Theresa Harris Appreciation (Movies Online)

Below is a list of links to movies (and a television episode) available online that feature our Star of the Month, the late Theresa Harris.

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Theresa Harris played the role of the "Powder Room Attendant" in Merrily We Go to Hell (1932), available on YouTube.

TH with Matthew "Stymie" Beard in Free Wheeling (1932)

TH played the role of the "Maid" on the Our Gang shot, Free Wheeling (1932), available on YouTube.

TH played the role of the "Ladies Room Attendant" in Night After Night (1932), available on YouTube.

With Barbara Stanwyck in Baby Face (1933)

TH played the role of "Chico" in Baby Face (1933), arguably her most notable role. This film is available on YouTube. The ending is cut off, however.

TH played the role of "Joan's Maid" in Broadway Thru a Keyhole (1933), available on YouTube.

Our Star of the Month played the role of the "Sacrificed Girl" in Black Moon (1934), also available on YouTube. 

Theresa Harris singing "St. Louis Blues" in Banjo On My Knee (1936)

Theresa Harris played the role of the "Black Blues Singer" in Banjo On My Knee (1936). This film is available on both YouTube and Dailymotion.

She played the role of the "Black U.S. Team Member on the Sidelines Rooting for Jesse Owens" (phew!) in Charlie Chan at the Olympics (1937). This film is available on YouTube.

With Melvyn Douglas in Tell No Tales (1939)

TH played the role of "Ruby" in 1939's Tell No Tales, also available on YouTube in parts.

As she appeared in The Velvet Touch (1958) (not listed) - Vintage Black Glamour

TH played the role of the "Maid" in Santa Fe Trail (1940), available on YouTube.

In Strange Illusion (1945), available on both YouTube and Dailymotion. Theresa Harris played the role of (guess) the "Maid". 

In 1945's The Dolly Sisters, Theresa Harris played the role of "Ellabelle". This film is available on Dailymotion in parts.

TH played the role of the "Maid" in Three Little Girls in Blue (1946). This film is also available for viewing on Dailymotion in parts.

On the cover of a Sept. 1952 issue of Jet magazine.
(Very curious about the "Why Men Beat Their Wives" story, though...)

Theresa Harris played the role of "Esther" in The File on Thelma Jordon (1950). This was the third time she'd appeared in a film with Barbara Stanwyck. It's available on YouTube.

In "The Girl at the Station", a 1955 episode of Amos 'n' Andy, Theresa Harris played the role of "Gloretta". You can watch the episode on YouTube.

Theresa Harris on the left in The Gift of Love (1958). She played Scatman Crothers' wife in the film!

Finally, you can watch Theresa Harris in her final screen appearance as "Dora - Sam's Wife" in The Gift of Love (1958). It is available in parts on YouTube.

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Ms. Harris was uncredited in all but six of these roles--Free Wheeling, Baby Face, The Toy Wife, Tell No Tales, The File on Thelma Jordan, and "The Girl at the Station" episode of Amos 'n' Andy. Of her 90+ screen appearances, she was credited in only about 25 of them.

Merle Oberon Appreciation Post

Source

Merle Oberon is POC in Classic Film's 'Star of the Month' for April 2015! Below are links to movies, television/radio broadcasts, and more!

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Books

Princess Merle: The Romantic Life of Merle Oberon

by Charles Higham and Roy Moseley 

Published in May of 1983

Merle: A Biography of Merle Oberon

also by Charles Higham and Roy Moseley

Published in August of 1983

Queenie

(A fictionalized account of Merle Oberon's life)

by Michael Korda

Published in May of 1987
 (Michael Korda is the nephew of Alexander Korda, Merle's first husband)

Merle Oberon 

172 Success Facts - Everything you need to know about Merle Oberon

by Jerome Holcomb

Published on June 27, 2014

Merle Oberon photographed for Cine-Mundial magazine [Source]

Short Films

Hollywood Goes to Town (1938)

(Oberon can be seen starting at 7:13)

Source

Feature-Length Films

The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)

Oberon appears as 'Anne Boleyn The Second Wife'. 

This film marks the first time she uses the name 'Merle Oberon' (she'd previously been known professionally as "Queenie O'Brien").

