"Gang War" (1940) Part 6

"Gang War" (1940)
©2006 Alpha Home Entertainment, Inc. All rights are reserved.

Directed by Leo C. Popkin (1914). Starring: Ralph Cooper (1908-1992), Gladys Snyder (1920-1998) and Maceo Sheffield (1897-1959).

"Bullets fly and blood flows in the streets of Harlem as three rival gangster bosses vie for control of the lucrative jukebox racket. Aptly named "Killer" Meade (Ralph Cooper) eventually rises to the top of this seamy heap by ruthlessly exterminating the competition, but the one person closest to him puts the police on his trail. The all-powerful crime lord is caught in a running gun-battle with the cops across the rooftops of the city."

Ralph Cooper (1908-1992) was the emcee and originator of Apollo Amateur Night. Cooper was a charming actor, tap dancer and choreographer. He choreographed the Shirley Temple film, "Poor Little Rich Girl" and as an actor he was billed the "Bronze Bogart" and the "Dark Gable" (after Clark Gable).

I decided to post this film because there aren't many people who know about Ralph Cooper and his huge contribution to Black entertainment and history. Cooper has helped pave the way for many Black artists like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, etc. If you haven't read "Amateur Night at the Apollo: Ralph Cooper Presents Five Decades of Great Entertainment, please do. It's a wonderful book and it has a great source of Black history and culture.

Off-Topic: Percy Sutton RIP (November 24, 1920-December 26, 2009). Mr. Sutton was a pioneering civil-rights attorney who represented Malcolm X. Mr. Sutton was also a political power broker, media mogul and he was instrumental in revitalizing the Apollo Theater.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Ralph Cooper
• Apollo Theater
• Apollo Amateur Night
• Harlem
• Black Culture