Museum object · Time-based Media - Moving Images
Dark Manhattan
1937
Harlem, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
Source catalog description
This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.
A 16mm release print of the feature film Dark Manhattan. It consists of two reels of positive, black-and-white, 16mm acetate film (a) and (b), with variable-density optical sound. A cardboard film shipping box (c) accompanies the film strips. It has black metal corners as well as black straps made of nylon webbing. The film opens with a dedication to actors such as R.B. Harrison, Bert Williams and Florence Mills. Set in Harlem, NY, it follows the development of two men involved in the illegal numbers game, Larry B. Lee (Clarence Brooks), a large-scale mobster and “Curly” Thorpe (Ralph Cooper).
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Sources & collection details
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture — original record ↗
Catalog metadata · CC0 · Source checked 2026-10-13
Catalog reference: 2015.167.5.1abc
