Amos ‘n’ Andy… ‘Check and Double Check’
This 1930 RKO offering would raise a few eyebrows these days! Based on a popular radio show, it soon ran into problems in bringing it to the screen. It features the exploits of two black guys, well enough on radio… because they were voiced by white guys, but you can see the problem… Voices had to be the same as on the radio show! It meant the radio stars – Freeman Godsen as Amos, and Charles Correll as Andy… had to ‘black-up’ Surprisingly, the movie was profitable for RKO Radio Pictures, but there was never a follow-up, until TV took the idea as a series in the 50s…. Which I remember enjoying as a child on BBC Television… And hopefully those were at last!.. genuine coloured American Males!
