The Policy Man 1937 hasn’t been found yet but we know that it existed. It includes Savoy Lindy Hoppers and the Count Basie Orchestra, possibly doing a Big Apple. […]
Original Films
Learn about original films that included lindy hop sequences
Learn about original films that included lindy hop sequences
Symphony in Black
A Rhapsody of Negro Life 10 mins., black & white, 16mm. FAB 6260 Paramount Pictures, 1935. Director: Fred Waller; Photography: William Steiner, Jr. Valburn/Ellington Collection of the Library of Congress This film of extraordinary historic and esthetic interest features Duke Ellington at the piano presumably composing the title symphony, crosscut with shots of a band […]
The Spirit Moves
Part 1: Jazz Dance from the Turn of the Century ’til 1950 1950 Produced, directed, edited, and narrated by Mura Dehn. Camera: Herbert Matter Mura Dehn was a Russian emigre to the United States in the 1930s. She was so impressed with the African-American social dance that she saw in New York City that it […]
Radio City Revels
RKO Benjamin Stoloff 1938 Frankie Manning’s shine was cut from the dance sequence in the film. This may be because it didn’t meet the standards of the censors of the film; in his shine Frankie did a step that Jerome Williams had popularized, as in this publicity picture from the Big Apple dancers performance in […]
Manhattan Merry-Go-Round
USA 1937 82 mins. Black and White Republic Pictures A musical revue with an all-star cast that includes Cab Calloway and his Orchestra, Ted Lewis and his Orchestra, Louis Prima and his Band, Gene Autry, and Joe DiMaggio. Manhattan Merry-Go-Round has a storyline about gangsters taking over a radio station. Variety Magazine of the day […]
Killer Diller
All-American News 1948 Director: Josh Binney Producer: E. M. Glucksman Story/Screenplay: Hal Seeger Photographer: Lester Lang Editor: L. Hesse Music: Rene J. Hall. 73 mins., black & white, 35mm. FGC 2380-83 The Congaroo Dancers do a Lindy Hop routine next to a prop palm tree. They dance extremely fast with excellent execution to the music […]
Hellzapoppin’
1941 Directed by H. C. Potter This movie, based on a hit Broadway play, showcases Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers dancing the most famous and most spectacular Lindy Hop scene ever preserved on film. The dancing was choreographed by Frankie Manning. The scene starts when Slim Galliard and Slam Stewart, in workmen’s garb, discover some musical instruments […]
Day at the Races
1937 Directed by Sam Wood This very fun Marx Brothers film is considered among the 100 funniest films of all times. In it Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers dance to All God’s Chillun Got Rhythm. Whitey himself can be seen on the sidelines. He is identifiable by the streak of white in his hair. This scene, like […]
Hot Chocolates aka. Cottontail
Also known as Cottontail Soundie * 1941 The Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers group that appears in this soundie was also known as the The Harlem Congaroos. They were the undisputed stars of all the groups of Whitey’s dancers. After completing the filming of Hellzapoppin’, the group had a contract to do a second film for Universal […]
Cootie Williams and His Orchestra
Soundie 1943 Dancers: Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers- Leon James and Dottie Mae Johnson Russell Williams and Connie Hill This content was originally written by Judy Pritchett with Frank Manning. Copyright, 1995, 1996, 1997 for the savoystyle.com. It may not be reproduced without written permission. Please use the contact form on this website to get in touch. […]
The Call of the Jitterbug
Documentary 1988 Jesper Sorensen, Vibeke Winding, and Tana Ross. Produced by Green Room Productions. 35 min. sd. color with black and white sequences. The Call of the Jitterbug, which takes its name from the Cab Calloway song, is one the best documentaries of Lindy Hop produced so far. It includes oral history interviews with Norma […]
The Big Apple aka Keep Punchin’, Jittering Jitterbugs
1938 from KEEP PUNCHING (also known as Jittering Jitterbugs) A film clip featuring Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers. It was originally part of the black-cast film Keep Punchin’ and was also released as the short “Jittering Jitterbugs” in1943. Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers perform a Big Apple routine which was choreographed by Frankie Manning. They also do the Lindy […]
