Louis Jordan

A star-studded tribute (from the creators of That's Entertainment) to the contributions of Afro-Americans in film over the last century. Vanessa Williams traces the struggles and triumphs of the superstars of music and film. Among the many artists featured are: Whitney Houston, Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis Jr., Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Cab Calloway, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Ella Fitzgerald, and Little Richard, Also included are today's contemporary superstars: Snoop Dogg, Ice T, Quincy Jones, Spike Lee, Russell Simmons, and many, more! 80 minutes plus DVD bonus features.

Paying homage to two of Hollywood's central icons, the film creates an unparalleled portrait of two very different personalities amidst the demise of the studio system.

During World War II, all the studios put out "all-star" vehicles which featured virtually every star on the lot--often playing themselves--in musical numbers and comedy skits, and were meant as morale-boosters to both the troops overseas and the civilians at home. This was Universal Pictures' effort. It features everyone from Donald O'Connor to the Andrews Sisters to Orson Welles to W.C. Fields to George Raft to Marlene Dietrich, and dozens of other Universal players.

Compilation film of various African-American performers and acts.

Louis Jordan, with his band, sings and performs the title song, "Caldonia,", and "Honey Child," "Tillie" and 'Buzz Me", wowing the jitter-buggers, zoot suits and bobby-soxers of the mid-1940s, all built around a wisp of a plot dealing with the difficulties of production in Harlem.

Chronicling the Harlem Renaissance era, this retrospective documentary tracks the origins of the soulful music of the period, along with the challenges many of the genre's artists faced when trying to gain recognition within conventional society. Included are anecdotes from musicians and historians, plus footage of performances and interviews with Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Count Basie and more.

A famous bandleader, suffering from overwork and exhaustion, goes to a sanitarium for a rest. While there he dreams of being out west at a dude ranch, where he finds himself involved in the beautiful owner's struggle to keep her ranch from falling into the hands of the villain, who wants either her or her ranch (or, preferably, both).

A struggling young singer falls for a nightclub owner whose father, a millionaire, is trying to shut it down.

Old-time musical star Schyler Jarvis, now wealthy, is dying; his last act is a visionary plan for the future happiness of his son, swing bandleader Louis Jarvis, and Honey Carter, daughter of his long-lost love. But crooked lawyer Talbot has a nefarious scheme to get his hands on the Jarvis money...and it doesn't include any happiness for Louis and Honey. Plenty of swing from Louis Jordan's Tympany Five.

Blues as a genre shaped the sound of jazz in the early 20th century and directly led to the creation of rock 'n' roll in the '50s. The scales, chords, and progressions of blues as a musical form can be found in styles from jazz to rock to contemporary R&B.

Louis Jordan's Orchestra perform Jordan Jive. Setting is a canteen, with the orchestra and audience in US military uniform. The Swing Maniacs go through some extremely strenuous acrobatic dancing.

A Soundie with Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five.

This rare collection of early music videos -- known as "soundies" -- from the 1930s and '40s features jazz legend Louis Jordan and his band performing their hits, including collaborations with Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway and Nat King Cole. Songs are "Five Guys Named Moe," "Caldonia," "Shine," "Fuzzy Wuzzy," "Call of the Jitterbug," "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby," "Honey Chile," "Don't You Worry About That Mule" and more.

Ware College is a small Black college in Ware, Ohio. Once prominent, it is now low in attendance, low in enrollment and low on money; and at a meeting with instructors Drury and Annabelle Brown, Dean Hargreaves reveals that CEO Benjamin Ware III, grandson of the college's founder, claims the estate of his late grandfather is now also destitute, which they believe is untrue and a result of Annabelle's having spurned his affections. They decide to appeal to their famous alumni for financial help thru a reunion, and invitations are sent. Many could help; but surely not Lucius Jordan, a timid lad who loved Annabelle too but dropped out under pressure from Ware. What they don't know is, he's now Louis Jordan, king of swing and leader of the Tympani Band.

Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five perform "G.I. Jive"

Soundies short film featuring Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five performing "Jumpin' at the Jubilee"

Soundie of Louis Jordan performing "Old Man Mose."

A Soundie with Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five.

Louis Jordan and band plays "Five Guys Named Moe".

A Soundie with Louis Jordan and his Orchestra.

One of the chief progenitors of the R&B idiom and a pioneer of the small-combo "jump" blues style so popular during the Forties, vocalist and saxophonist Louis Jordan is justly remembered as a performer who defined an era