FATHER GEEK writes an introduction for FRANCINE EVERETT

Regular visitors to AICN are probably aware by now that the sad duty of informing our readership of the deaths of pioneers of the motion picture arts has fallen upon the shoulders of FATHER GEEK on many occasions and I must once again be the one to break the news that the lovely FRANCINE EVERETT, a leading lady of the old “All Colored” cinema has died in New York at the age of 79.

Francine will be remembered primarily for her many roles for companies like Sack Amusement Enterprises, Toddy Pictures, and Astor Pictures back in the 1930’s and 40’s when an entire industry developed around all black cast film production. A stage and night club performer Francine eventually found herself cast as beautiful, sexy dancers in the many films to exploit the popularity of the blues and all black swing bands. She was a standout performer so she soon landed key roles opposite bigtime black stars like CASABLANCA’s Dooley Wilson in Sack’s 1939 boxing drama KEEP PUNCHING. She played a sultry Desdemona Jones in another 1939 all black cast drama PARADISE IN HARLEM; a film about gangland murder, alcoholism, and “Othello” all sandwiched between popular blues & swing numbers.

Ms. Everett let spill the secrets of a black chamber maid working in a Sugar Hill hotel in the 1945 comedy BIG TIMERS. Then in 1946 she returned to the musical in the title role of TALL, TAN, AND TERRIFIC with crossover superstar Mantan Moreland. She teamed up with Mantan again in 47 for the musical extravaganza EBONY PARADE, starring the legendary Cab Calloway and swingtime giant Count Basie. This was a popular format in the “Colored Cast” films that was imitated in a lot of mainstream movies of the day, like EASTER PARADE. However, the black cast films were doomed to play before all black audiences in little out-of-the-way ramshackle shotgun theaters stuck in black neighborhoods in almost every town of size in the country, and with few exceptions their stars would remain unknown outside their communities.

Like most Americans I have not been exposed to many of these classic, vintage films. I’ve seen the biggies; CABIN IN THE SKY, GREEN PASTURES, THE BRONZE VENUS, HI-DE-HO, STORMY WEATHER and of course the black inspired cartoons like COAL BLACK AND THE SEBBEN DWARFS, GOING TO HEAVEN ON A MULE, and all the Betty Boops like MINNIE THE MOOCHER and THE OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN; but the all black dramas and action films of the 30s and 40s have eluded me except for FRANCINE EVERETT’s 1946 masterpiece DIRTY GERTIE FROM HARLEM USA which Ol’ Father Geek was lucky enough to catch a rare 16mm print showing of at a Detroit Film Convention in the early 70’s. “Take your hands off of me you dirty psalm singing polecat!” Francine’s character declares at one point, and from that moment on Father Geek would never forget the alluring Gertie LaRue. In the title role she is one slinky, sexy, sensuous woman. It was easy to see how this ex-Harlem hoofer could take over the somnolent little Caribbean island in this Spencer Williams adventure film. That’s how I’ll remember Francine, as the tawdry big city girl on the lam in the islands looking for passion and adventure.

She did make a few mainstream motion pictures during her long career. My favorite of these was the 1950 Film Noir NO WAY OUT. This Oscar nominated study of reciprocal rabid racism starred Richard Widmark and Harry’s great great aunt on his mom’s side Linda Darnell. Oh yeah there were a few black actors in it too, like Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Sidney Poitier, and the wonderful FRANCINE EVERETT.

In 1936’s GREEN PASTURES “de lawd” would throw a huge “Fish Fry” in Heaven to celebrate the “gooood times”, well if thats the way it works then they better stock up on heavenly cat fish and "two bit seegars" because the original good time gal is knocking on those pearly gates.