Adelaide Louise Hall was born in Brooklyn, New York. Her family moved to live across the East river in Harlem. It was here, amongst the rich and fertile rennaisance of black culture that Adelaide nurtured her dreams of becoming a star. 1921...Her first role - in the chorus line of the all black Broadway musical "Shuffle Along" - gave her a taste for the limelight. The show ran for 504 performances and then toured. 1923...for her next role she was featured in the all-black Broadway musical "Runnin Wild." Variety wrote..."Picked from the chorus is Adelaide Hall who can be termed a real find. She jazzes a number as Paul Whiteman would have it done, and her singing of 'Old Fashinoed Love'is a knockout." The show ran for 213 performances and then toured. 1925...Adelaide toured Europe as lead in "The Chocolate Kiddies Revue." She introduced Europe to the Charleston and performed it to Duke Ellington's 'Jig Walk.' Note...Adelaide took Europe by storm before Josephine Baker, who always gets credited for introducing Europe to the Charleston. 1927...New York... recorded 'Creole Love Call' with Duke Ellington. Upon its release the record caused a furore for its blatantly sexual overtones but went on to sell millions and is still selling to this date. This record is regarded as one of -if not THE- most famous and important Jazz recordings ever made. It intoduced Scat singing to the mass public. The recording catapulted Adelaide and Duke Ellington into International stardom. 1928...Adelaide starred on Broadway in "Blackbirds of 1928" with Bojangles. The show went on to become the longest running all-black revue ever to appear on Broadway - a record the show still holds to this date. The show gave Adelaide 3 hit songs, "I Can't Give You Anything but Love", "Diga Diga Do" and "I Must Have That Man." Adelaide and Bojangles became the black equivalent to Fred & Adele Astaire. "BlackBirds" made Adelaide into the Worlds first black international superstar... even Josephine Baker would have given anything to have had the role. Josephine was only a star in Europe and not America. 1929... "Blackbirds of 1928" performs in Paris, France at the Moulin Rouge for 3 months. The New Amsterdan News reports in bold headline's "Adelaide Hall takes Paris by storm." 1930... Adelaide stars back on Broadway with Bojangles in "Brown Buddies" to great acclaim. 1931...she commences a world tour that lasted for almost two years and took her to two continents, played to over 1 million people and made her into the wealthiest black woman in America. During the tour she discovered the blind pianist Art Tatum whom she empolyed as her pianist. 1934...Adelade stars at Harlem's Cotton Club for 8 months in one of the clubs most successful revue's. She introduces Harold Arhlen's timeless classic "Ill WIND" and the raunchy "Primitive PRIMA DONNA" which were especially written for her. 1935...ADELAIDE STARS IN THE VITAPHONE MOVIE "ALL COLORED VAUDEVILLE SHOW" with the Nicholas Brothers. 1936...Adelaide Hall makes her residence in Paris, France and for the next 3 years tours extensively all over Europe. 1938... Adelaide stars in "The Sun Never Sets" at London's Theatre Royal Drury Lane with Tod Duncan and music by Cole Porter. From 1939 onwards Adelaide moved to Britain where she lived for the rest of her life. 1940...she appeared in the Alexander Korda film classic "THE THIEF OF BAGDAD." During the war Adelaide joined ENSA and entertained the troops at home and abroad. She was one of the first entertainers to enter Germany at the end of the war. For the next 20 years Adelaide was Britain's most famous and succesful black female vocalist. She had numerous shows on the BBC Television including... 1939...Harlem In Mayfair, 1939 ..Dark Sophistication, 1947...Starlight, 1947...Variety in Sepia, 1949... Rooftop Rendevous, 1949...Black Magic, 1949... Old Songs for New. She also made over 50 recordings for the DECCA Record label. 1951...She starred in Cole Porter's musical "Kiss Me Kate" at London's Coliseum Theatre that ran for 1 year the toured. 1952...September..She starred in "Love from Judy" at London's Saville Theatre that ran for 1 year then toured. 1956...She starred in "Someone to Talk to" at London's Duchess Theatre. 1957...Adelaide returned to Broadway and was featured in the musical "Jamaica" starring Lena Horne. During the Sixties Adelaide's career nose-dived with the advent of Rock n Roll. 1979... Adelaide returned to America to appear in the Newport Jazz Festival's production of "Black Broadway ." 1980..."Black Broadway " opens at New York's Town Hall for a limited run starring Adelaide, Elizabeth Welch and Edith Wilson. 1983...Adelaide returns to New York for a surprise guest appearance at Eubie Blakes 100th birthday concert. On April 1, Adelaide starred in "Sacred Music Of Duke Ellington" which was performed at St Pauls Cathedral in London and televised. 1985...she appeared on numerous British television shows including "A Royal Celebration..Forty Years of Peace", "Omnibus,The Cotton Club Comes to The Ritz", "The Southbank Show,The Real Cotton Club". 1986...she appeared on British televison in "Chasing A Rainbow." 1988...October 12...Adelaide returns to New York to star in concert at Carnegie Hall. 1989..."Sophisticated Lady" Adelaide's concert biographical film documentary is premiered at the london Film Festival. The film is shown on national TV the following year. 1990.. Adelaide releases 3 albums,"I Touched A Star", "Hall of Memories" and "Live at the Riverside." 1991..."A Tribute to Adelaide Hall" concert performed at The Queen Elizabeth Hall to commemerate Adelaide's 90th birthday. 1992...March 4,Adelaide returns to New York to star at Carnegie Hall for two days. Her concerts are a sell-out and become her last American performances. This is only a short summary of Adelaide's career. Her legendary status as the "First Lady of Jazz" is sadly often overlooked by historians and archivists due to her departure from America in 1935. Ethel Waters, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Lena Horne etc. all followed in Adelaide's footsteps.
To coincide with the centenary of Adelaide Hall's birth, in 2001 the London-based publisher ECOHP published Sophisticated Lady - A Celebration of Adelaide Hall by Stephen Bourne, a long-overdue biography of the acclaimed star.
Are you sure, you want to order The Thief of Bagdad ?
In Bagdad, the young and naive Sultan Ahmad is curious about the behavior of his people. The Grand Vizier Jaffar convinces Ahmad to walk through the city disguised as a subject to know his people. Then he seizes the power telling to the inhabitants that Ahmad has died while he sends his army to arrest the Sultan that is thrown into the dungeons and sentenced to death. Ahmad befriends the young thief Abu that helps him to escape from the prison. They flee to Basra and plan to travel abroad with Sinbad. However Ahmad stumbles upon the beautiful princess and they fall in love with each other. But the evil Jaffar has also traveled to Basra to propose to marry the princess. When they see each other, Jaffar uses magic to blind Ahmad and turn Abu into a dog. Is their love doomed?
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Harry Fabian is a London hustler with ambitious plans that never work out. One day, when he encounters the most famous Greco-Roman wrestler in the world, Gregorius, at a London wrestling arena run by his son Kristo, he dreams up a scheme that he thinks will finally be his ticket to financial independence. As Fabian attempts to con everyone around him to get his scheme to work, he of course only ends up conning himself. This is an interesting tale of blind ambition, self-deception, broken dreams, and how a man who always thinks he's ahead of the game ends up tripping himself very badly.
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