BOJANGLES, EUBIE AND BERT!
A TOE-TAPPING MUSICAL! Legendary performers Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Eubie Blake and Bert Williams relive their show business triumphs in spite of racism and theatrical bigotry. An epic musical drama and biopic. All music public domain; can be expanded to TV musical miniseries. Professional Coverage: “Recommend” Dave Trottier (author, “The Screenwriter’s Bible.”) Mutiple contest wins and placements.
“Mister President, when you’re dealing them New Deal cards, don’t forget the spades! -- Bill “Bojangles” Robinson to FDR
“I just played piano in a whorehouse.” -- Eubie Blake
Three legendary black performers of the past – BERT WILLIAMS, EUBIE BLAKE, and BILL “BOJANGLES” ROBINSON – are “summoned” to a meeting at a soon-to-be-demolished NYC theatre.
The meeting has been convened by black historian LAUREN WINCHELL. The purpose is to document “how black performers of the past overcame the problems of race discrimination in the American theatre.”
These guys could entertain, and they always knew what they were up against. So we—and Lauren -- get an earful!
• BERT WILLIAMS -- star of the Ziegfeld Follies-- had to use the freight elevator to get to his dressing room. And he sings “Nobody” like nobody else. • BILL “BOJANGLES” ROBINSON was criticized for holding a white child’s hand (Shirley Temple) in a movie. But their dance routines saved the film and the studio. • EUBIE BLAKE, against impossible odds, wrote, produced and directed the first all-black musical on Broadway. And nobody played ragtime piano like Eubie.
In uncovering their tales, Lauren also learns her family’s hidden show business ancestry. And she discovers how all these experiences affect her own life and career.
During the story we meet – and enjoy – W.C. Fields, Will Rogers, Eddie Cantor, Fanny Brice, George M. Cohan, Shirley Temple, Darryl F. Zanuck and Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt.
We also enjoy many songs, dances and performances of the outstanding entertainers.
The story is thoroughly researched and based on historical facts. All music is public domain.
Screenplays
Jim specializes in screenplays based on historical true events (including musicals), bio/pics and/or disasters. In alphabetical order:
“BOJANGLES, EUBIE AND BERT!” Three Black musical legends of the past – Bert Williams, Eubie Blake and Bill “Bojangles” Robinson – relive their show business success in spite of racism and theatrical bigotry.
ScriptLinks
Post Your Script Here!The Rulers Of The Islands
World-shaping for the fourth time, they sight Hawaii, a crown jewel in the Pacific: a prize to fight for? or to bring peace to our world from, instead.
THE NEO-PAGANS
A talented forensic sketch artist has the gift of “seeing” murderers with her hands.
THE BANNER
Though haunted by the childhood memory of the lynching of his father for leading a slave rebellion, an American slave risks his life to join Mexico's struggle for independence after witnessing the execution of the author of the first law against slavery on the North American continent.
Lab Rats
An anonymous organization uses an AI Bot to moderate a Focus Group on the topic of 'Fake'.
She Curses Like a Sailor
A thought-provoking view of women and cursing is entertained at this art opening in New York.
Lady Diogenes of the Shadow
Three retired ladies candidly discuss their baffling neighbor over morning coffee.
Perfect Beau
A Brainiac Plain Jane clones her ideal boyfriend out of her girlfriends' boyfriends' DNA for her university's senior class project.
Cold Pepper
A law-abiding, church-going court stenographer becomes a one-woman vigilante 'offing' violent domestic abusers (and other despicable souls) after their third offense.
Psychotic USA
A dramedy. A tongue-in-cheek view of the inept state of modern psychiatric treatment as seen through the lens of four patients in an asylum.
Psycho-Hearts
A world-class heart transplant surgeon is an amazing magician at securing compatible hearts for wealthy clients.
