Dudley Murphy

A pulsing, kaleidoscope of images set to an energetic soundtrack. A young women swings in a garden; a woman's face smiles. The rest is spinning cylinders, pistons, gears and turbines, kitchen objects in concentric circles or rows - pots, pan lids, and funnels, cars passing overhead, a spinning carnival ride. Over and over, a heavy-set woman climbs stairs carrying a large bag on her shoulder. An Art Deco cartoon figure appears, dancing. (imdb)

Influenced by California Pictorialist photography of the preceding decades, it was in its own day recognized as an avant-garde film, but nevertheless it secured successful commercial distribution. (caliber.ucpress.net)

When Murphy decided to break into the business in the 1920s, his idea was to meld music, dance, and the visual arts into experimental short subjects. (unseen-cinema.com)

Unscrupulously ambitious Brutus Jones escapes from jail after killing a guard and through bluff and bravado finds himself the emperor of a Caribbean island. (imdb)

In this all-black cast short, legendary blues singer Bessie Smith finds her gambler lover Jimmy messin' with a pretty, younger woman; he leaves and she sings the blues, with chorus and dancers. (imdb)

Duke Ellington in a jazz musical short with a tragic plotline. (imdb)

Spoiled sports hero learns hard lessons. (imdb)

A young college student gets pregnant by the man she loves, but circumstances prevent their marrying, so she marries a classmate she doesn't love. Soon, however, her lover returns, and she finds herself in a dilemma as to who to choose. (imdb)

Austrian Emperor Franz Josef has arranged a marriage for his nephew, the Archduke Paul Gustave - nicknamed Gustl - to the suitable Princess Matilda, a woman Gustl can't even remember. He is instead in love with the Hungarian Countess Zarika Rafay, which Gustl can't tell his uncle since he disapproves of her family. The Emperor will allow Gustl to sow his wild oats before getting married, but that woman needs to be someone "harmless" outside of the royal circle. (imdb)

In this drama, an honest gambler tries to go straight. Although the gambling house he runs is illegal, the man insists that all house games be on the up-and-up. Trouble ensues when his wife demands he shut down the house to protect the good name of their newborn baby. He gives in and sells the house. Unfortunately he is soon conned out of his cash by an investment swindler. (allmovie.com)

A dancer is jealous for her lover

A fire in a run-down tenement building injures young Joey Rogers. Wealthy passerby Peter Cortlant rushes the boy and his attractive older sister Mary to the hospital and pays the medical expenses for the poverty-stricken family. Only later does Peter learn that the firetrap tenement is one of his own vast real estate holdings. Faced with his own unwitting complicity in the deaths and injuries resultant from the fire and his growing attachment to Mary, Peter decides to tear down his tenements. (imdb)

Soundie, in which Jacky Green impersonates Eddie Cantor, and The Five Spirits of Rhythm are porters shining shoes. (imdb)

Dorothy Dandridge performing "Easy Street".

The singer here is Hoagy Carmichael on the piano singing the title song whose lyrics is by Johnny Mercer. He has a couple of beautiful white women at his side while Dorothy is a maid who's trying to keep butler Peter Ray from letting a tray with pitcher on it from falling off his head.

Soundie showing effects of drinking a Zombie cocktail.

A Soundie featuring Gale Storm and the Dorn Brothers and Mary with The Palladium Handicap Girls.

A college girl (Bonnie Kildare) dreams of her boyfriend (Johnny Downs) as he sings her a love song. The song begins at graduation ceremony and eventually moves to a soda fountain. A mixed double quartet contributes a lovely chorus.