Monte Hawley
Also Known As: not available
Biography: Biography not available
Department: Acting
Place of Birth: Not available
Birthday: October 25, 1901
Deathday: November 30, 1950
Adult: No
Gender: Male
Popularity:
Known For:
Lucky Ghost
Overview: An all-black horror comedy starring Mantan Moreland and sometimes partner (and straight man) F.E. Miller, Lucky Ghost is amusing low-brow fare that exploits the more base, stereotypical elements of old-time black life (chicken thievin', gamblin', runnin' from ghosteses) for laughs -- sort of like the BET of its day. Mantan and Miller win a house-cum-casino in a craps game, only to discover that the deceased former owners aren't too pleased that their old home is being used for "jitterbugging, jiving, and hullaballooing". I hate hullaballooing. The ghosts decide to scare everyone off by opening doors and windows, pulling out chairs, even playing the drums.
Genres: Comedy Drama Horror
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1942-02-10
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While Thousands Cheer
Overview: Kenny Harrington, the star football player of Gilmore College, leads his team to many victories, raising hopes that Gilmore will play in the "Peach Bowl," the championship playoffs of the Western conference. Unknown to Kenny, Downey, the head of a gambling syndicate, has placed a $100,000 bet against the Gilmore team.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1940-09-15
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Reform School
Overview: A female warden takes over at a state reform school and attempts to bring about needed changes. Restored in 2020 by the Academy Film Archive with additional funding from the National Endowment for the Arts from a 16mm print donated by Giancarlo Esposito and Laurence Fishburne.
Genres: Action Crime Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1939-04-27
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The Duke Is Tops
Overview: A theatrical producer puts aside his own success to boost the career of a talented singer.
Genres: Music Comedy Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1938-07-15
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Miracle in Harlem
Overview: A crooked real estate tycoon tricks a trusting young woman out of her small candy store. When he is found dead, the girl is suspected of the crime.
Genres: Romance Mystery
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1948-11-29
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Mantan Messes Up
Overview: Mantan takes a job as office boy at a new TV station and gets to watch several pre-recorded musical numbers.
Genres: Comedy Music
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1946-01-01
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Mr. Washington Goes to Town
Overview: While serving time in county prison, Wallingford sees a story in the newspaper that his cellmate, Schenectady, has inherited a mansionfrom his recently deceased uncle. Hearing this, Schenectady dreams of luxury.
Genres: Comedy Fantasy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1942-05-09
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Double Deal
Overview: Tommy McCoy and "Dude" Markey are both in love with Harlem singer/dancer Nita. Markey robs a jewelry store and turns the loot over to gang-boss Murray Howard. Later, Markey robs the safe, steals the jewelry, and, in order to get rid of his rival for Nita, frames the robbery on McCoy. The latter's big-brother thinks otherwise and, with Nita's help, sets out to prove it.
Genres: Comedy Crime
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1939-12-16
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Mystery in Swing
Overview: In and around some great blues, swing and jazz music, a very unpopular band-leader. Prince Ellis, is killed in a Harlem nightclub, and, in and around some more great music, a detective finds the lists of suspects is very long, as Prince Ellis was indeed very unpopular with many citizens.
Genres: Music Action Adventure
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1940-05-09
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Take My Life
Overview: A well-meaning doctor lends his building to a group of neighborhood kids. When the neighbors learn that the kids are members of a tough Harlem gang, they begin to suspect they're up to nefarious deeds.
Genres: Drama Crime
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1942-07-03
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Gang War
Overview: Two mobs fight for control of the jukebox racket.
Genres: Crime Action
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1940-03-28
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Four Shall Die
Overview: Helen Fielding, heir to the fortunes of the late millionaire Roger Fielding, Sr., has broken off her relationship with the unscrupulous Lew Covey to pursue a romance with reporter Bill Summers. Covey, determined to get at Helen's inheritance, vows to win her back.
Genres: Crime
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1940-10-15
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Pigmeat's Laugh Hepcats
Overview: Pigmeat's Laugh Hepcats
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1947-01-23
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Mr. Smith Goes Ghost
Overview: Mr. Smith Goes Ghost
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1940-08-27
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Life Goes On
Overview: The husband of Sally Weston dies, and she decides to move to New York City where she feels her two young sons, Bob and Henry, can get a better education. Bob grows up to be a brilliant lawyer, while Henry decides that a life of crime is the best path to easy riches. Gangster "Bull" Connors frames Henry, now known as Monte, on a murder charge, and it is up to Bob to clear his brother.
Genres: Action Crime Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1938-04-01
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One Big Mistake
Overview: A straight man comes over to three comedians and tells them how the only way to handle a woman is to treat her rough and make her like it.
Genres: Comedy Music
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1940-01-23
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What a Guy
Overview: Mantan Moreland's comedy feature.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1948-01-01
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Gang Smashers
Overview: An undercover police woman poses as a nighclub entertainer to catch the main man behind the racketeers going on around Harlem. Meanwhile two men are falling for her.
Genres: Crime Music
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1938-12-30
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Look-Out Sister
Overview: A famous bandleader, suffering from overwork and exhaustion, goes to a sanitarium for a rest. While there he dreams of being out west at a dude ranch, where he finds himself involved in the beautiful owner's struggle to keep her ranch from falling into the hands of the villain, who wants either her or her ranch (or, preferably, both).
Genres: Music Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1947-03-01
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Am I Guilty?
Overview: A young black doctor sets out to establish a free clinic in Harlem.
Genres: Drama Crime
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1940-06-21
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A Son of Satan
Overview: A Son of Satan is a 1924 silent race film directed, written, produced and distributed by Oscar Micheaux. The film follows the misadventures of a man who accepted a bet to spend a night in a haunted house. Micheaux shot the film in The Bronx, New York, and Roanoke, Virginia. A Son of Satan ran into distribution problems when state censorship boards rejected the film based on its contents. New York censors objected to the film’s depiction of violence, particularly against women and animals (a cat is killed onscreen in one scene, a Ku Klux Klan leader is slain and a man chokes his wife to death), while Virginia censors complained the film’s references to miscegenation would "prove offensive to Southern ladies". In at least one state the film was banned for its title alone No print of the film is known to exist and it is presumed to be a lost film.
Genres: Comedy Horror
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1924-10-01
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Tall, Tan and Terrific
Overview: Professional gambler The Duke (Dots Johnson) attempts to cheat Handsome Harry Hansom (Monte Hawley), who owns a successful Harlem nightclub, out of his club and his contract with his lead singer and girlfriend Tall, Tan, and Terrific (Francine Everett). This leads to a murder that is solved by club comic Mantan Moreland and club photographer Butterbeans (Barbara Bradford). But the plot takes little screen time, most of which is devoted to stage acts at the nightclub.
Genres: Music
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1946-06-26
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