Minstrel Man
Synopsis
Unusually elaborate for a PRC film, Minstrel Man is a lively musical drama built around the talents of veteran vaudevillian Benny Fields. The star is cast as Dixie Boy Johnson, who rises from the ranks of minstrel shows to become a top Broadway attraction. On the opening night of his greatest stage triumph, Dixie Boy's wife dies in childbirth. Profoundly shaken, he walks out of the show, leaving the baby to be raised by his showbiz pals Mae and Lasses White (Gladys George, Roscoe Karns). The kid grows up to be an attractive young woman named Caroline (Judy Clark), who follows in her dad's footsteps by billing herself as-that's right-Dixie Girl Johnson. This leads to a tearful reunion between Caroline and the father she'd long assumed to be dead. If Minstrel Man seems at times to be a dress rehearsal for Columbia's The Jolson Story (1946), it shouldn't surprising: the PRC film was directed by Joseph H. Lewis, who went on to helm Jolson Story's musical highlights.
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Release History & Theatrical Window
January 2, 1944
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Joseph H. Lewis, Edgar G. Ulmer
- Screenplay & Story
- Irwin Franklyn, Pierre Gendron, Martin Mooney, Raymond L. Schrock
- Original Score
- Ferde Grofé Sr., Leo Erdody
- Original Title
- Minstrel Man
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 10m
- Production Studios
- PRC
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Joseph H. Lewis, Edgar G. Ulmer
Irwin Franklyn, Pierre Gendron, Martin Mooney, Raymond L. Schrock
Ferde Grofé Sr., Leo Erdody
Department Leadership Roster
Joseph H. Lewis
Director
Irwin Franklyn
Writer
Pierre Gendron
Writer
Ferde Grofé Sr.
Original Music Composer
Leo Erdody
Original Music Composer
Edgar G. Ulmer
Director
Edgar G. Ulmer
Production Design
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Minstrel Man.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Minstrel Man.
list4
Musicals
Every film Wikidata tags as a musical film.
Oscar Best Song Nominees
Complete list of Oscar Best Song Nominees
Oscar Best Score Nominees
Complete list of Oscar Best Score Nominees
Seasonal: Oscar Season Picks
Auto-managed by seasonal classifier. Do not edit manually.
Seasonal: Oscar Season Picks
Auto-managed by seasonal classifier. Do not edit manually.
Similar Titles to Minstrel Man
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
7.0
6.0
6.0
5.0
5.3
1.0
6.8
6.8
7.0
8.5
6.2
2.7
7.0
More Like Minstrel Man
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About Minstrel Man
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Minstrel Man about?
Unusually elaborate for a PRC film, Minstrel Man is a lively musical drama built around the talents of veteran vaudevillian Benny Fields. The star is cast as Dixie Boy Johnson, who rises from the ranks of minstrel shows to become a top Broadway attraction. On the opening night of his greatest stage triumph, Dixie Boy's wife dies in childbirth. Profoundly shaken, he walks out of the show, leaving the baby to be raised by his showbiz pals Mae and Lasses White (Gladys George, Roscoe Karns). The kid grows up to be an attractive young woman named Caroline (Judy Clark), who follows in her dad's footsteps by billing herself as-that's right-Dixie Girl Johnson. This leads to a tearful reunion between Caroline and the father she'd long assumed to be dead. If Minstrel Man seems at times to be a dress rehearsal for Columbia's The Jolson Story (1946), it shouldn't surprising: the PRC film was directed by Joseph H. Lewis, who went on to helm Jolson Story's musical highlights.
Who directed Minstrel Man?
Minstrel Man was directed by Joseph H. Lewis, Edgar G. Ulmer.
Who stars in Minstrel Man?
The principal cast of Minstrel Man includes Benny Fields, Gladys George, Alan Dinehart, Roscoe Karns, Jerome Cowan.
When was Minstrel Man released and how long is it?
Minstrel Man was released in 1944 with a total runtime of 1h 10m.
Who composed the musical score for Minstrel Man?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Minstrel Man was composed by Ferde Grofé Sr., Leo Erdody.