Duke Ellington
Mercer (Kennedy) Ellington
BORN: March 11, 1919, Washington, D.C.
DIED: February 8, 1996, Copenhagen, Denmark
African American composer/ musician Duke Ellington was leader of the house
band at New York's Cotton Club when talking pictures first gained popularity
in 1928-1929. Ellington was one of many performers who showed up in quickie
musical short subjects designed to show off the new sound system. He and
his band made their feature-film debut in Check and Double Check (30), which
starred radio's famed comedy duo Amos 'N' Andy. He was top-lined in such
black-oriented "B" pictures as The Duke is Tops (38) and also made guest
appearances in such minor musicals as Hit Parade (37), New Faces (37) and
Reveille With Beverly (43). Duke Ellington was given his best movie break
by director Otto Preminger, who engaged Ellington to write the now-famous
jazz score for 1959's Anatomy of a Murder, and also wedged in a brief on-screen
cameo for the Duke. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide