Acting
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Showcasing three short films by American writer James Baldwin, wherein he muses about race, sexuality and civil rights, among other topics, in Istanbul, Paris and Great Britain.
The Comedy Central Roasts are a series of celebrity roast specials which air on the Comedy Central cable network. This one is for Hugh Hefner.
Run With It, is the hilariously funny debut comedy special of Mark Gregory that pays tribute to his uncle, the late Dick Gregory. In this special, Mark takes us on a journey through his life as a dad, divorcee and comedian.
The iconic Mister Kelly’s bedazzled the country by launching superstars like Barbra Streisand, Richard Pryor, Bette Midler, and Steve Martin. It smashed color and gender barriers to put controversial voices on stage and transformed entertainment in America in the '50s, '60s, and ’70s.
Directors Robert Townsend and Quincy Newell offer this comprehensive and hilarious examination of the history, evolution and cultural significance of African American comedy in America, from the earliest minstrel shows to the latest HBO special. Featuring interviews with cultural critics and loads of comedic clips, this program features appearances by a who's-who of black comedians including Chris Rock, Bill Cosby, Whoopi Goldberg and many more.
In the summer of 1964, more than 700 students descended on violent, segregated Mississippi. Defying authorities, they registered voters, created freedom schools, and established the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. Fifty years later, eyewitness accounts and never-before-seen archival material tell their story. Not all of them would make it through.
Police Power and Freedom of Assembly: The Gregory March, documents the protests on Thursday, August 29th at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Comedian/activist Dick Gregory is arrested as he attempts to lead a march to break the police cordon around the Chicago Loop. This film is incorporated into the Film Group’s feature “American Revolution II.”
Showtime's "In the 20th Century" is a millennium-related strand of feature-length documentaries in which famous directors take on major subjects of their choosing. In the fifth of the six films, "Funny Is Money," filmmaker Norman Jewison delves into the topic of comedy, using the hype surrounding the finale of the wildly successful NBC series "Seinfeld" as his launchpad to explore how the artform has evolved over the past 100 years.
A loose fictitious of Charlie Parker's last years and a portrait of the jazz scene in 1960's New York. A black jazz musician bent on self destruction forms an odd friendship with a white college professor full of feeling sorry for himself.
Largely considered to be the greatest American author, Mark Twain is celebrated in this exhaustive documentary by filmmaker Ken Burns.