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Thursday, March 28, 2013

Nina Mae McKinney

de bene esse: literally, of well-being, morally acceptable but subject to future validation or exception

Pioneering Broadway and film actress Nina Mae McKinney (1913-1967) in Berlin probably in 1929. Best known for her starring role in the 1929 film, “Hallelujah.”
 
Born in Lancaster, South Carolina, Ms. McKinney found stardom but her five-year MGM contract did not guarantee roles for her and so she moved to Europe where she enjoyed great success as a cabaret singer. In England McKinney starred in two films with Paul Robeson, “Congo” in 1930 and “Sanders of the River” in 1935. She returned to America to appear in a few films including, “Safe in Hell” (1931), “Pie, Pie, Blackbird” (1932) and “Pinky” in 1949. 
 
Photo: Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna.See More
Photo: Pioneering Broadway and film actress Nina Mae McKinney (1913-1967) in Berlin around 1929. Best known for her starring role in the 1929 film, “Hallelujah,” the Lancaster, South Carolina-born Ms. McKinney found that stardom and a five-year MGM contract still did not mean roles for her, so she moved to Europe, where she enjoyed great success as a cabaret singer. In England she starred in two films with Paul Robeson, “Congo” in 1930 and “Sanders of the River” in 1935. She did return to America to appear in a few films including, “Safe in Hell” (1931), “Pie, Pie, Blackbird” (1932) and “Pinky” in 1949. Photo: Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna.
Posted by Bulcranium at 4:53 PM

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