Clarence Muse

Clarence Muse

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Clarence Muse (October 14, 1889 – October 13, 1979) was an American actor, screenwriter, director, composer, and lawyer. He was inducted in the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame in 1973. Muse was the first Negro to "star" in a film. He acted for more than sixty years appearing in more than 150 movies. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Alexander and Mary Muse, he studied at Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and received an international law degree in 1911. He was acting in New York by the 1920s, during the Harlem Renaissance with two Harlem theatres, Lincoln Players and Lafayette Players. Muse moved to Chicago for a while, and then moved to Hollywood and performed in Hearts in Dixie (1929), the first all-black movie. For the next fifty years, he worked regularly in minor and major roles. While with the Lafayette Players, Muse worked under the management of producer Robert Levy on productions that helped black actors to gain prominence and respect. In regards to the Lafayette Theatre's staging of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Muse said the play was relevant to black actors and audiences "because, in a way, it was every black man's story. Black men too have been split creatures inhabiting one body.". Muse appeared as an opera singer, minstrel show performer, vaudeville and Broadway actor; he also wrote songs, plays, and sketches. In 1943, he became the first African American Broadway director with Run Little Chillun. Muse was also the co-writer of several notable songs. In 1931, with Leon René and Otis René, Muse wrote "When It's Sleepy Time Down South", also known as "Sleepy Time Down South". The song was sung by Nina Mae McKinney in the movie Safe in Hell (1931), and later became a signature song of Louis Armstrong. He was the major star in Broken Earth (1936), which related the story of a black sharecropper whose son miraculously recovers from fever through the father's fervent prayer. Shot on a farm in the South with nonprofessional actors (except for Muse), the film's early scenes focused in a highly realistic manner on the incredible hardship of black farmers, with plowing scenes. In 1938, Muse co-starred with boxer Joe Louis in Spirit of Youth, the fictional story of a champion boxer which featured an all black cast. Muse and Langston Hughes wrote the script for Way Down South (1939). Muse performed in Broken Strings (1940), as a concert violinist who opposes the desire of his son to play "swing". From 1955-56, Muse was a regular on the weekly TV version of Casablanca, playing Sam the pianist (a part he was under consideration for in the original Warner Brothers film), and in 1959, he played Peter, the Honey Man, in Porgy and Bess. He appeared on Disney's TV miniseries The Swamp Fox. Other film credits include Buck and the Preacher (1972), The World's Greatest Athlete (1973) and as Gazenga's Assistant, "Snapper" in Car Wash (1976). His last acting role was in The Black Stallion (1979).

  • Npe: Clarence Muse
  • Cov Nrov: 3.067
  • Paub Txog: Acting
  • Hnub yug: 1889-10-13
  • Qhov chaw yug: Baltimore, Maryland, USA
  • Homepage:
  • Kuj Paub Li: Clarence Muese
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Clarence Muse Movies

