Blackbirds

Blackbirds . A series of revues, with African‐American casts, produced by Lew Leslie both in London and New York. Of the four American editions, in 1928, 1930, 1933, and 1939, only the first was a success. Its cast included Bill Robinson, who sang and danced “Doin' the New Low‐Down,” Adelaide Hall who performed “Diga Diga Doo,” and Aida Ward who introduced “I Can't Give You Anything but Love.” The Eubie Blake standard, “Memories of You,” came from the failed 1930 edition, where Minto Cato sang it. The shows, relatively simple in mounting, emphasized song and dance. What little comedy there was represented the stereotypical Negro humor of the era.