Rock 'n' Roll Revue (1955) Director: Joseph Kohn Studio: Studio Films, Inc. / Castle Films (distributor) Starring: Lionel Hampton, Nat "King" Cole, Ruth Brown, Big Joe Turner, Dinah Washington, Duke Ellington Release Date: 1955 Runtime: 37 minutes Format: Black & White | Mono | Sound | Live Action Country: United States Language: English Genres: Musical | Concert Film | Rhythm and Blues | Variety Show | Documentary --- Summary: A vibrant, toe-tapping time capsule of 1950s rhythm and blues, Rock 'n' Roll Revue stitches together performances from some of the era’s greatest Black entertainers. Featuring a whirlwind of acts—from Nat "King" Cole’s smooth crooning to Big Joe Turner’s booming blues—this short feature captures the pulse of early rock and R&B before they fully crossed over into mainstream pop. Blending live musical performances with comedic interludes and dance numbers, the film functions both as a revue and a visual jukebox of the time. Dinah Washington dazzles, Ruth Brown belts with emotion, and Lionel Hampton’s orchestra delivers electrifying energy. The film gives modern viewers an authentic look at the origins of American rock ‘n’ roll, before it was sanitized and repackaged for suburban radio. --- Background: Rock 'n' Roll Revue is a compilation of short musical films originally produced for television, repackaged for theatrical release. The film provides rare footage of pioneering Black musicians at a time when mainstream media still segregated audiences. It was aimed at both urban theaters and the growing TV audience, part of a larger effort to popularize rhythm and blues to a wider market. The performances were largely filmed in New York City and draw from the rich Harlem and uptown jazz and blues circuits. While the narrative flow is minimal, the power of the talent on screen speaks volumes—this was not just a musical showcase, but a moment of cultural documentation during a pivotal time in American music. --- Trivia: The film includes rare live footage of early performances by Nat "King" Cole and Dinah Washington, who would both become mainstream icons. It’s one of the earliest musical compilations to prominently feature African American artists without white "headliner" acts. Despite the name, the music leans more into R&B, swing, and jazz than what would later be branded as rock and roll. The comedian Mantan Moreland appears in transitional sketches—his presence reflects the lingering vaudeville influence and racial stereotypes of the era. Because of its public domain status, the film has been widely distributed on DVD collections and streaming platforms, often under alternate titles like Harlem Rock 'n' Roll. Ruth Brown, known as “Miss Rhythm,” later became an advocate for musicians’ rights, helping expose exploitative record contracts from the era. --- Hashtags: #RocknRollRevue #1950sMusic #ClassicRAndB #LionelHampton #NatKingCole #DinahWashington #BigJoeTurner #RuthBrown #RhythmAndBlues #RockAndRollOrigins #BlackMusicHistory #ConcertFilm #VintageMusical #1955Cinema #PublicDomainFilm #CastleFilms #HarlemJazz #GoldenAgeOfMusic #DocumentaryRevue #OldSchoolRNB #JazzAndBlues