  • 1941
    imgMovies

    Love Crazy

    Love Crazy

    7.1 1941 HD

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  • 1941
    imgMovies

    Invisible Ghost

    Invisible Ghost

    5.2 1941 HD

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  • 1943
    imgMovies

    Shadow of a Doubt

    Shadow of a Doubt

    7.514 1943 HD

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  • 1942
    imgMovies

    The Talk of the Town

    The Talk of the Town

    7.255 1942 HD

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  • 1938
    imgMovies

    Secrets of a Nurse

    Secrets of a Nurse

    3 1938 HD

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  • 1972
    imgMovies

    Buck and the Preacher

    Buck and the Preacher

    6.1 1972 HD

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  • 1933
    imgMovies

    The Wrecker

    The Wrecker

    1 1933 HD

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  • 1932
    imgMovies

    Man Against Woman

    Man Against Woman

    3.5 1932 HD

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  • 1933
    imgMovies

    Flying Down to Rio

    Flying Down to Rio

    6.1 1933 HD

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  • 1934
    imgMovies

    Black Moon

    Black Moon

    5.1 1934 HD

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  • 1942
    imgMovies

    The Black Swan

    The Black Swan

    6.4 1942 HD

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  • 1941
    imgMovies

    The Flame of New Orleans

    The Flame of New Orleans

    6 1941 HD

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  • 1976
    imgMovies

    Car Wash

    Car Wash

    6 1976 HD

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  • 1940
    imgMovies

    Murder Over New York

    Murder Over New York

    6 1940 HD

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  • 1979
    imgMovies

    The Black Stallion

    The Black Stallion

    7.047 1979 HD

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  • 1932
    imgMovies

    Winner Take All

    Winner Take All

    5.3 1932 HD

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  • 1933
    imgMovies

    Hollywood on Parade No. A-12

    Hollywood on Parade No. A-12

    1 1933 HD

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  • 1951
    imgMovies

    Apache Drums

    Apache Drums

    6.2 1951 HD

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  • 1936
    imgMovies

    Laughing Irish Eyes

    Laughing Irish Eyes

    1 1936 HD

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  • 1934
    imgMovies

    Broadway Bill

    Broadway Bill

    6 1934 HD

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  • 1946
    imgMovies

    Two Smart People

    Two Smart People

    6.4 1946 HD

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  • 1933
    imgMovies

    Laughter in Hell

    Laughter in Hell

    1 1933 HD

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  • 1945
    imgMovies

    She Wouldn't Say Yes

    She Wouldn't Say Yes

    5.9 1945 HD

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  • 1945
    imgMovies

    God Is My Co-Pilot

    God Is My Co-Pilot

    7 1945 HD

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  • 1950
    imgMovies

    Riding High

    Riding High

    5.8 1950 HD

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  • 1939
    imgMovies

    Way Down South

    Way Down South

    5.4 1939 HD

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  • 1931
    imgMovies

    X Marks the Spot

    X Marks the Spot

    6 1931 HD

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  • 1932
    imgMovies

    Lena Rivers

    Lena Rivers

    5.5 1932 HD

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  • 1941
    imgMovies

    Among the Living

    Among the Living

    6.074 1941 HD

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  • 1933
    imgMovies

    From Hell to Heaven

    From Hell to Heaven

    7.2 1933 HD

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  • 1952
    imgMovies

    Caribbean

    Caribbean

    5.8 1952 HD

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  • 1941
    imgMovies

    Kisses for Breakfast

    Kisses for Breakfast

    5.5 1941 HD

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  • 1934
    imgMovies

    Massacre

    Massacre

    5.8 1934 HD

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  • 1931
    imgMovies

    Secret Service

    Secret Service

    6 1931 HD

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  • 1929
    imgMovies

    Election Day

    Election Day

    7 1929 HD

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  • 1935
    imgMovies

    O'Shaughnessy's Boy

    O'Shaughnessy's Boy

    6 1935 HD

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  • 1937
    imgMovies

    High Hat

    High Hat

    5 1937 HD

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  • 1936
    imgMovies

    Daniel Boone

    Daniel Boone

    4.8 1936 HD

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  • 1937
    imgMovies

    Jungle Menace

    Jungle Menace

    5 1937 HD

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  • 1947
    imgMovies

    Welcome Stranger

    Welcome Stranger

    6.6 1947 HD

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  • 1935
    imgMovies

    So Red the Rose

    So Red the Rose

    6 1935 HD

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  • 1945
    imgMovies

    Jungle Queen

    Jungle Queen

    5 1945 HD

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  • 1933
    imgMovies

    The Mind Reader

    The Mind Reader

    6.3 1933 HD

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  • 1938
    imgMovies

    Spirit of Youth

    Spirit of Youth

    5.5 1938 HD

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  • 1938
    imgMovies

    The Toy Wife

    The Toy Wife

    4.8 1938 HD

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  • 1943
    imgMovies

    The Sky's the Limit

    The Sky's the Limit

    6.1 1943 HD

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  • 1932
    imgMovies

    Is My Face Red?

