On Your Toes (Part 1) (1927, silent)

Description: Content warning: features characters that are anti-Black racist stereotypes, including a Jim Crow era "mammy." For more context on the harm of this caricature type, see this article from the Jim Crow Museum: jimcrowmuseum.ferris.edu/mammies/homepage.htm (Accessed November 9, 2023). The film's intertitles contain a homophobic slur directed at one child by a group of bullies.

An early sports drama called "On Your Toes." Includes close-ups of nostril-flaring and ear wiggling, boys scrapping, learning to box. Likely part one of a six-reel feature, but no titles are included on this reel. Possibly a digest print of a full-length Hollywood production from early rental library. African American actors Gertrude Howard and George West are featured in this reel.

Coverage in Universal Weekly:

archive.org/details/universalweekly100movi_1/page/n36/mode/1up

""On Your Toes" Is Vivid Fight Film." Universal Weekly, Vol. 26, No. 25, pg. 35. 28 Jan. 1928. Accessed on 11/2/23.

Reuse Statement: For information on reusing Prelinger Archives footage and obtaining written usage agreements, please visit www.prelinger.com.

Subjects: 1920s,Sports,People of African origin or descent,Racism ,Homophobia

Tags: boys; croquet; bullying; taunting; social classes; children fighting; mothers; gymnasiums; gyms; heavyweight boxers; boxing; fighters; Black stereotypes; pugilists; damaged film; champs; champions; African American people; Black actors; gay stereotypes

Film Sponsor:

Creator: Jewel, Fred Newmeyer

Credits: Director: Fred Newmeyer

Adaptation: Pierre Couderc, James Davis

Continuity: Earl Snell, Gladys Lehman.

Additional credits from the American Film Institute Catalog of Feature films (catalog.afi.com/Film/11117-ON-YOURTOES?sid=ff9da8c5-8b86-4eb0-a44f-4d596952fc5f&sr=11.477158&cp=1&pos=0, accessed 2023-02-06)

Mammy: Gertrude Howard

Mose: George West

Production text: Universal-Jewel

Distributor: Universal Pictures Corporation

Contributor: Prelinger Archives

Source Collection: Mogull Bros.

Digitizing Sponsor: Filecoin Foundation for the Decentralized Web (FFDW) and Internet Archive

Production Date:

Release Date: 1927

Geographical Location: USA

Genre/Form: fiction, feature, silent

Language: eng

Rights: (c) Universal Pictures Corp.; 21Nov27: LP24682. No renewal shown in Catalog of Copyright Entries 1912-39.

Film Format: 16mm film

Element: print, positive

Color: b&w

Color Process:

Sound or Silent: silent

Film Soundtrack Type: mos

Edge Code:

Frame Rate: 16 fps

Length (feet): 321