While Thousands Cheer

While Thousands Cheer is a lost American film released in 1940.[1] Leo C. Popkin directed.[2] It was the only football-themed film with an African American lead character for decades.[3] It starred Kenny Washington, a football star from UCLA who went on to become the first African American in the NFL after initially being refused an opportunity to play in the league due to segregation.[4]

While Thousands Cheer
Directed byLeo C. Popkin
Written byJoseph O'Donnell
Produced bySara Francis
Harry M. Popkin
Clifford Sanforth
CinematographyMarcel Le Picard
Herman Schopp
Edited byMartin G. Cohn
Distributed byMillion Dollar Productions
CountryUSA
LanguageEnglish

Plot

The film is a football melodrama. The plot was said to be based on true stories about gambling and corruption in football at a specific Black college.[5] The story follows a star football player and his brother as they get involved with, and later break up, a gambling ring's attempting to "fix" a college game.[6]

Cast

The film featured a mostly African American cast, including UCLA football star Kenny Washington, who was denied entry to the segregated NFL for several years.[7][8] The film was Washington's first movie role.[9] Jeni Le Gon played the leading actress.[5]

Production

The film was produced by Clifford Sanforth and Million Dollar Pictures.[9] The premiere date was moved back due to requests from theatre managers that the film be released around the same time as other football films, to "get the minds of the public on football" and increase attendance at the theatres.[10]

Reception

The film was praised in a review by the Hollywood Daily Variety.[11] The Cleveland Call and Post called it "one of the most exciting, interest holding pictures ever filmed to entertain the young and old, male and female, of all races."[12]

References
  1. "Kenny Washington in All-Race Pix at Walker Sun". Indianapolis Recorder. 2 November 1940. p. 12. Retrieved 27 October 2020 – via newspapers.library.in.gov.
  2. "While Thousands Cheer (1940) - Full Credits - TCM.com". Turner Classic Movies.
  3. Zhang, James J.; Pitts, Brenda G. (April 5, 2019). Globalized Sport Management in Diverse Cultural Contexts. Routledge. ISBN 9780429559372 – via Google Books.
  4. Neuman, Joshua (December 20, 2021). "The NFL Had a Ban on Black Players. Why Don't We Remember the Man Who Broke It?". Slate Magazine.
  5. Jones, Lucius "Melancholy" (23 September 1940). "Kenny Washington, UCLA All-American, Proves Great Actor In 'Million Dollar' Film Hit, "While Thousands Cheer"". Atlanta Daily World. p. 5. ProQuest 490626511. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  6. Sampson, Henry T. (1995). Blacks in Black and White: A Source Book on Black Films. Scarecrow press. pp. 435–436. ISBN 0-8108-2605-4.
  7. "Lobby card from the Hollywood film While Thousands Cheer | Picture This". picturethis.museumca.org.
  8. Bowen, Fred (12 February 2018). "Kenny Washington paved way for black players in pro football". Washington Post. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  9. "Kenny Washington, Former UCLA Football Star, Makes Harlem Film Debut, Thursday". The New York Age. 26 October 1940. p. 4. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  10. Levette, Harry (15 June 1940). "Its Football Kenny Again". The Chicago Defender (National Edition). p. 20. ProQuest 492559701. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  11. "Hollywood Variety Praises "While Thousands Cheer"". New Journal and Guide. November 30, 1940. p. 19. ProQuest 567511432. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  12. "Kenny Washington in Dynamic Action Film". Cleveland Call and Post. 3 January 1948. p. 7B. ProQuest 184157885. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
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