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Million Dollar Productions
Million Dollar Productions was a movie studio in the United States active from 1937 until 1940. It was established to produce films with African American casts. It was a partnership between Harry M. Popkin, Leo C. Popkin and Ralph Cooper. History Ralph Cooper was an experienced black actor nicknamed "Dark Gable" who was also a singer, dancer, comedian and emcee at the Apollo Theater Amateur Night in Harlem. While contracted to 20th Century Fox, Cooper learned film making skills. Together with George Randol, he formed Cooper-Randol Productions to produce ''Dark Manhattan'' (1937). Using the experience he went into partnership with the Popkin brothers, Harry and Leo to form Million Dollar Productions. Harry Popkin owned and managed a chain of Circle Theatres in Los Angeles. One of these was the Million Dollar Theatre that catered to a black clientele. The production company made several fast moving genre pictures with budgets, despite its name, of approximately $8,000 to $10,0 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Life Goes On Lobby Card
Life, also known as biota, refers to matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes. It is defined descriptively by the capacity for homeostasis, organisation, metabolism, growth Growth may refer to: Biology *Auxology, the study of all aspects of human physical growth *Bacterial growth *Cell growth *Growth hormone, a peptide hormone that stimulates growth *Human development (biology) *Plant growth *Secondary growth, growt ..., adaptation, response to stimulus (physiology), stimuli, and reproduction. All life over time eventually reaches a state of death, and none is Immortality, immortal. Many philosophical definitions of living systems have been proposed, such as self-organizing systems. Viruses in particular make definition difficult as they replicate only in Host (biology), host cells. Life exists all over the Earth in air, water, and soil, with many ecosystems forming the biosphere. Some of these are harsh environments occupied on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bargain With Bullets
''Bargain with Bullets'' is a 1937 American film. The first film produced by Million Dollar Productions, it features an African American cast of actors and performers. The gangster film is about the Harlem underworld. It was described as the first Hollywood "all-Negro" film. The film features several musical performances. Toddy Pictures Company acquired Million Dollar Productions and re-released the film as ''Gangsters on the Loose''. The gangster themed film drew scrutiny from film censorship boards in the U.S. requiring extensive editing of the film. Cast *Ralph Cooper as Mugsy "Killer" Moore *Theresa Harris * Frances Turham * Lawrence Criner * Clarence Brooks See also *''Dark Manhattan ''Dark Manhattan'' is a black and white American film produced in 1937 by a partnership of African Americans Ralph Cooper and George Randol. Harry Fraser (director), Harry Fraser directed the film, which was written by Randol who was also the e ...'' References External links * 19 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
African-American Film Producers
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. African Americans constitute the second largest ethno-racial group in the U.S. after White Americans. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of Africans enslaved in the United States. In 2023, an estimated 48.3 million people self-identified as Black, making up 14.4% of the country’s population. This marks a 33% increase since 2000, when there were 36.2 million Black people living in the U.S. African-American history began in the 16th century, with Africans being sold to European slave traders and transported across the Atlantic to the Western Hemisphere. They were sold as slaves to European colonists and put to work on plantations, particularly in the southern colonies. A few were able to achieve freedom through ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Defunct Film And Television Production Companies Of The United States
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Defunct may refer to: * ''Defunct'' (video game), 2014 * Zombie process or defunct process, in Unix-like operating systems See also * * :Former entities * End-of-life product * Obsolescence Obsolescence is the process of becoming antiquated, out of date, old-fashioned, no longer in general use, or no longer useful, or the condition of being in such a state. When used in a biological sense, it means imperfect or rudimentary when comp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mass Media Companies Disestablished In 1940
Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different elementary particles, theoretically with the same amount of matter, have nonetheless different masses. Mass in modern physics has multiple definitions which are conceptually distinct, but physically equivalent. Mass can be experimentally defined as a measure of the body's inertia, meaning the resistance to acceleration (change of velocity) when a net force is applied. The object's mass also determines the strength of its gravitational attraction to other bodies. The SI base unit of mass is the kilogram (kg). In physics, mass is not the same as weight, even though mass is often determined by measuring the object's weight using a spring scale, rather than balance scale comparing it directly with known masses. An object on the Moon would weigh less than it d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mass Media Companies Established In 1937
Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different elementary particles, theoretically with the same amount of matter, have nonetheless different masses. Mass in modern physics has multiple definitions which are conceptually distinct, but physically equivalent. Mass can be experimentally defined as a measure of the body's inertia, meaning the resistance to acceleration (change of velocity) when a net force is applied. The object's mass also determines the strength of its gravitational attraction to other bodies. The SI base unit of mass is the kilogram (kg). In physics, mass is not the same as weight, even though mass is often determined by measuring the object's weight using a spring scale, rather than balance scale comparing it directly with known masses. An object on the Moon would weigh less than ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
