Classic Performance Highlights

Vintage musical performances capture live singing, dancing, and expressive acts from various historical contexts, depicting joyful and rhythmic movements.

Entertainers at Negro tavern. Chicago, Illinois. Lee Russell photograph, 1941

Year: 1940. Stars: NAT KING COLE.

Entertainers at Negro tavern. Chicago, Illinois. Lee Russell photograph, 1941

People Roller Skating, Savoy Ballroom, Chicago, Illinois, USA, Russell Lee, U.S. Office of War Information/U.S. Farm Security Administration, April 1941

Original Film Title: ST. LOUIS BLUES. English Title: ST. LOUIS BLUES. Film Director: ALLEN REISNER. Year: 1958. Stars: NAT KING COLE.

MARCELLO MASTROIANNI, RENATO SALVATORI, CARLO PISACANE and ROSSANA RORY in BIG DEAL ON MADONNA STREET (1958) -Original title: I SOLITI IGNOTI-, directed by MARIO MONICELLI.

Anefo photo collection. TV film NCRV: No. 12 (L) Louis Borel in Scene, No. 4 Gebr. Brouwer (musicians), no. 6 Al Green. December 23, 1971

Anefo photo collection. Rehearsals Dutch Song Contest; Spooky + and Sue during rehearsals. 17 February 1976

KARL HARDMAN and DUANE JONES in NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968), directed by GEORGE A. ROMERO. Copyright: Editorial use only. No merchandising or book covers. This is a publicly distributed handout. Access rights only, no license of copyright provided. Only to be reproduced in conjunction with promotion of this film.

ORFEU NEGRO (1959), directed by MARCEL CAMUS.

Leon Thompson, Concert Salle Pleyel. Photographs of Marshall Plan Programs, Exhibits, and Personnel

SALLIE MARTIN in SAY AMEN, SOMEBODY (1982), directed by GEORGE T. NIERENBERG.

In the Heat of the Night is a 1967 dramatic mystery film directed by Norman Jewison. It is based on the 1965 John Ball novel; tells the story of Virgil Tibbs; a black police detective from Philadelphia; who becomes involved in a murder investigation in a racist small town in Mississippi. It stars Sidney Poitier; Rod Steiger; and Warren Oates

Charlie Parker and Red Rodney watching Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet) and Chuck Wayne (guitar), New York City 1947.

The Coasters Rock and roll singing group

James Brown en concierto.

SARA MONTIEL in SAMBA (1965), directed by RAFAEL GIL.

Germany, Berlin, 4.9.1992, Heimatklänge, concert at the Tempodrom

Ingmar Bergman. 1918-2007. Swedish film director. Actors ˜ke Grˆnberg and Gunn Wllgren in a pause when filming Woman without a face 1947. A film from a manuscript by Ingmar Bergman and Gustaf Molander. Photographer: Kristoffersson/ Z32-8

Radio. Photographs of Marshall Plan Programs, Exhibits, and Personnel

The Temptations

Jazz giant Duke Ellington performed, recorded album at Travis in 1958.

Billy Ward of 'Billy Ward and his Dominoes'. BILLY & THE DOMINOES WARD.

The Nat King Cole Trio: Oscar Moore, Nat King Cond and Johnny Miller, circa 1949.

OMARA PORTUONDO and COMPAY SEGUNDO in BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB (1999), directed by WIM WENDERS.

Smokey Robinson and The Miracles

Scene from Is Zat So. 1930 - 1940. Photographs. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division. African Americans , Performing arts, African Americans , Theater, African American theater, African Americans in the performing arts, Plays, Theatrical productions, Negro Repertory Company, Theatrical productions , Seattle (Wash.)

Anefo photo collection. Grand Gala du Disque 1968. Grand Gala du Disque. Wim Sonneveld with the Four Tops. March 8, 1968. Amsterdam

New Orleans, Louisiana: June 1, 1961 William "Baba" Ridgley, one of the last of the oldtime jazz musicians, is laid to rest in New Orleans to the accompaniment of a slow-shuffling jazz band of his former fellow players in the Eureka Jazz Band.