    Is My Face Red?

    5 1932 HD

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  • 1932
    imgMovies

    The Woman from Monte Carlo

    The Woman from Monte Carlo

    5 1932 HD

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  • 1932
    imgMovies

    Night World

    Night World

    6.7 1932 HD

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  • 1932
    imgMovies

    Washington Merry-Go-Round

    Washington Merry-Go-Round

    6.7 1932 HD

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  • 1931
    imgMovies

    Prestige

    Prestige

    5.5 1931 HD

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  • 1933
    imgMovies

    Fury of the Jungle

    Fury of the Jungle

    1 1933 HD

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  • 1929
    imgMovies

    Hearts in Dixie

    Hearts in Dixie

    3 1929 HD

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  • 1940
    imgMovies

    Broken Strings

    Broken Strings

    4.5 1940 HD

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  • 1929
    imgMovies

    Hallelujah

    Hallelujah

    6.464 1929 HD

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  • 1929
    imgMovies

    New York Nights

    New York Nights

    4.8 1929 HD

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  • 1921
    imgMovies

    The Custard Nine

    The Custard Nine

    1 1921 HD

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  • 1930
    imgMovies

    Derelict

    Derelict

    10 1930 HD

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  • 1931
    imgMovies

    The Last Parade

    The Last Parade

    1 1931 HD

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  • 1930
    imgMovies

    Outside the Law

    Outside the Law

    4.7 1930 HD

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  • 1937
    imgMovies

    Deep South

    Deep South

    1 1937 HD

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  • 1932
    imgMovies

    Hell's Highway

    Hell's Highway

    6.1 1932 HD

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  • 1932
    imgMovies

    If I Had a Million

    If I Had a Million

    6.6 1932 HD

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  • 1930
    imgMovies

    Guilty?

    Guilty?

