Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was an American actress, singer, dancer, and civil rights activist. She started her career as a dancer at a nightclub at the age of 16. She later moved to Hollywood to try her hand at acting, which came to fruition in 1938 when she debuted in the musical ‘The Duke is Tops.’ Subsequently, she got better roles in films, such as ‘Panama Hattie’ (1942), ‘Cabin in the Sky’ (1943) and ‘Duchess of Idaho’ (1950), before being blacklisted due to her political activism and ‘Red Scare.’ However, this didn’t stop her from making a career in the field of music. Her live album ‘Lena Horne at the Waldorf-Astoria’ (1957) made her the biggest selling female artist in the history of her label. She also appeared in TV shows, such as ‘Sesame Street’ (1973), Sanford & Son’ (1973), and ‘A Different World’ (1993).Â
Cab Calloway’s Jitterbug Party is a musical short film in which Club Calloway is shown performing at the Cotton Club. After the performance, he goes for a jitterbug party, along with his friends.
A sailor helps two sisters start a service canteen, and soon falls in love with Jean, the gorgeous one of the two. However, he is unaware that her sibling Patsy is also in love with him.
The fictionalized retelling of the creative partnership of legends, lyricist Lorenz Hart and composer Richard Rodgers, narrates their struggles to find success. It also provides a view to Larry’s personal demons, his death, and the heartbroken Dick regretting the loss of his friend when success eventually comes knocking.
Set in the turn of the nineteenth century Texas, Death of a Gunfighter is the story of a traditional Old West style lawman struggling to keep a firm grip over the town in defiance of the community leaders’ verdict that he should resign.
Private Eddie Marsh has recently joined the army but possesses an entertainer’s spirit. On his way to arranging a grand show for his fellow soldiers, he falls in love with Colonel Bill Jones’ daughter Kathryn. Now he must put on the greatest show to impress the Colonel and get his blessings.
I Dood It is a musical comedy film, which tells the story of a worker at a hotel’s valet service, who develops a huge crush on a Broadway star. He even starts ‘borrowing’ his customer’s fancy clothes to follow her around.
Even though Ellen is in love with her playboy boss Douglas, she is too shy to express her feelings. Her roommate comes up with a plan, and decides to follow Douglas on his trip to Sun Valley.
Yearly, rancher Chuck Rodwell travels to Las Vegas for gambling, but invariably ends up losing. Maria Corvier is the ballet-dancer at ‘Sand’s’ where Chuck discovers that she is lucky for him as he wins whenever he holds her hands. Aspiring for stardom, Maria is indifferent initially; but gradually they fall in love. Will they continue to hold hands up to the altar?
Hattie Maloney’s hotel in Panama is frequented by American sailors, who come here to have a good time, often singing Cole Porter numbers and dancing. The plot heats up when an upper class gentleman visits the hotel and sparks begin to fly between the two. However, there are problems on the way.
Lowell Blackford is a skilled musician, but he is also cursed with an ‘evil eye’ which has hypnotic powers. He goes in search of a Broadway producer, but he soon gets involved with a boxer.
The Wiz is a fantasy adventure film which revolves around a shy 24 year old schoolteacher named Dorothy, who is magically transported to the urban fantasy Land of Oz. She soon befriends a Scarecrow, a Tin Man and a Cowardly Lion, and they embark on a quest together to look for a way to send her back home.
Lena Horne Awards
| Winner | Lifetime Achievement Award | 1989 |
| Winner | Best Jazz Vocal Performance | 1996 |
| Winner | Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female | 1982 |
| Winner | Best Cast Show Album | 1982 |
| Winner | Best Album Cover- Other Than Classical | 1963 |
