The Crimson Skull (Norman, 1922). Very Good+ on Linen. Three Sheet (41" X 78.5").. ...

Description

The Crimson Skull (Norman, 1922). Very Good+ on Linen. Three Sheet (41" X 78.5").
When he saw that the major Hollywood studios in the 1920s would almost always only cast people of color in stereotyped demeaning roles, Richard E. Norman of Jacksonville, Florida (who was a white man) set out to produce films for the underserved market of African American filmgoers, that would have black actors in all the roles, including the heroic leading ones, something never seen in Hollywood. He produced and directed several films, including Regeneration, The Flying Ace, The Bull-Dogger, and this film, The Crimson Skull. This silent Western six-reeler from the Norman Film Manufacturing Company stars Bill Pickett and Anita Bush in the second and last film these stars would make together. Filmed on location in Oklahoma at the same time as The Bull-Dogger, the first feature made with the two stars, enough footage was shot to produce this picture as a complementary film. It also starred Steve "Peg" Reynolds, a one-legged star who also appeared in Norman's The Green Eyed Monster, and the film included additional footage of the famous rodeo champion Pickett completely covered in a skeleton costume. Billed as the "Baffling Western Mystery Photoplay" with an all colored cast, this is a lost film. This impressive three sheet features two monumental black characters in cinema history and has been professionally restored and placed on linen. Restoration has addressed fold wear, fold separation, chips, toning, and tears. The poster has been heavily airbrushed around the portrait images.


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