The following information was provided by Dennis Whitling (dwhit@telusplanet.net):
Here are the Mingus entries in David Meeker's "Jazz in the Movies" [Arlington House Publishers, New Rochelle, N.Y., 1977]:
Item 47: All Night Long UK 1961-95 min.
dir-Michael Relph, Basil Dearden
A combination of Othello and a jazz jamboree that falls flat on
both counts. Musicians featured include Dave Brubeck, Johnny
Dankworth, Charles Mingus, Tubby Hayes, Keith Christie, Allan
Ganley, Kenny Napper, Ray Dempsey, Bert Courtley, Barry Morgan,
Colin Purbrook, Johnny Scott and Geoffrey Holder. [I saw this one.
Mingus & Brubeck play a duet.]
Item 576: Eddy Peabody and Sonny Burke's
Orchestra USA 1951-14 mins. dir-Will Cowan
Universal-International production in which Sonny Burke's
Orchestra, in a nightclub setting, provides backing for popular
acts: Barbara Perry, dancer; The Cheer Leaders,vocs; The Red Norvo
Trio -Norvo,vibs; Tal Farlow, gtr; Mingus, bass -and Eddie Peabody,
banjo, with a Southern medley and "St. Louis Blues". Other numbers:
"Mambo jambo", Live till I die" and "Anchors aweigh."
Item 807: Higher and Higher USA 1943-91 mins
dir-Tim Whelan
Entertaining musical with Michele Morgan and half a dozen songs
from Frank Sinatra. Charles Mingus makes his screen bow - as an
extra.
Item 969: Jazz in Piazza Italy 1974-c80 mins
dir-Pino Adriano
Film record, shot on 16mm, of musicians appearing at the 1974
Umbria Jazz Festival: The Perugia Big Band, The Horace Silver
Quintet, The Gianni Basso-Dino Piana Quintet, The Gerry Mulligan
Quartet, Marian McPartland, The Charlie Mingus New Group, The Thad
Jones-Mel Lewis Big Band, Keith Jarrett, The Sonny Stitt Quartet,
Anthony Braxton and Freedom (Sam Rivers, Dave Holland, Barry
Altshul). Numbers include "Stormy Weather", Duke Ellington's
"Sophisticated Lady" and "In a Sentimental Mood:, Horace Silver's
"Song for My Father" and Gerry Mulligan's "Line for Lyons".
Item 1240: Mingus USA 1968-56 mins dir-Thomas
Reichman
An honest and accurate interview with Charlie Mingus made at the
time of his eviction from his downtown New York flat, intercut with
footage of various Mingus groups performing in clubs with numbers
including "All the Things You Are", "Secret Love" and Billy
Strayhorn's "Take the 'A' Train". Otherwise music and poetry by
Charlie Mingus, Lonnie Hillyer, Walter Bishop, John Gilmore, Dannie
Richmond and Charles McPherson. (Also available as video "Mingus,
1968" on Rhapsody Films, Inc., P.O. Box 179, New York, NY 10014,
USA)
Item 1602: Road to Zanzibar USA 1945-92 mins
dir-Victor Schertzinger
Routine comedy vehicle for Hope, Crosby and Lamour set in
Paramount's idea of the African interior. Charles Mingus worked in
one sequence as an extra but was eventually edited out in the final
cut.
Item 1713: Shadows USA 1958/9-8f1 mins dir-John
Cassavetes
Cassavetes's remarkable first feature film, conceived without a
script, and shot on 16mm on New York locations. Music track by
Charles Mingus with horn solos by Shafi Hadi (pseud) and the
soundtrack participation of Phineas Newborn Jr.
Item 2027: Timothy Leary's Wedding/You're Nobodfy 'til
Somebody Loves You USA 1964-12 mins dir-D.A.
Pennebaker
Improvised impression of Dr. Timothy Leary's marriage, in which
Charlie Mingus appears briefly playing piano.
I've mostly quoted Meeker directly changing some of the punctuation. I hope this helps fill out the "Filmography" portion of the Mingus Page. I'm sure there are many more items to be found. I can recall an "Ed Sullivan Show" in the late sixties or early seventies on which Mingus, Archie Shepp, Roland Kirk, Roy Haynes and others appeared for one number.
dw
(P) + (C) 1990 Green Line SRL
Jazz & Jazz Video Collection VIDJAZZ 15
Comments inside the video cover:
Note : This is an unauthorized bootleg video probably originating from Italy!The 1964 Charles Mingus European tour has been widely documented on records but as far as we can tell this is the only visual record available.
The Oslo concert is special for many reasons, not least the fact that the band is exactly what Mingus had in mind when he left USA. Later on, trumpeter Johnny Coles fell ill and had to quit tour whilst the trumpetless quintet continued playing the remainder of the tour.
As long as it lasted the full group had a big sound and played well together...