The Bronze Buckaroo

(USA/1939—directed by Richard Kahn) 

Herb Jeffries (1913-2014) was a mixed-race American actor from Detroit who became popular appearing in all-Black musical westerns in the late 1930s. With his matinee-idol good looks and velvety baritone voice, he enjoyed a long career as a jazz recording artist and toured with the likes of Earl Hines and Duke Ellington.

The Bronze Buckaroo finds frontiersman Bob Blake (Jeffries) pitted against the usual Western stock characters —horse rustlers, claim jumpers, and other cowboys not treating his gal with enough respect — but what makes the film an unexpected joy is the pure grace and gentle humor Jeffries brings to his singing role. (58 min.) Free with museum admission. 

Come early at 7 p.m. and hear singer and multi-instrumentalist Dr. Dom Flemons perform a tribute to Jeffries as part of his appearance at Friday Night Live! 

This program is part of a companion series of film and music events presented in celebration of Regeneration: Black Cinema, 1898–1971, on view at the Detroit Institute of Arts Feb. 4–June 23, 2024. Regeneration is organized by the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.