Nina Mae McKinney

Acting

Nina Mae McKinney

Born 1912-06-12 · Lancaster, South Carolina, USA

Nina Mae McKinney (June 12, 1912 – May 3, 1967) was an American actress who worked internationally during the 1930s and in the postwar period in theatre, film and television, after beginning her career on Broadway and in Hollywood. Dubbed "The Black Garbo" in Europe because of her striking beauty, McKinney was both one of the first African-American film stars in the United States and one of the first African-Americans to appear on British television.

Acting credits

Safe in Hell poster
6.7

To avoid the rigors of the law, Gilda flees New Orleans and hides on a Caribbean island where the worst criminals can ask for asylum. Besieged by the scum of the earth, Gilda will soon find out that she has found refuge in hell.

Safe in Hell

1931

Together Again poster
5.5

Anne Crandall is the mayor of a small town in Vermont. Her deceased husband had been the mayor for years and when he died, she was left to carry on and to raise his daughter from his first marriage. She lives with the daughter, her father-in-law and a housekeeper. In the town square, there was a statue of her late husband and every year since his death, they have an anniversary celebration there. This year during a thunderstorm, the statue is hit by lightning and the head falls off. The daughter insists that a new statue be erected instead of patching the old one. Mayor Crandall is sent to New York to interview the prospective sculptor, George Corday.

Together Again

1944

The Power of the Whistler poster
5.9

A woman uses a deck of cards to predict death within 24 hours for a stranger sitting at a bar, then tries to help him remember who he is based on items in his pockets.

The Power of the Whistler

1945

Copper Canyon poster
5.7

A group of copper miners, Southern veterans, are terrorized by local rebel-haters, led by deputy Lane Travis. The miners ask stage sharpshooter Johnny Carter to help them, under the impression that he is the legendary Colonel Desmond. It seems they're wrong; but Johnny's show comes to Coppertown and Johnny romances lovely gambler Lisa Roselle, whom the miners believe is at the center of their troubles.

Copper Canyon

1950

Hallelujah poster
6.7

A black laborer turns preacher after accidentally killing a man.

Hallelujah

1929

Pinky poster
7.1

Pinky, a light skinned black woman, returns to her grandmother's house in the South after graduating from a Northern nursing school. Pinky tells her grandmother that she has been "passing" for white while at school in the North. In addition, she has fallen in love with a young white doctor, who knows nothing about her black heritage.

Pinky

1949

Reckless poster
5.1

A theatrical star, born on the wrong side of the tracks, marries a drunken blue-blood millionaire.

Reckless

1935

No artwork available
NR

Publicity film for manufacturers and retailers of television equipment. A survey of the programmes transmitted by the British Broadcasting Corporation during the first six months of operation, November 1936 - May 1937, intended for manufacturers and retailers to show sample types of programmes transmitted.

Television Demonstration Film

1937

Sanders of the River poster
5.6

A British District Officer in Nigeria in the 1930s rules his area strictly but justly. He struggles with gun-runners and slavers with the aid of a loyal native chief.

Sanders of the River

1935

Blood Money poster
7.1

The title refers to the business of affable, ambitious bail bondsman (and politically-connected grifter) Bill Bailey, who, in the course of his work, crosses paths with every kind of offender there is, from first-time defendants to career criminals.

Blood Money

1933

Dark Waters poster
6.0

Leslie Calvin, the sole survivor of a submarine accident, goes to her relatives in order to recover emotionally. Unfortunately, she encounters various scam artists led by Mr. Sydney who intend to kill her and steal the family assets. Dr. George Grover helps Leslie to defeat Sydney.

Dark Waters

1944

The Lonely Trail poster
4.8

Though he fought for the North in the Civil War, John is asked by the Governor of Texas to get rid of some troublesome carpetbaggers. He enlists the help of Holden before learning that Holden too is plundering the local folk.

The Lonely Trail

1936

Mantan Messes Up poster
8.0

Mantan takes a job as office boy at a new TV station and gets to watch several pre-recorded musical numbers.

Mantan Messes Up

1946

Danger Street poster
6.5

Magazine owners sell a revealing photo, then play detective when the deal leads to murder.

Danger Street

1947

They Learned About Women poster
4.8

Jack and Jerry are doing okay between profession baseball and Vaudeville. That is, until love and gold-diggers get in the way.

They Learned About Women

1930

The Black Network poster
6.4

The owner of a shoe polish company sponsors a radio show that showcases black performers. Since his wife's father put up the money to be the sponsor, she insists on singing on the show. She goes on after the main star, singer Nina Mae McKinney. The wife sings so badly that the sponsor's customers abandon him. He is forced to shine shoes on street corners, while Nina Mae and her boyfriend win a bet on a daily number and end up on easy street.

The Black Network

1936

The Devil's Daughter poster
3.9

Sylvia Walton returns from Harlem to take over a Jamaican plantation from her vindictive half-sister, amid the growing sound of drums.

The Devil's Daughter

1939

Night Train to Memphis poster
9.0

A mountain community is thrown into turmoil as the townspeople debate the advantages and disadvantages of having a railroad.

Night Train to Memphis

1946

No artwork available
4.0

An homage to NYC in the form of a short travelogue.

Manhattan Serenade

1929

No artwork available
10.0

'Old-time minstrel sinks to poverty and rises to fresh stardom.' (British Film Catalogue)

Kentucky Minstrels

1934

No artwork available
7.3

Short featuring musician Eubie Blake and his orchestra, singer Nina Mae McKinney, and young tap dancers Fayard and Harold Nicholas.

Pie, Pie Blackbird

1932

What Price Jazz poster
7.7

In rhyme, a soapbox preacher, Mr. Blue Laws, enlists Mr. Public Opinion in the efforts of the Society for the Prevention of Jazz. Armed with an ax and a buckshot-shooting pistol, the two of them interrupt Ted Fiorito and his jazz orchestra (and showgirls). The lads head for the woods, where Ted convinces them to stand their ground. They're joined by their songstress who says it may be their last day on earth, so sing the blues for all they're worth. Then the dancers arrive to report they barely got away, and it's time for a final strut. Public Opinion brings a death sentence. Is there no appeal?

What Price Jazz

1934

No artwork available
9.0

An undercover police woman poses as a nighclub entertainer to catch the main man behind the racketeers going on around Harlem. Meanwhile two men are falling for her.

Gang Smashers

1938

Straight to Heaven poster
9.0

Singer Jimmy Williams' father Joe is a chemist who recently lost his job to George Elliott. Since then, Joe has been investigating the "Adam and Even" brand of canned goods sold in Harlem.

Straight to Heaven

1939