The Private Life of Don Juan (1934)

Oberon co-stars as 'Antonita, a Dancer of Passionate Temperament'.

The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934)

Oberon co-stars as 'Lady Blakeney'

The Dark Angel (1935)
Oberon stars as 'Kitty Vane'. 

She received her first and only Oscar-nomination for her work in this film. 

*Link leads to "Part 1/2" on Dailymotion. The link also contains video ads*

Source

I, Claudius (1936)
Oberon co-stars as 'Messalina' 


The Divorce of Lady X (1938)
Oberon stars as 'Leslie Steele/Lady Claire Mere'


That Uncertain Feeling (1941)
Oberon stars as 'Jill'


Lydia (1941)
Oberon stars as 'Lydia MacMillan'
*Link leads to "Part 1/11" on YouTube*

Source

Stage Door Canteen (1941)
Oberon appears as Herself


Night in Paradise (1946)
Oberon stars as 'Delarai'
*Link leads to "Part 1/7" on YouTube*


Affair in Monte Carlo (1952)
Oberon stars as 'Linda Venning'


Of Love and Desire (1963)
Oberon stars as 'Katherine Beckmann'

Oberon pictured with Melvyn Douglas for That Uncertain Feeling (1941). This was the first Merle Oberon film I'd seen! That was well over five years ago now. [Photo Source]

Radio

Lux Radio Theater: "The Dark Angel"
(aired June 22, 1936)

Lux Radio Theater: "'Til We Meet Again" 
(aired June 10, 1940)


Command Performance (The First Episode)
(aired on March 1, 1942)
*Oberon is introduced at about 21:20*


The Abbott and Costello Show: "Knights in Shining Armor"
(aired on November 19, 1942)

Lux Radio Theater: "Dark Waters"
(aired November 11, 1944)


Screen Guild Theater Radio: "The Age of Innocence"
(aired December 18, 1944)
*Link leads to "Part 1/3" on YouTube*


Screen Guild Theater Radio: "Wuthering Heights"
(aired February 25, 1946)
*Link leads to "Part 1/3 on YouTube*


Stars in the Air: "Night Song"
(aired May 17, 1952)


Television

Source

Four Star Playhouse: "Sound Off, My Love"
(Original Air Date: February 12, 1953)
Oberon stars as 'Martha'


Four Star Playhouse: "Love at Sea"
(Original Air Date: October 15, 1953)
Oberon co-stars as 'Margot Sterling'


What's My Line?
(Original Air Date: October 17, 1954)
*Oberon is introduced at about 18:09*


Four Star Playhouse: "Eddie's Place"
(Original Air Date: March 10, 1955)
Oberon appears uncredited as 'Sara Belmont'



Fun Find!

Susan Yara, the founder of the YouTube channel, Mixed Makeup, collaborated with celebrity makeup artist, Troy Jensen, to create a Merle Oberon-inspired look. Click here to see the video! Her transformation is amazing.

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My favorite photo of Merle Oberon [Source]

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I hope you're able to find the time to check out some of these links! I can't wait to dig in, myself!

Cantinflas: Appreciation Post (March 2015's Star of the Month)

There's such a wide selection of Mr. Mario "Cantinflas" Moreno's work online! I hope you get a chance to check some of it out!

From the LA Times

Links

(All YouTube)

Before I get into the movies and television appearances, below is an awesome find!

Television Appearances

Cantinflas presents the Academy Award for Best Cinematography (1956)

(28th Academy Awards)

Cantinflas on What's My Line?

(Original Air Date: Sept. 18, 1960)

Cantinflas' last interview for television (1992)

(Cantinflas died of lung cancer on April 20, 1993)

From Variety

Movies

(All Spanish language)

*My apologies for any incorrect translations. Please correct me in the comments, if needed!*

* - also written/co-written by Cantinflas.

No te engañes corazón (1937)
(Don't Fool Yourself Dear; in parts: 1 2 3 4)

¡Así es mi tierra! (1937)
(Such is My Country!)

Àguila o Sol (1937)

(Eagle or Sun ?)

El signo de la muerte (1939) 

(The Sign of Death) 

Ni sangre, ni arena (1941)

(Neither Blood Nor Sand)

El gendarme desconocido (1941)

(The Unknown Policeman ?)

