Tom Southern

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Tom Southern, also known as Tommy or Thomas Southern, [1] was an actor in American film and stage productions [2] as well as a songwriter. He was a theater actor with the Lafayette Players. [3]

In 1933, he wrote several songs together with Lionel Hampton. [4] For a few years before 1937, Southern was absent from acting in films and theater; [3] the Pittsburgh Courier stated he "gave up acting as a career" around 1936 and became a journalist. [5] In 1938, he was the managing editor for the launch of the magazine Silhouette Pictorial. [5] [6]

Southern acted in a supporting role in the Western film, Two-Gun Man from Harlem . [7] He acted in the "all-colored cast" film Mystery in Swing . In a review, the Pittsburgh Courier said he gave the best individual performance by a male. [8] War Perkins of the Chicago Defender newspaper listed Southern and three others as giving the best performances in the film. [9]

Around 1940, Southern partnered with drummer Lionel Hampton on a musical film project, titled From Spirituals to Swing, which was "accepted by the Paramount production department". The film featured Black spirituals and swing music. [2] It was said to have an "all-colored cast". [10] In 1940, Hampton announced that the film would release soon. [11] The movie then "fell through" that year. [1]

According to a copyright, Southern, Hampton, and Otis René wrote a song together for the feature, titled "I'd Be Lost Without You". [1] A record of the song was made at Victor Records in 1940, [12] with Hampton credited for the music and Southern for the lyrics. [13] Lionel Hampton and the King Cole Trio played on the record, with Helen Forrest singing. [12] After the recording, Otis René claimed he was not given a contract for the record and was left uncredited. [1] He stated he intended to sue. [12]

Tom was married to Viola Southern. [14]

Filmography

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Muse, Clarence (29 June 1940). "What's Going on in Hollywood". The Chicago Defender (National edition). p. 21. ProQuest   492572944 . Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Spirituals to Swing Is Next". The Chicago Defender. 15 June 1940. p. 20. ProQuest   492581255 . Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 "Scenes from 'Bargain with Bullets'". The Chicago Defender (National Edition). 14 August 1937. p. 6. ProQuest   492600674 . Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  4. ↑ "Hampton Records on Coast". The Pittsburgh Courier. 22 June 1940. p. 20. ProQuest   202082257 . Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  5. 1 2 "Earl J. Morris Grand Town Day and Night". The Pittsburgh Courier. 5 November 1938. p. 20. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  6. ↑ "Silhouette Pictorial, Volume 1, Number 1". digitalcollections.oscars.org. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  7. ↑ "Writes Own Tunes for Colored Film". New York Amsterdam News. 7 October 1939. p. 12. ProQuest   226207409 . Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  8. ↑ "Earl Morris Gives 'Mystery in Swing' 3 1/2 Stars". The Pittsburgh Courier. 2 March 1940. p. 20. ProQuest   202085003.
  9. ↑ "Globe News and Gossip". The Chicago Defender (National Edition). 2 March 1940. p. 8. ProQuest   492626889.
  10. ↑ Levette, Harry (17 June 1940). "Gossip of the Movie Lots". Atlanta Daily World. p. 2. ProQuest   490620876 . Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  11. ↑ "Lionel Again: He Collaborates with Southern in a Film". The Chicago Defender. 8 June 1940. p. 20. ProQuest   492648115 . Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  12. 1 2 3 Lamar, Lawrence F. (24 June 1940). "Latest Hampton Waxings Bring Copyright Threat". Atlanta Daily World. p. 2. ProQuest   490620432 . Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  13. ↑ "Earl J. Morris Grand Town Day and Night: "I'd Be Lost Without You!"". The Pittsburgh Courier. 26 October 1940. p. 20. ProQuest   202079971 . Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  14. ↑ "Thru Hollywood". The Chicago Defender (National Edition). 14 March 1942. p. 19. ProQuest   492596131 . Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  15. ↑ Muse, Clarence (2 December 1939). "What's Going on in Hollywood". The Chicago Defender. p. 21. ProQuest   492544566 . Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  16. ↑ Berry, S. Torriano; Berry, Venise T. (January 26, 2007). Historical Dictionary of African American Cinema. Scarecrow Press. ISBN   9780810864641 – via Google Books.
  17. ↑ Maltin, Leonard; Green, Spencer; Edelman, Rob; Scheinfeld, Michael; Weaver, Tom (October 27, 2015). Turner Classic Movies Presents Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide. Penguin. ISBN   9780147516824 – via Google Books.
  18. ↑ "Tom Southern | DREAM13 Media".
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