    1 1930 HD

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  • 1973
    imgMovies

    The World's Greatest Athlete

    The World's Greatest Athlete

    5.3 1973 HD

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  • 1933
    imgMovies

    Frisco Jenny

    Frisco Jenny

    6.5 1933 HD

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  • 1936
    imgMovies

    Mysterious Crossing

    Mysterious Crossing

    1 1936 HD

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  • 1940
    imgMovies

    Alice in Movieland

    Alice in Movieland

    6.3 1940 HD

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  • 1959
    imgMovies

    Porgy and Bess

    Porgy and Bess

    6.2 1959 HD

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  • 1931
    imgMovies

    Huckleberry Finn

    Huckleberry Finn

    8 1931 HD

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  • 1933
    imgMovies

    The Life of Jimmy Dolan

    The Life of Jimmy Dolan

    6.1 1933 HD

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  • 1930
    imgMovies

    The Thoroughbred

    The Thoroughbred

    4.6 1930 HD

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  • 1935
    imgMovies

    Red Hot Tires

    Red Hot Tires

    5.8 1935 HD

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  • 1944
    imgMovies

    Double Indemnity

    Double Indemnity

    8.1 1944 HD

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  • 1949
    imgMovies

    The Great Dan Patch

    The Great Dan Patch

    5 1949 HD

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  • 1934
    imgMovies

    A Very Honorable Guy

    A Very Honorable Guy

    2 1934 HD

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  • 1935
    imgMovies

    After the Dance

    After the Dance

    6 1935 HD

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  • 1936
    imgMovies

    Spendthrift

    Spendthrift

    5 1936 HD

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  • 1934
    imgMovies

    The Personality Kid

    The Personality Kid

    4.2 1934 HD

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  • 1935
    imgMovies

    Alias Mary Dow

    Alias Mary Dow

    6.2 1935 HD

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  • 1931
    imgMovies

    Safe in Hell

    Safe in Hell

    6.7 1931 HD

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  • 1931
    imgMovies

    The Secret Witness

    The Secret Witness

    3 1931 HD

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  • 1940
    imgMovies

    Sporting Blood

    Sporting Blood

    4.3 1940 HD

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  • 1930
    imgMovies

    Rain or Shine

    Rain or Shine

    5.5 1930 HD

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  • 1931
    imgMovies

    Dirigible

    Dirigible

    5.2 1931 HD

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  • 1930
    imgMovies

    Swing High

    Swing High

    7 1930 HD

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  • 1953
    imgMovies

    Jamaica Run

    Jamaica Run

    5 1953 HD

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  • 1956
    imgMovies

    Jungle Safari

    Jungle Safari

    4 1956 HD

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  • 1934
    imgMovies

    Kid Millions

    Kid Millions

    6.5 1934 HD

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  • 1953
    imgMovies

    The Sun Shines Bright

    The Sun Shines Bright

    6.4 1953 HD

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  • 1947
    imgMovies

    A Likely Story

    A Likely Story

    4.2 1947 HD

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  • 1945
    imgMovies

    Scarlet Street

    Scarlet Street

    7.578 1945 HD

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  • 1944
    imgMovies

    Stars on Parade

    Stars on Parade

    1 1944 HD

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  • 1946
    imgMovies

    Jungle Terror

    Jungle Terror

    1 1946 HD

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  • 1940
    imgMovies

    That Gang of Mine

    That Gang of Mine

    5.6 1940 HD

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  • 1944
    imgMovies

    In the Meantime, Darling

    In the Meantime, Darling

    5 1944 HD

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  • 1936
    imgMovies

    The Green Pastures

    The Green Pastures

    6.3 1936 HD

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  • 1935
    imgMovies

    Harmony Lane

    Harmony Lane

    3.5 1935 HD

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  • 1952
    imgMovies

    The Las Vegas Story

    The Las Vegas Story

    5.8 1952 HD

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  • 1947
    imgMovies

    My Favorite Brunette

    My Favorite Brunette

    6.7 1947 HD

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  • 1932
    imgMovies

    Attorney for the Defense

    Attorney for the Defense

    6 1932 HD

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  • 1947
    imgMovies

    The Peanut Man

    The Peanut Man

    1 1947 HD

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  • 1943
    imgMovies

    Watch on the Rhine

    Watch on the Rhine

    6.768 1943 HD

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  • 1944
    imgMovies

    San Diego I Love You

    San Diego I Love You

    6.3 1944 HD

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  • 1940
    imgMovies

    Chad Hanna

    Chad Hanna

    6 1940 HD

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  • 1940
    imgMovies

    Maryland

    Maryland

    6.2 1940 HD

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  • 1930
    imgMovies

    Honey

    Honey

    5 1930 HD

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  • 1948
    imgMovies

    An Act of Murder

    An Act of Murder

    6.8 1948 HD

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  • 1932
    imgMovies

    Big City Blues

    Big City Blues

    5.3 1932 HD

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  • 1941
    imgMovies

    Adam Had Four Sons