Carnaval en el trópico (1942)

(Carnival in the Tropics)

El tres Mosqueteros (1942)

(The Three Musketeers)

El Circo (1943)

(The Circus)

Romeo y Julieta (1943)

Gran Hotel (1944)

Un día con el diablo (1945)
(One Day with the Devil)


Soy un prófugo (1946)
(I Am a Fugitive ?)

El supersabio (1948)

(The Super Scientist)

El Mago (1949)

(The Magician)

El Portero (1950)

(The Porter)

Si yo fuera diputado (1952) *
(If I Were Deputy)


El bombero atómico (1952) *
(The Atomic Firefighter ?)

Caballero a la medida (1954)
(The Tailored Gentleman ?)

Abajo el telón (1955)
(Drop the Curtain)

El bolero de Raquel (1957)

(The Bolero of Raquel)

Housewife to Your Neighbor (1958)
(Ama a tu prójimo)

Sube y baja (1959)
(Ups and Downs)

El Extra (1962)
(The Extra)

Entrega Immediata (or Agente XU 777) (1963)
(Immediate Delivery)

El señor doctor (1965)
(The Head Doctor ?)

Por mis pistolas (1968) *
(For/By My Guns ?)

El profe (1971) *
(The Professor)

El patrullero 777 (1978)
(Patrolman 777)


Book

Cantinflas and the Chaos of Mexican Modernity (2001)

This book just isn't a simple biography--the story of Cantinflas' life and career is paralleled with Mexico's cultural and social history during the 20th century.


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Spencer Williams Online (An Appreciation Post)

Check out movies (and television episodes) featuring, written by, and/or directed by February 2015's Star of the Month, Spencer Williams!

Spencer Williams (right) with Tim Moore (middle) and Alvin Childress (left) for the Amos 'n' Andy TV series

YouTube Links:

Melancholy Dame (1929)

Music Hath Arms (1929)

The Framing of the Shrew (1929)

Oft the Silly Night (1929)

Two-Gun Man from Harlem (1938)

The Bronze Buckaroo (1939)

Harlem Rides the Range (1939)

(also writer)

Bad Boy (1939)

Son of Ingagi (1940)

(also writer)

The Blood of Jesus (1941)

(also writer and director)

Go Down, Death (1944)

(also writer and director)

Dirty Gertie from Harlem U.S.A. (1946)

(also director)

Juke Joint (1947)

(also director)

Amos 'n' Andy (TV Series)

(YouTube Search Results)

Spencer Williams News Articles

Spencer Williams returns to Hollywood after making movies in Dallas

(Washington Afro-American - Jan. 24, 1950)

Biography and announcement of Amos 'n' Andy role

(Baltimore Afro-American - Sep. 11, 1954)

Short Obituary in the Toledo Blade 

(Toledo Blade - Dec. 17, 1969)

Spencer Williams films rediscovered in 1996

(Times Daily - Jan. 2, 1996)

Anna May Wong, the Star (Appreciation Post/That's Old News!)

As January nears its close, I'd like to honor our Star of the Month with an "appreciation post" and by also making her the sole subject of January's "That's Old News!" installment. 

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That's Old News! (January 2015)

From NoirWHALE

After working the stages and screens of Europe for a few years, Anna May Wong brought her stage talent to Broadway for the first time in 1930. Click here to read The Milwaukee Sentinel's rave review of her performance in On the Spot, a "Chicago gangster play". 

From The Red List

There always seemed (and seems) to be much interest in Anna May Wong's ethnicity and nationality. The November 3, 1934 issue of The Montreal Gazette featured an article that expressed awe over Ms. Wong's "strange combination" of East and West. Click here to read it.

From Explore Chinatown

A December 1936 issue of The Pittsburgh Press reported Anna May Wong's complaints about discrimination in Hollywood. The newspaper seemed to dismiss Ms. Wong's charges, however. Read the article here.

From the Google News Archive

*This news story might be triggering, for it contains some violent/graphic keywords. 

A March 1937 issue of The Bulletin reported physical threats against Anna May Wong, her father, and against Mrs. David O. Selznick's children by a "Dr. E.J. Foote" if the actress and the producer's wife didn't give him $20,000 each. Read more of the story here.

