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Joseph Kohn, Leonard ReedRhythm and Blues Revue (1955)

Musical variety show filmed at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem, New York City featuring a cast of popular African-American performers: Willie Bryant, Freddie Robinson, Lionel Hampton, Count Basie, Faye Adams, Bill Bailey, Herb Jeffries, Amos Milburn, Sarah Vaughan, Nipsey Russell, Big Joe Turner, Martha Davis, Little Buck, Nat 'King' Cole, Mantan Moreland, Cab Calloway and Ruth Brown.


This movie is part of the collection: Feature Films

Director: Joseph Kohn, Leonard Reed
Producer: Ben Frye
Production Company: Studio Films Inc
Audio/Visual: sound, b&w
Keywords: musical

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: Seto-Kaiba_Is_Stupid - - January 30, 2009
Subject: Excellent and Rare Film
Ultra low budget but still worth a look, features excellent music. Film made in 1955, a important year for music due to the constantly changed music scene. Big Joe Turner's version of "Shake Rattle and Roll" is one of 3 excellent versions that sold well in the mid-50's.

The popularity of this film indicates that teenages of the 1950's were less likely to be racist than their parents. So, in some ways this film is a early sign of the growing generation gap of the time.

Still, very fun to watch.

Reviewer: drdee51 - - January 30, 2009
Subject: Unbelievably Great
Real music, real musicians, real comics, skilled performers, none of this talentless kidstuff I see around now.
You could not ask for anything better.

Reviewer: Aitchondo - - November 20, 2008
Subject: Rhythm and Blues Revue (1955)
As an American Indian kid in the 40's and 50's, I wasn't allowed in the "white" movies or if so, I had to sit in the "colored" section. One of my heroes was the "Bronze Buckaroo" Herb Jeffries. I loved this film and was so happy to see Herb again, who by the was turned 97 in Sept of 08.

Reviewer: quigs - - November 19, 2008
Subject: R&B Revue
I have this and it's goooooooooooooooood! Why don't you make acessable on the web?

Reviewer: ThePhotoplayer - - November 18, 2008
Subject: R&B Revue
This film, shot in NY, was originally released on Eastman color stock in sepia tone. The "big name acts" were pulled from the Snader Telescription library and weren't actually shot for the film. Also released with THE ROCK AND ROLL REVUE.

Reviewer: Classic_TV_and_Radio_Fan - - November 16, 2008
Subject: Quality
Much higher picture quality than my DVD of it.

Reviewer: GirdwoodTelevision - - January 8, 2006
Subject: Here's a gem!
Unless I'm mistaken, this would appear to be a new dub, from a much better copy of this program. This is a very good quality MP4 resized to 320x240. I do wish there was as 640x480 version available of this fine show. While there is a much larger version of this program elsewhere on the archive that is 640x480, I suggest that this version has better sound quality, synch, and the video quality is well and good enough for TV That being said, the end did just cut of a bit abruptly, which I couldnt say I remember either way from the other version.

At any rate, I must say Im grateful for this archive. Because of its much friendlier download size I hope it will be viewed even more often than the other, very popular file.