a series of filmed song, dance and band numbers by various artists, mostly released previously as individual "soundies".

Old-time musical star Schyler Jarvis, now wealthy, is dying; his last act is a visionary plan for the future happiness of his son, swing bandleader Louis Jarvis, and Honey Carter, daughter of his long-lost love. But crooked lawyer Talbot has a nefarious scheme to get his hands on the Jarvis money...and it doesn't include any happiness for Louis and Honey. Plenty of swing from Louis Jordan's Tympany Five.

In this musical short, two night watchmen hear songs performed in a haunted pawn shop.

Soundie featuring The Chanticleers singing "Babbling Bess." Also starring Francine Everett (as Babbling Bess) and Mable Lee (Dancer).

Soundie featuring Mable Lee and Stephin Fetchit.

Lucky Millinder and his Orchestra performing "I Want a Big Fat Mama."

Bill "Bojangles" Robinson made his movie acting debut in this 1932 film, featuring Putney Dandridge, James Baskett (Oscar winner for "Song of the South"), Cotton Club dancer Anita Boyer, Henri Wassell, Alma Smith, Bob Sawyer, and composer/bandleader Eubie Blake and his orchestra.

Mable Lee performs "Cats Can't Dance" along with Deryck Sampson's Band.

O'Voutie O'Rooney was marketed as a short film by indie distributor Astor Pictures, who tagged it along with feature films made for all-black cinemas.

A decade after his death, genre-defying filmmaker William Greaves has one last trick up his sleeve with what he considered the most important event he captured on film: a 1972 party he engineered with the living luminaries of the Harlem Renaissance.

Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake sing snappy songs.

Night club singer Nelle Hill has many suitors an escaped convict, a piano player and a newspaper man. One is killed. With musical shorts such as “Murder in Swingtime,” “Black and Tan Fantasy,” “Symphony in Black,” and “Ain’t Misbehaving.”