That's OLD News! (#13)

Today I present to you links to six different historic news articles. As always, I hope you find them informative!

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"Red Wing, Indian Princess of Old Movies, Now Earns Living Making War Bonnets" 

(The Milwaukee Journal - August 5, 1958)

Hollywood's first Native American star, Red Wing (born with the "Christian name" Lillian St. Cyr and sometimes referred to as "Princess Red Wing") retired from the film industry in the early 1920s. By 1958 (the year this article was published), she'd been making war bonnets, war shirts, beaded suits, and other Native garments out of animal skins and furs. Click the link above to read the article!

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"The Lincoln Moving Picture Presents "The Law of Nature" With an all Negro Cast featuring Noble Johnson"

(The Afro American - September 22, 1917)

Actor and film producer, Noble Johnson 
Source

Every week, The Afro American included the schedules of Baltimore's black theaters. In the (Saturday) September 17, 1917 issue of the paper, they revealed that the Lincoln Motion Picture Company's film, Law of Nature would be shown at the Regent Theatre on the upcoming Monday. Click the link above to see the full program, including the annoucement of the Law of Nature's showing.



Additional Information: The Lincoln Motion Picture Company was one of the first African-American-owned film production companies. It was founded in 1916 (some sources say 1915) by screen star, Noble Johnson, and his brother George. 

Also, the Regent Theater was opened on June 19, 1916 in Baltimore, Maryland. The theater originally seated 500. Read more about the historic theater here.


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"Claudia McNeil Role is Cited"

(The Milwaukee Sentinel - July 29, 1966)

Source

According to The Milwaukee Sentinel, stage and screen actress Claudia McNeil won the majority of votes for Plays and Players magazine's poll for "best feminine performance". 


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"No Stopping Run Run Shaw"

(New Straits Times - November 5, 1990)

Source

I love this article from the New Straits Times. In just a few minutes of watching and listening to him interact, reporters like Suraya Al-Attas were able to get a glimpse of who entertainment mogul, Run Run Shaw was, what film meant to him, and what he meant to film. 


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"Ben Powers Leads Talent - 'New Laugh-Ins' Being Hailed"

(The Victoria Advocate - July 9, 1977)

From article

In honor of an unsung talent who starred on my favorite television show (Good Times), Mr. Ben Powers. Read The Victoria Advocate's profile of one of Laugh-In's newest cast additions at the time.


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"Gossip of the Movie Lots and Nite Clubs"

(The Afro American - December 3, 1932)

From the article

Many-a "colored players" (including Mildred Washington, pictured above) had a job in Paramount's Marlene Dietrich vehicle, Blonde Venus. Click the link above to see just a few of the movie's black bit players and extras.


Additional Information: Blonde Venus was race movie queen, Evelyn Preer's last movie. She died of double pneumonia two (almost three) months after the movie's U.S. release. Mildred Washington, one of Hollywood's "beautiful maids" died of appendicitis almost a year after the movie's release.


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