Duke Ellington Movies

Duke Ellington Orchestra performs "Mood Indigo" for Snader Telescriptions.

An aspiring singer is tasked with promoting the music catalogue of his great-grandfather, the famous songwriter Jimmy McHugh, recorded by everyone...

This documentary film features plenty of archival material, also showing Alice Babs from her private side: as a vivacious lady who has held on to her...

Betty and Bimbo, as Queen and King of the May, host a giant outdoor party that gets sprayed with rubber. Koko appears briefly.

This short documentary by writer and archivist Ehsan Khoshbakht tells the story of Duke Ellington's concert tour of the Middle East in 1963 and the...

Carol Burnett hosts a look back at the storied Ed Sullivan Show, featuring reminiscences and legendary performances by stars from music and comedy.

Born poor in Baltimore, Chick Webb broke his back as a boy and faced life as a hunchback dwarf afflicted with Spinal Tuberculosis. Someone suggested...

Duke Ellington's fifty year career was full of accomplishments as a highly original pianist, arranger, prolific composer and leader of a timeless...

In 1955, on his report, a medical examiner wrote in the box: age, “about 53 years”. Charlie Parker nicknamed Bird just died, at 34. His...

Director — and piano player — Clint Eastwood explores his life-long passion for piano blues, using a treasure trove of rare historical...

The life of two characters who follow each other beyond the walls.

Nutcracker Sweeties is Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington’s big band take on the Tchaikovsky classic—The Nutcracker as you've never seen...

The Cold War and Civil Rights collide in this remarkable story of music, diplomacy and race. Beginning in 1955, when America asked its greatest jazz...

Short directed by Will Cowan as tribute to Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington and his orchestra play two jazz compositions plus 'Stormy Weather' (sung by Ivy Anderson).

Parks makes himself the subject, tracing his development as a person and an artist through a non-narrative abstract self-portrait that combines his...

Actor, writer, director and activist Ossie Davis narrates this look at the history of race films, those produced from the 1920s-50s catered to a...

A jazzy exercise in pure movement.

Duke Ellington Orchestra performing "Sophisticated Lady" for Snader Telescriptions film.