RICHARD CONTE, ANN SOTHERN and NAT KING COLE in THE BLUE GARDENIA (1953), directed by FRITZ LANG.

BETWEEN MIRACLES (1971) -Original title: PER GRAZIA RICEVUTA-, directed by NINO MANFREDI.

American motown group The Temptations, 1967.

Vintage Photograph. Captivating energy of a samba dancer in vintage street performance.

SYLVIA SYMS in FLAME IN THE STREETS (1961), directed by ROY WARD BAKER.

JACK CARSON and CASS DALEY in RED GARTERS (1954), directed by ALAN MARSHALL.

The Four Tops

LOUIS ARMSTRONG in NEW ORLEANS (1947).

Anefo photo collection. Sammy Davis Jr. During performance in Theater Carre. March 20, 1964. Amsterdam, Noord-Holland

Ella Fitzgerald with Chick Webb and His Orchestra at The Ashburg Park Casino in 1938.

Description: Barbados. 'The Pan Am steelband in Barbados'. Photograph No ZZZ 147999 Official Barbados photograph compiled by Central Office of Information. Copyright hand stamp of photographer Paul Phillips appears on the reverse. Location: Barbados Date: 1967 barbados, caribbean, caribbeanthroughalens

SHELLEY WINTERS, SIDNEY POITIER and ELIZABETH HARTMAN in A PATCH OF BLUE (1965), directed by GUY GREEN.

El trompetista Bill Coleman. Concierto de Jazz en la sala Jamboree. Barcelona, principios de los años 60.

Awards - Overseas - Film - Oscar - Academy Awards. October 25, 1942. (Photo by Acme Photo).

LET'S DO IT AGAIN (1975), directed by SIDNEY POITIER.

The Four Tops

The Blues. Stavin' Chain singing ballad 'Batson,' Lafayette, La. Photo by Alan Lomax, 1934

Kevin Hooks, Irene Cara, Wanda Velez, Leon Pinkney, on-set of the Film, "Aaron loves Angela", Columbia Pictures, 1975

ARETHA FRANKLIN and MATT MURPHY in THE BLUES BROTHERS (1980), directed by JOHN LANDIS.

The Drifters

Anefo photo collection. Grand Gala du Disque 1968. Grand Gala du Disque. The Four Tops. March 8, 1968. Amsterdam

BILLIE HOLIDAY in BILLIE (2019), directed by JAMES ERSKINE.

Sandra Reaves-Phillips, Herbie Hancock (at piano), on-set of the Film, "'Round Midnight", Warner Bros., 1986

DOROTHY DANDRIDGE in CARMEN JONES (1954), directed by OTTO PREMINGER.

Big Daddy Rucker and Johnny Otis, 70s.

Stavin' Chain playing guitar and singing the ballad 'Batson,' Lafayette, La. June 1934.

Anefo photo collection. Grand Gala du Disque 1968. Grand Gala. Stars make cruise. Second from Links Vikki Carr, Middle Nancy Wilson, Jimmy Smith in the middle of the Four Tops /. March 8, 1968. Amsterdam

Festival de Jazz de Cannes. Photographs of Marshall Plan Programs, Exhibits, and Personnel

George Evans ("Kid Jones") and Eddie Leonard ("Bill Simmons") in the minstrel production The Belle of the Barbers' Ball (as published in unsourced article, August 29, 1908).. 1908. Locke, Robinson, 1856-1920. Clippings. Billy Rose Theatre Division. Leonard, Eddie, 1875-1941

Anefo photo collection. Josephine Baker in Les Milandes J. B. B. at the table. June 26, 1961. France

Anefo photo collection. Opera "Free and Easy", Moses de la Marr. December 2, 1959

Black laughs, England, Great Britain

Louisiana: New Orleans, French Quarter, African-american male guitarist playing electric guitar in doorway for male singer/dancer on sidewalk, December

C. L. Williams, Sterling St. Jacques, D'Urville Martin, On-set of the Film, "Book of Numbers", AVCO Embassy Films, 1973

Folk singer Odetta performing before the crowd at the March on Washington, 8/28/1963.(Rowland Scherman/GG Vintage Images/UIG)

of 2