Reed Rapture 1942
Jazz Soundie with Stan Kenton and his players.
RCM Productions
Pass the Biscuits, Mirandy 1942
Spike Jones and His City Slickers perform "Pass the Biscuits, Mirandy".
Cow-Cow Boogie 1942
Dorothy Dandridge and band perform "Cow-Cow Boogie".
Jealous 1942
R.C.M. Soundie
Old Chisholm Trail 1946
The Bronco Busters perform "Old Chisholm Trail."
A Zoot Suit with a Reet Pleat 1942
An early "soundie" in which Dorothy Dandridge & Paul White sing "A Zoot Suit with a Reet Pleat" while getting dressed up for a big date.
Paper Doll 1942
In this Soundie, the Mills Brothers sing the title song to a cut-out image of Dorothy Dandridge, which then comes to life and dances for them.
Let's Scuffle 1942
"Let's Scuffle" is a short subject -- a single song-and-dance number -- that appears to have been cut from a feature-length movie: to be precise, a 'race film'. (This was the term used by American cinema exhibitors in the 1940s and earlier for any movie with an all-black cast, intended primarily for distribution in black neighbourhoods at a time when many American cinemas were segregated.) The song-and-dance performer here is none other than the great Bill Robinson.
Hot Chocolate 1941
Whitey's Lindy Hoppers at their best along with Duke Ellington and his Orchestra performing for this "Hot Chocolate" musical short.
Shine 1942
Louis Armstrong performs with Nicodemus on this Soundie from 1942.
Bli-Blip 1942
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra perform "Bli-Blip" with Marie Bryant and Paul White
The Lamp of Memory 1942
Yvonne De Carlo sings herself to sleep, in her dreams she dances with a Latin dancer. She awakes to sing again.
Back in the Saddle Again 1942
1942 Soundies musical short
From the Indies to the Andes (in His Undies) 1942
Comedic musical short featuring the Hoosier Hotshots.
Backstage Blues 1943
A little music from Lynn Albritton, Lou Ellen and The Harlem Cuties.
Beautiful Clothes 1942
Harry Langdon lip syncs the title song and interacts with models.
Rosie the Riveter 1943
Ancestors of music videos, YANKEE DOODLER, ROSIE THE RIVETER, and DEAR ARABELLA were made during World War II for coin-operated jukebox devices found in restaurants, bars and train stations. On built-in glass screens, they projected 16mm films of artists performing popular tunes. These examples, although not in perfect condition, are time capsules of their era.
Good Nite All 1943
Johnny Taylor sings "Good Nite All" at a house party.
Sticks and Stones 1943
Dona Drake sings "Sticks and Stones".
Who's Been Eating My Porridge? 1944
Nat 'King' Cole & Ida James wonders "Who's Been Eating My Porridge?"
