Skip to main content Skip to main navigation
heart-solid My Visit Donate
Home Smithsonian Institution IK development site for ODI
Press Enter to activate a submenu, down arrow to access the items and Escape to close the submenu.
    • Overview
    • Museums and Zoo
    • Entry and Guidelines
    • Museum Maps
    • Dine and Shop
    • Accessibility
    • Visiting with Kids
    • Group Visits
    • Overview
    • Exhibitions
    • Online Events
    • All Events
    • IMAX & Planetarium
    • Overview
    • Topics
    • Collections
    • Research Resources
    • Stories
    • Podcasts
    • Overview
    • For Caregivers
    • For Educators
    • For Students
    • For Academics
    • For Lifelong Learners
    • Overview
    • Become a Member
    • Renew Membership
    • Make a Gift
    • Volunteer
    • Overview
    • Our Organization
    • Our Leadership
    • Reports and Plans
    • Newsdesk
heart-solid My Visit Donate

Herald for The Flying Ace

African American Museum

This media is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions). You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Open Access page.
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
View manifest View in Mirador Viewer

    Object Details

    Distributed by

    Norman Studios, American, 1920 - 1928

    Subject of

    Kathryn Boyd, American, 1897 - 1965
    John L. Criner, American, 1898 - 1965
    Boise De Legge, American
    Lions Daniels, American
    George Colvin, American, born 1864
    Sam Jordan
    R.L. Brown
    Steve Reynolds, American, 1892 - 1945
    Bessie Coleman, American, 1892 - 1926

    Caption

    In this 1926 film, black fighter pilot Captain Billy Stokes, played by Laurence Criner, returns home from World War I a hero and resumes his civilian career as a railroad detective. The role of pilot Ruth Sawtelle, played by Kathryn Boyd, is inspired by aviator Bessie Coleman. Coleman had been in talks with race film studio Norman Productions to star in a film about her life when she was killed during a flight in Jacksonville, Florida.

    Description

    This movie herald has an orange background and features a large square in the middle of the sheet depicting several black and white scenes from the movie: a man (Lawrence Criner) in a WWI uniform, a heart-shaped vignette of man embracing a woman in an air pilot's uniform, and a man parachuting from a burning plane and the text [Thrills! / Action! / Punch!]. Above the vignettes is the title: [The Norman Studios Presents the Super Feature Photoplay/ THE FLYING ACE/ Sensation of the Year] and below is printed cast and production information. Across the very top, in a white rectangle, is black text reading [Coming to this theatre].

    Credit Line

    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

    Date

    1926

    Object number

    2013.118.245

    Restrictions & Rights

    Public domain
    Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

    Type

    fliers (printed matter)
    posters

    Medium

    ink on paper (fiber product)

    Dimensions

    H x W (image): 21 1/2 × 13 in. (54.6 × 33 cm)
    H x W (sheet): 22 1/16 × 14 in. (56 × 35.6 cm)

    Place used

    United States, North and Central America

    See more items in

    National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

    Collection title

    A Cinema Apart: The Larry Richards Collection of Early Black Film

    Classification

    Memorabilia and Ephemera - Advertisements

    Data Source

    National Museum of African American History and Culture

    Topic

    African American
    Actors
    Film
    Race films
    U.S. History, 1919-1933
    World War I

    Metadata Usage

    CC0

    Link to Original Record

    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd53ef41ed1-613e-4757-985f-a698a4bc2018

    Record ID

    nmaahc_2013.118.245
    arrow-up Back to top
    Home
    • Facebook facebook
    • Instagram instagram
    • LinkedIn linkedin
    • YouTube youtube

    • Contact Us
    • Get Involved
    • Shop Online
    • Job Opportunities
    • Equal Opportunity
    • Inspector General
    • Records Requests
    • Accessibility
    • Host Your Event
    • Press Room
    • Privacy
    • Terms of Use