Eddie Green’s All-Colored Flicker Telecast By Nat’l Broadcasting Co (NBC). Well-Known Radio and Stage Comedian Adds Another Television “First” As Dress Rehearsal Shows.
NEW YORK, Dec. 21., 1939—History was made here Saturday afternoon, Dec. 16, when the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) picked the Sepia-Art Pictures Company’s featurette, Dress Rehearsal, featuring Eddie Green, to broadcast over their television station here in New York City. Not only is Dress Rehearsal the first ever Negro motion picture to be broadcast by television but it is to its credit that this picture was written and produced in its entirety by Negroes. Eddie Green was the first negro performer to appear on television. This first official broadcast took place July 7, 1936. Mr. Green breaks precedent by starring in the first film of this kind to be sent over the air. The Pittsburgh Courier Theatrical News section
Hi there. The above article from 1939 mentions Sepia Art Pictures Company which is the movie production company my father owned in what was then known as Palisades, New Jersey. Eddie was among the very few Black people to own his own movie production company. As it says in the article, back then his “flickers” were all-colored or Negro. In order to be up-to-date I used Black in the photo caption. No matter the word used Eddie was a Pioneer of the entertainmet industry. This particular movie opened at the Apollo Theater in New York and was immensely popular. Hence the NBC television broadcast.
Like Eddie I have my own “First”. I am now an INDIES Award Nominee for 2017. This deserves it’s own post, so stay tuned for more.
Thanx, for stopping by. KCB
You can find my book Eddie Green The Rise of an Early 1900s Black American Entertainment Pioneer at http://www.bearmanormadia.com.
pininthetush 
Congratulations on your nomination. This has been quite a journey for you. Thanks for sharing it all on your blog. I look forward to your next post.
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Thank you sir. And thanx for the support!
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WoW! Congrats on your nomination, that’s so exciting! Keep us all “posted” on how it goes!
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Hi. It’s so cool!!! I will keep you posted.
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Hello Ms. Elva. Congratulations on the nomination! Well deserved. Thank you for the piece of history. I never thought about who was the first black person on television and the weight such a role carried. This is remarkable!
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Thank you! My intent for this book was to provide inspiration to my grandson and then the book morphed into a type of “Black” history thing. And I have discovered that there are many more Black folks who did marvelous things that no one remembers today. I may try my hand at some other biographies, I like doing the research.
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Yes you have a knack for chronicling the past and giving them “life”. It is great that you are passing on this history to your grandson with inspiration as well. That is beautiful! Any other biographies you have in mind?
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I am going to wait until I get better at marketing this first book then I will delve back into my research.
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How exciting! I hope you win. You deserve it!
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Thank you, someone!!
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