As you may or may not know, Google has been working on revamping the Google News Archive for a few months, and for awhile, I assumed that there was no way to access the archive. I soon discovered that there actually was a way to continue accessing vintage articles, but I just couldn't find it. Well, I finally found it--and I found it right on time! Last day of the month! Unfortunately, I won't be able to specifically search for articles from the month of March (the archive search doesn't really give you the option of being date specific), but that is A-OK. I've found some great stuff to share.
That's Old News is back! :)
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In July of 1930, nearly a year after the release of the landmark 1929 film, Hallelujah! a writer for The (Baltimore) Afro-American (also a cast member in the movie) wrote a series of articles including behind-the-scenes information on "the making of Hallelujah!". Click here to read the must-read second installment of the series titled "The Truth About Hallelujah" (Warning: use of the N-word).
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| Movie poster from Wikipedia |
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| From NNDB |
Ralph Cooper, star of the previously reviewed film, The Duke is Tops "started the original Harlem Amateur Hour in April 1933 at the Lafayette Theater. In 1934, he began the Wednesday Amateur Night at Sidney Cohen and Morris Sussman’s 125th Street Apollo Theatre. Cooper’s Amateur Night in Harlem radio shows were broadcast live from the Apollo over WMCA and carried on a national network of 21 stations. When Amateur Night at the Apollo debuted in 1934, it quickly became the leading showcase for many young, talented, new performers such as a 15-year-old Ella Fitzgerald, who went on to become one of the first Amateur Night winners. [apollotheater.org]
Click here to read an article (also from The Baltimore Afro-American) that promoted an "upcoming" Apollo stage show, hosted by Mr. Ralph Cooper (also the star of the previously reviewed film, The Duke is Tops).
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| From Listal |
Legendary movie columnist, Louella Parsons reported on some of the latest moves in Hollywood in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In a 1931 column, she dubbed Toshia Mori as the next (or, in her words, "another") Anna May Wong. Read the short section here.
(second section, scroll down just a bit)
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Bessie Smith's St. Louis Blues co-star, Jimmy Mordecai (spelled "Jimmie" in this article) introduced a dance duo to patrons of the Theatrical Grill in New York. However, that's not all that went down during an exciting week in New York. Read Harold Lockley's article titled "Thru Gotham and 'Round Harlem".
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| Harlem flappers (From westga.edu) |
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| From Wikipedia |
If a jazz-loving Floridan was given the opportunity to travel back in time, I'd recommend that they choose to travel back to a Thursday night at St. Petersburg's Coliseum in March of 1956. On February 28, 1956, St. Petersburg Times (now Tampa Bay Times) informed their readers of an upcoming tribute to the legendary Duke Ellington. Read more about the event here.
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| From Jazz Street Vancouver |
"Jeni Legon, Colored Star, Gets Chance in Movies"--that's the great, big title of a column written by Louella Parsons for The Milwaukee Sentinel in December of 1934. Read about Jeni's "new" role and other exciting things in store for Hollywood in 1935.
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I hope you all find these articles and columns to be important, informative, and perhaps entertaining. I'm excited to be continuing this segment! :)
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I hope you all find these articles and columns to be important, informative, and perhaps entertaining. I'm excited to be continuing this segment! :)
