KILLER DILLER - "Kickeroonie" (1948)

 I've got a real killer Saturday Night Special for you this week!

It's an "All-American" film from 1948!

 "Killer Diller" is actually the most exciting film I'm seen lately, and right up there with "Hellzapoppin" in the sheer entertainment category!

 "Killer Diller" is an amazing musical variety show wrapped around a small unnecessary story line to try and make it cohesive! I'm not going to explain the short story line, but instead I'll just tell you that it was written by Hal Seeger, who went on to produce and direct hundreds of cartoons starring characters like Milton the Monster, Batfink, etc.

It's all happening at The Lincoln Theater in Los Angeles. The Lincoln was built in 1926, and was sometimes referred to as the "West Coast Apollo" because it featured popular African-American acts, many of whom also played at The Apollo in Harlem.

 Andy Kirk and his Orchestra are the house band on this fine night!

The first performance is by Andy's Orchestra and is called "Gator Serenade." It features saxophone solos by two killer players, Hank Abrams playing tenor sax on the left, and Shirley Green playing alto sax on the right.

"Gator Serenade" seriously rocks, and Hank Abrams delivers an awesome solo, so much, that he just doesn't want to quit!

When it's Shirley Greene's time to solo, Hank gets so excited that he tries three or four times to get involved again and Andy Kirk has to run him off each time. It's really quite funny!

I just love this shot of the Andy Kirk horn section!

Next up, Beverlee White serves up a couple of  tastee dishes, "It Ain't Nobody's Business What I Do," and "I Don't Want To Get Married."

Then it's "Two tons of Melody and Mirth" with Patterson and Jackson with "If I Didn't Care,"  "I Believe," and "Ain't Misbvehavin.'" Don't be fooled by these guys girth, because they've got some moves!

 A very young Moms Mabley was known as Jackie Mabley back then.

The phenomenal James and Steve Clark, performing as the tap dancing Clark Brothers are nothing but fun to watch. This was their first recorded performance, and they went to to be on all kinds of TV shows, like The Ed Sullivan's.

Most people only know Nat King Cole as being a soulful crooner, but he was a very talented jazz pianist. The other two members of the King Cole Trio are guitarist Oscar Moore and bassist Wesley Prince. It's cool that Nat sits side saddle when he plays. The Trio performs three songs, "Breezy and the Bass," "Now He Tells Me," and  "Ooh, Kickeroonie." There's another funny sequence in this set when Nat and Wesley and playing notes together like crazy, and Nat stops, but Wesley just keeps on going.

This is a high energy show, and it doesn't stop here. The Congaroos do a couple of numbers where I'm not sure how nobody gets hurt. These folks are crazy, slinging each other around to a point that I can't even describe! This is a truly Mind boggling performance, it wore me out just watching so bad that I had to take a nap afterwards!

And as the man says himself, you can't have a show like this without some beautiful dancing girls, and they are lovely, no doubt

The Lincoln sat 2,100 people, and I'll tell you what, this crowd sure got their money's worth!

Today, the Lincoln Theater is the home of Iglesia de Jesucristo Ministerios Juda, a Spanish-speaking church.

Here's a Killer Diller early X-Mas present for you, Enjoy!