Keep Punching (1939 film)

For other uses, see Keep Punching (disambiguation).

Keep Punching
Directed by	John Clein
Screenplay by	Marcy Klauber
Story by	John Rosamond Johnson
Produced by	John Clein Edward Mead
Starring	Henry Armstrong Willie Bryant Mae Johnson Hamtree Harrington Francine Everett Canada Lee Lionel Monagas Arthur "Dooky" Wilson Hilda Offley Walter Robinson
Cinematography	J. Burgi Contner Jay Rescher
Edited by	Al. Harburger
Music by	Lee Norman (music score) Dean Cole (sound engineer)
Production companies	M. C. Pictures, Inc.
Distributed by	State Rights
Release dates	December 8, 1939 (1939-12-08) (Apollo Theater, Harlem)
Running time	81 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$28,000

Keep Punching is a 1939 film about boxing. Its primary character is Henry Armstrong (born Henry Jackson). Unlike most films of the era, its cast was composed entirely of African Americans. The film includes Whitey's Lindy Hoppers (Lindy Hop) performing the much imitated Big Apple Routine. A film clip of the dance scene was also released as the short “Jittering Jitterbugs” in 1943 showing the Big Apple routine choreographed by Frankie Manning and the a Jitterbug dance competition that followed in the film.

Plot

Golden gloves champion Henry Jackson turns professional and gets scheduled into a tough match. Days before the match, he finds an old school friend of his, Frank Harrison, unaware that Frank is betting heavily on his loss. Frank sets Henry up with beautiful Jerry Jordan, who is instructed to get him drunk and impede him in any way possible, due to Frank blackmailing her. On the day of the fight she slips him a sleeping drug.

Cast

It was directed by John Clein. Performers in the film include Dooley Wilson and George Wiltshire. The film also features boxing champion Henry Armstrong.

• Henry Armstrong
• Willie Bryant
• Mae Johnson
• Hamtree Harrington
• Francine Everett
• Canada Lee
• Lionel Monagas
• Arthur "Dooky" Wilson
• Hilda Offley
• Walter Robinson