MO' FUNNY: BLACK COMEDY IN AMERICA (TV)
Summary
This documentary examines the evolution of African-American comedy in the twentieth century. Narrated by Charles Dutton of the comedy series "Roc," this program features taped interviews, still photos, film and television footage to document the changing nature of comedy performed by blacks in America. Topics include the following: the popularity of minstrel shows; the rise of Bert Williams and George Walker, a celebrated black minstrel team; the comedy team of Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles, and their creation of the first all-black Broadway show; the influence of Miller & Lyles' comedy routines on the creators of the "Amos 'n' Andy" radio show; the role of black comedians in the movies of the 1930s and 1940s, including the rise of film stereotypes such as the slow-witted comic servant; the film work of comedians such as Lincoln Perry ("Stepin Fetchit"), Willie Best, Hattie McDaniel, Butterfly McQueen, Louise Beavers, and Mantan Moreland; the television work of Eddie Anderson, who turned the servant-master relationship inside-out as valet Rochester Van Jones on "The Jack Benny Show"; "race movies," and the "chitlin circuit" of urban theaters such as the Apollo in New York City; the long, cross-generational careers of Tim Moore, Moms Mabley, and Pigmeat Markham; the post-World War II changes exemplified by such new comics as Timmie Rogers, George Kirby, Nipsey Russell, and Pearl Bailey; the influence of the civil rights movement on such innovative young comedians as Dick Gregory and Bill Cosby in the 1960s; Flip Wilson, whose 1970s television show proved hugely popular and brought black ethnic humor back into the mainstream; the success of Redd Foxx, whose career included popular "adult party records" in the 1950s and 60s and the television program "Sanford and Son" in the 1970s; the genius of Richard Pryor, and the evolution of his on-stage persona; the success and influence of Eddie Murphy and Whoopi Goldberg in the 1980s; and the current directions of black comedy in the 1990s, including the work of Robin Harris, Marsha Warfield, Sinbad, Damon Wayans, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Phyllis Yvonne Stickney, and Martin Lawrence, among others. Includes interviews with the following people: comedian/activist Dick Gregory; author Norma Miller; cultural historian Donald Bogle; comedian Timmie Rogers; Olivette Miller, daughter of Flournoy Miller; comedian/writer Paul Mooney; comedian George Kirby; actress/singer Della Reese; comedian Nipsey Russell; comedian/writer Steve Allen; comedian Tommy Davidson; writer/actor Alan Thicke; actress Lily Tomlin; comedian Marsha Warfield; producer Tamara Rawitt; comedian T.K. Kirkland; comedian/writer/producer Keenen Ivory Wayans; and comedian Phyllis Yvonne Stickney.
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: February 8, 1993 Monday
- RUNNING TIME: 1:28:08
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:28093
- GENRE: Documentary
- SUBJECT HEADING: Documentary; African-American Collection - Comedy
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV, 1993
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Ellen M. Krass … Executive Producer
- Richard Pryor … Executive Producer
- Lesli Klainberg … Supervising Producer
- Yvonne Smith … Producer, Director, Writer
- Louise M. Gallup … Associate Producer
- Steve Orich … Music by
- Charles Dutton … Narrator
- Steve Allen
- Eddie Anderson
- Pearl Bailey
- Louise Beavers
- Bill Bellamy
- Jack Benny
- Willie Best
- Donald Bogle
- Dick Cavett
- Bill Cosby
- Tommy Davidson
- Fetchit, Stepin (Lincoln Perry)
- Redd Foxx
- Adele Givens
- Whoopi Goldberg
- Dick Gregory
- Eddie Griffin
- Robin Harris
- George Kirby
- T.K. Kirkland
- Martin Lawrence
- Aubrey Lyles
- Mabley, Jackie (Moms Mabley)
- Markham, Pigmeat (Dewey Markham)
- Hattie McDaniel
- Butterfly McQueen
- Flournoy Miller
- Norma Miller
- Olivette Miller
- Paul Mooney
- Tim Moore
- Mantan Moreland
- Eddie Murphy
- Perry, Lincoln (Stepin Fetchit)
- Richard Pryor
- Tamara Rawitt
- Della Reese
- Timmie Rogers
- Nipsey Russell
- Sinbad (comedian)
- Phyllis Yvonne Stickney
- Alan Thicke
- Lily Tomlin
- Marsha Warfield
- Damon Wayans
- Keenen Ivory Wayans
- Bert Williams
- Flip Wilson