While Thousands Cheer
''While Thousands Cheer'' is a lost film, lost American film released in 1940. Leo C. Popkin directed. It was the only football-themed film with an African American lead character for decades. It starred Kenny Washington (American football), Kenny Washington, a football star from UCLA who went on to become the first African American in the NFL after initially being refused an opportunity to play in the league due to segregation. Plot The film is a football melodrama. The plot was said to be based on true stories about gambling and corruption in football at a specific Black college. The story follows a star football player and his brother as they get involved with, and later break up, a gambling crime ring, ring's attempting to "Match fixing, fix" a college game. Cast The film featured a mostly African American cast, including UCLA football star Kenny Washington (American football), Kenny Washington, who was denied entry to the segregated NFL for several years. The film was Was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gang War (1940 Film)
A gang is a group or society of associates, friends, or members of a family with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over territory in a community and engages, either individually or collectively, in illegal, and possibly violent, behavior, with such behavior often constituting a form of organized crime. Etymology The word ''gang'' derives from the past participle of Old English , meaning . It is cognate with Old Norse , meaning . While the term often refers specifically to criminal groups, it also has a broader meaning of any close or organized group of people, and may have neutral, positive or negative connotations depending on usage. History In discussing the banditry in American history, Barrington Moore, Jr. suggests that gangsterism as a "form of self-help which victimizes others" may appear in societies which lack strong "forces of law and order"; he characterizes European feudalism as "mainly gangsterism that had ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Four Shall Die
''Four Shall Die'' is a 1940 American supernatural crime film directed by William Beaudine. It features Dorothy Dandridge in her first credited film role. Plot Cast * Niel Webster as Pierre Touissant * Mantan Moreland as Beefus, Touissant's Chauffeur * Laurence Criner as Roger Fielding * Dorothy Dandridge as Helen Fielding * Vernon McCalla as Doctor Webb * Monte Hawley as Dr. Hugh Leonard (as Monty Hawley) * Reginald Fenderson as Hickson (as Reggie Fenderson) * Jack Carr as Lew Covey * Jess Lee Brooks Jess Lee Brooks (June 9, 1894"United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V4D7-QLS : Fri Feb 23 23:06:14 UTC 2024), Entry for Jess Lee Brooks, 1942."United States, Social ... as Bill Summers * Edward Thompson as Sgt. Adams References External links * 1940 films 1940 crime films American crime films American black-and-white films Films directed by William Beaudine American supernatur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Straight To Heaven
''Straight to Heaven'' is an American film released in 1939. It was produced by Million Dollar Productions. It was advertised as having an all colored cast. Arthur A. Leonard directed. Sack Amusement Enterprises was the distributor. The story features a cabaret singer, her singer son, and the criminal underworld. The film starred Nina Mae McKinney in her last major film role and Jackie Ward, a 12 year old performer from Harlem. Ward performs three songs in the film and McKinney one. Cast *Nina Mae McKinney as Cabaret Singer Ida Williams * Jack Carter *Jackie Ward *Lionel Monagas *James Baskett James Franklin Baskett (February 16, 1904 – July 9, 1948) was an American actor who portrayed Uncle Remus in the 1946 Disney feature film ''Song of the South''. His performance included singing the song "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah." In recognition of h ... References {{Reflist American black-and-white films 1939 films ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
One Dark Night (1939 Film)
''One Dark Night'' is an American film released in 1939. Also known as ''Night Club Girl''. It was directed by Leo C. Popkin. It was produced by Harry M. Popkin. The film features an African American cast including Mantan Moreland in a dramatic role. Cast *Mantan Moreland as Samson Brown * Josephine Pearson as Barbara Brown *Betty Treadville as Hannah Brown * Jessie Coles Grayson as Mom Production and release Hattie McDaniel reportedly turned down the role played by Bette Treadville. The film was made by Million Dollar Productions and distributed by Sack Amusement Enterprises. It was produced by Clifford Sanforth. The film drew various black celebrities to a showing. Josephine Edwards performs two songs in the lost film. The film was re-released as ''Night Club Girl'' in 1944. It is categorized as a race film, and is now lost. The Yale University Library has a lobby card A film poster is a poster used to promote and advertise a film primarily to persuade paying customers ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Reform School (film)
''Reform School'' is a 1939 Million Dollar Productions American film produced by Harry M. Popkin, directed by Leo C. Popkin, written by Joseph O'Donnell and Hazel Jamieson and starring Louise Beavers. In 1944, the film was rereleased as ''Prison Bait''. Plot Beavers plays Mother Barton, a probation officer of a large city who believes in a plan for an "honor system" at a reform school. When the previous superintendent of the school is ousted, she becomes superintendent and must address a brutal guard, the previous superintendent's henchmen and students at the school. The film marked the debut of the Harlem Tuff Kids, a group that included Eugene Jackson, DeForrest Covan, Eddie Lynn and Bob Simmons. The group also appeared in the 1942 film ''Take My Life''. In 2022, a print restored by the Academy Film Archive premiered on the Turner Classic Movies television channel. Cast * Louise Beavers as Mother Barton * Reginald Fenderson as Freddie Gordon * Monte Hawley as head guard ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