    Adam Had Four Sons

    6 1941 HD

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  • 1944
    imgMovies

    The Soul of a Monster

    The Soul of a Monster

    4.8 1944 HD

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  • 1932
    imgMovies

    The Wet Parade

    The Wet Parade

    5.8 1932 HD

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  • 1932
    imgMovies

    The Cabin in the Cotton

    The Cabin in the Cotton

    6.3 1932 HD

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  • 1977
    imgMovies

    Passing Through

    Passing Through

    5 1977 HD

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  • 1950
    imgMovies

    Katie Did It

    Katie Did It

    6 1950 HD

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  • 1942
    imgMovies

    Tough as They Come

    Tough as They Come

    1 1942 HD

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  • 1944
    imgMovies

    The Racket Man

    The Racket Man

    6 1944 HD

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  • 1931
    imgMovies

    The Fighting Sheriff

    The Fighting Sheriff

    1 1931 HD

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  • 1941
    imgMovies

    Belle Starr

    Belle Starr

    5.6 1941 HD

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  • 1943
    imgMovies

    Flesh and Fantasy

    Flesh and Fantasy

    6.7 1943 HD

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  • 1943
    imgMovies

    Heaven Can Wait

    Heaven Can Wait

    6.877 1943 HD

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  • 1941
    imgMovies

    Gentleman from Dixie

    Gentleman from Dixie

    6 1941 HD

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  • 1973
    imgMovies

    A Dream for Christmas

    A Dream for Christmas

    6 1973 HD

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  • 1945
    imgMovies

    Without Love

    Without Love

    6.8 1945 HD

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  • 1942
    imgMovies

    Twin Beds

    Twin Beds

    2.7 1942 HD

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  • 1936
    imgMovies

    Muss 'em Up

    Muss 'em Up

    5.5 1936 HD

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  • 1930
    imgMovies

    A Royal Romance

    A Royal Romance

    1 1930 HD

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  • 1954
    imgMovies

    She Couldn't Say No

    She Couldn't Say No

    5.5 1954 HD

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  • 1932
    imgMovies

    The Death Kiss

    The Death Kiss

    5.3 1932 HD

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  • 1943
    imgMovies

    Sherlock Holmes in Washington

    Sherlock Holmes in Washington

    6.7 1943 HD

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  • 1943
    imgMovies

    Honeymoon Lodge

    Honeymoon Lodge

    1 1943 HD

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  • 1943
    imgMovies

    Over the Wall

    Over the Wall

    1 1943 HD

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  • 1935
    imgMovies

    East of Java

    East of Java

    6 1935 HD

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  • 1936
    imgMovies

    The Broken Earth

    The Broken Earth

    1 1936 HD

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  • 1951
    imgMovies

    My Forbidden Past

    My Forbidden Past

    5.7 1951 HD

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  • 1947
    imgMovies

    Unconquered

    Unconquered

    6.2 1947 HD

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  • 1975
    imgMovies

    Black Shadows on a Silver Screen

    Black Shadows on a Silver Screen

    1 1975 HD

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  • 1936
    imgMovies

    Show Boat

    Show Boat

    6.7 1936 HD

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  • 1940
    imgMovies

    Zanzibar

    Zanzibar

    1 1940 HD

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  • 1944
    imgMovies

    Jam Session

    Jam Session

    6 1944 HD

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  • 1947
    imgMovies

    Joe Palooka in the Knockout

    Joe Palooka in the Knockout

    6 1947 HD

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  • 1938
    imgMovies

    Prison Train

    Prison Train

    6 1938 HD

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  • 1943
    imgMovies

    Johnny Come Lately

    Johnny Come Lately

    6.7 1943 HD

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  • 1942
    imgMovies

    Strictly in the Groove

    Strictly in the Groove

    1 1942 HD

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  • 1942
    imgMovies

    Tales of Manhattan

    Tales of Manhattan

    6.2 1942 HD

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  • 1932
    imgMovies

    White Zombie

    White Zombie

    5.906 1932 HD

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  • 1939
    imgMovies

    Way Down South

    Way Down South

    5.4 1939 HD

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  • 1940
    imgMovies

    Broken Strings

    Broken Strings

    4.5 1940 HD

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  • 1938
    imgMovies

    Spirit of Youth

    Spirit of Youth

    5.5 1938 HD

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  • 1921
    imgMovies

    The Custard Nine

    The Custard Nine

    1 1921 HD

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  • 1932
    imgMovies

    Hell's Highway

    Hell's Highway

    6.1 1932 HD

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  • 1950
    imgS7 E52

    Lux Video Theatre

    Lux Video Theatre

    5.5 1950 HD

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  • 1955
    imgS2 E19

    The 20th Century Fox Hour

    The 20th Century Fox Hour

    4.2 1955 HD

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  • 1955
    imgS1 E10

    Casablanca

    Casablanca

    10 1955 HD

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  • 1952
    imgS4 E41

    Four Star Playhouse

    Four Star Playhouse

    5.7 1952 HD

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