Black Talkies on Parade screening of Moms Mabley stars in “Boarding House Blues”
Join MCLM as we celebrate one of America’s most popular forms of early entertainment: vaudeville!
Boarding House Blues is a 1948 comedy directed by Josh Binney, a ï¬lmmaker known for helming the classic musical ï¬lms Hi De Ho, The Joint is Jumpin’ and Killer Diller. Produced by All-American News, a company which specialized in African American newsreels, Boarding House Blues has the unique feel of being both a narrative ï¬lm and concert performance, providing contemporary audiences a sneak peek at how a “Chitlin’ Circuit” vaudeville show would play during its height.
The story is a vehicle for legendary comedic talent Jackie “Moms” Mabley, one of the earliest successful female comedians of vaudeville, stage and ï¬lm.
