Living Between Two Worlds
Living Between Two Worlds is a 1963 American film and Horace Jackson's debut film. The film was publicized as the first full-length feature film independently financed, written and produced by African Americans with an all African American cast.
Plot
Harvey, an aspiring jazz musician, is pressured by his mother to enter the ministry. Torn between the two, his choice becomes more clear when his sister is raped by two white men.Cast
- Maye Henderson as Mom
- Anita Poree as Bucky
- Mimi Dillard as Helen
- Horace Jackson as Harvey
Production and release
Living Between Two Worlds had no studio backing so Jackson and co-producer Lillye Austin independently financed the low-budget production. The experience of those working on the film varied. Director Bobby Johnson was a comedian by trade, while the cast, save Jackson, were professionals as were other crew members. Production occurred at the Film Center Independent Studios in Glendale, California and surrounding neighborhoods with principal photography completing in May 1963.With the help of Wendell James Franklin, an assistant director at Universal Studios, the film secured a Guild-sponsored screening and publicly debuted on December 11, 1963, at the Balboa Theatre in Los Angeles. Showings continued for several weeks filling the theater at capacity and making back a third of the film's costs. With no distributor, Jackson secured showings at a few large cities across the United States with Jackson at times making personal appearances to promote the film.