We go back in time to 1939 to watch “Harlem Rides the Range”. The Producer and Director Richard C. Kahn made low budget films as the second movie on a double feature. “Harlem Rides the Range” is among a small group of movies featuring an all black cast. Riding together, Herb Jeffries as Bob Blake and Lucius Brooks as Dusty fight crime on the range. A catchphrase was “men of action blaze a trail of love and lead as law and order comes to the old west”.

Mr. Jeffries’ movie career was from the 1930’s into the 1970’s. He was a successful singer with several musical groups including Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. Members of the cast include F.E. Miller as Slim Perkins (the Cook), Artie Young as Miss Margaret Dennison and the villain Bradley played by Clarence Brooks. The Four Tones supply a musical backdrop for Mr. Jeffries’ singing. We must not forget Bob Blake’s beautiful horse “Stardusk”. The overall package is similar to many of the larger studio movies starring Gene Autry, Tex Ritter and others.

This film along with a handful of other movies including “Harlem on the Prairie” 1937 and “Rhythm Rodeo” 1938 were successful. As a footnote, “Harlem on the Range” was shown on TV on December 1, 1939 on the New York City pioneer/experimental television station W2XBS. Enjoy and Happy Holidays.

Here's the IMDB page for "Harlem Rides The Range"

And you can watch this film for free on YouTube. Here's a link to a decent quality version and a very watchable transfer. There are about a dozen different versions on YouTube to chose from.

Up next we travel to cold and bleak New York City for "Odds Against Tomorrow".

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