Killer Diller (1948)Director:Josh Binney |
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Killer Diller (1948)Director:Josh Binney |
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| Complete credited cast: | |||
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Dusty Fletcher | ... |
Dusty
(as Dusty 'Open the Door Richard' Fletcher)
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George Wiltshire | ... |
Dumdone, the Manager
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| Butterfly McQueen | ... |
Butterfly
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Nellie Hill | ... |
Lola, His Fianée
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Freddie Robinson | ... |
Sarge
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William Campbell | ... |
Policeman
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Edgar Martin | ... |
Policeman
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Sidney Easton | ... |
Policeman
(as Sid Easton)
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Augustus Smith | ... |
Stage Hand
(as Gus Smith)
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| Moms Mabley | ... |
Vaudeville Star
(as Jackie Mabley)
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Ken Renard | ... |
The Great Voodoo
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Andy Kirk and His Orchestra | ... |
Themselves
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The Clark Brothers | ... |
Themselves
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| Nat 'King' Cole | ... |
Himself
(as King Cole Trio)
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The Four Congaroos | ... |
Themselves
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The plot doesn't matter much, although it is fairly important to understanding the ending (which I failed to pay attention to.) But it isn't necessary in order to enjoy the classic performances from some of the 1940s biggest acts, my favorite being Nat King Cole's silky melodies with his early King Cole Trio. But the Clark Brothers are showstoppers, and their tap routine here is no less entertaining than the Nicholas Brothers in Stormy Weather, another personal favorite. Some of the comedy material may be extremely dated, but I couldn't help but think if "Moms" Mabley's set was performed by my Grandmother...now THAT is what killed me. What surprised me most amidst all the notable performances was that any of the humor survived these 57 years, making it a barely hour-long curiosity for the brave jazz, dance, or history buff.