From Love HK Film

Anna May Wong and Philip Ahn were not only co-stars on a few films, but they were also childhood friends. Did a real life romance ever blossom between the two? They (somewhat) denied the rumors in an October 1937 issue of the Herald-Journal. Read it here.


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Anna May Wong Appreciation

Movies Online

Anna May Wong: In Her Own Words
(2013 documentary on YouTube)

Hollywood on Parade No. A-3 (1932) (YouTube)
(Anna May Wong plays herself in this short)

Hollywood Party (1937) (YouTube)
(After 8 minutes and 50 seconds of cultural appropriation abound, Anna May Wong emerges in part one of the upload of this short)

The Toll of the Sea (1922) (YouTube)
(Anna May Wong's first lead role)

The Thief of Bagdad (1924) (The Internet Archive)
(Anna May Wong appears as "The Mongol Slave")

Daughter of the Dragon (1931) (YT)
(Anna May Wong stars in this Dr. Fu Manchu film as "Ling Moy")

A Study in Scarlet (1933) (The Internet Archive)
(Anna May Wong stars in this Sherlock Holmes film as "Mrs. Pyke")

Limehouse Blues (1934) (The Internet Archive)
(Anna May Wong stars as "Tu Tuan")

Bombs Over Burma (1942) (IA)
(Anna May Wong stars as "Lin Ying")

Lady from Chungking (1942) (IA)
(Anna May Wong stars as "Kwan Mei")

Impact (1949) (IA)
(Anna May Wong appears in this Film Noir as "Su Lin Chung")


Television Appearance Online

"The Lady from South Chicago" - Adventures in Paradise (YT)
(Anna May Wong appears as "Madam Lu Yang" in this 1959 episode of Adventures in Paradise)


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Books

Anna May Wong: From Laundryman's Daughter to Hollywood Legend (2012) 
(by Graham Russell Gao Hodges) 
(Google Books link)


Anna May Wong: A Complete Guide to Her Film, Stage, Radio and Television Work (2010)
(by Philip Leibfried and Chei Mi Lane)
(Google Books link)

Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story (2009)
(A Juvenile Nonfiction book written by Paula Yoo)
(Google Books link)


Anna May Wong's Lucky Shoes: 1939 Australia Through The Eyes Of An Art Deco Diva (2008)
(by Derham Groves)
(Amazon link)


The China Mystique: Pearl S. Buck, Anna May Wong, Mayling Soong, and the Transformation of American Orientalism (2005)
(by Karen J. Leong)
(Amazon link)


China Doll: The Imagined Life of an American Actress (2005)
(A playbook by Elizabeth Wong)
(Google Books link)



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I hope you found this post to be very informative! I like to think of myself as a champion of classic stars of color. I'm an admirer of their talents and I'm appreciative of the foundations they laid. Though I have a tendency to lament on their struggles and what they couldn't do, I try my hardest to help shine a light on the things they did do. That's really what People of Color in Classic Film is all about. 

Thank you all for being on this journey with me. Please share this post--as well as other posts/media on the worldwide web that relate to Anna May Wong. Let us forever remember her as the beautiful and super-talented legend and trailblazer that she was. 

Star of the Month: Lawrence Chenault - Appreciation Post

The first post dedicated in honor of November 2014's 'Star of the Month', Mr. Lawrence Chenault! 

*Full Credits List (IMDb)*

Below is a list of links to films featuring the unsung screen and stage performer:

The Symbol of the Unconquered (1920) 

In this film, Lawrence Chenault plays "Jefferson Driscoll", a white-passing hotel manager with a hatred for the Black race.

Fan trailer for The Crimson Skull (1922)

Lawrence Chenault played the role of "Bob Calem", a cowhand who wears a skeleton costume to scare a gang of outlaws who have begun to wreak havoc on the range.

Body and Soul (1925)

Lawrence Chenault played "Yello-Curley' Hinds--the Phony Reverend's Former Jailmate". 

The Scar of Shame (1927)

Lawrence Chenault played the role of "Ralph Hathaway", an affluent man and potential father-in-law to one of the lead characters. 

Ten Minutes to Live (1932) 

Lawrence Chenault played the role of "Gary Martin".