Collection context
Summary
- Creator:
- Otis, Johnny, 1921-2012 and Griffiths, Bill, 1924-2015
- Abstract:
- Original video masters for thirteen Johnny Otis Show television programs, taped in a Los Angeles studio by Griffiths circa 1975 and featuring such guest artists as Delmar "Mighty Mouth" Evans, Marie Adams & the Three Tons of Joy, Joe Turner, Shuggie Otis, Pee Wee Crayton, and Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson. Also included are five hours of unedited footage from Johnny Otis's Oldies But Goodies musical revue, a live show in L.A. that featured popular artists of the rock & roll era lip-synching to their hit recordings. Taped by Griffith from 1975-1977, over 100 songs are performed by artists such as Emma James, Richard Berry, the Penguins, the Coasters, Shirley & Lee, Ted Taylor, Bobby Day, and the Medallions.
- Extent:
- 6 Videotape Reels (2 in.), 10 Videocassettes (U-matic), 14 Videocassettes (BetacamSP), 6 Videocassettes (VHS), 7 Videocassettes (DigiBeta), and 5 Videocassettes (IMX MPEG-2)
- Language:
- Materials are in English.
- Preferred citation:
Johnny Otis and Bill Griffiths Video Collection, SC 100, Archives of African American Music and Culture, Indiana University, Bloomington.
Background
- Biographical / Historical:
In the 1970s an interesting collaboration began in Los Angeles between two entertainment industry pioneers: Johnny Otis, the legendary R&B songwriter and bandleader, and Bill Griffiths, one of the original promoters of roller derby and former owner of the L.A. Thunderbirds franchise. Otis's success as a recording artist and radio deejay led to an opportunity to host a weekly television variety show for KTTV in L.A., which aired for eight years beginning in the mid-1950s as The Johnny Otis Show. Griffiths, who at that time ran an ad agency, assisted by finding sponsors for the show and a friendship formed between the two men. By the 1970s Griffiths had his own TV truck, primarily used for filming roller derby events, and offered to shoot some of Otis's live shows. The resulting video footage was recently donated to the AAAMC by Otis and Griffiths and consists of two distinct series.
- Scope and Content:
The Johnny Otis Show collection is comprised of original video masters for 13 half-hour television programs taped in a Los Angeles studio circa 1975. Billed as "America's only rhythm and blues TV series," the program featured Johnny Otis with his stellar band and back-up singers, the Otisettes, along with many of the great R&B artists as guests. Regulars included Delmar "Mighty Mouth" Evans, Marie Adams & the Three Tons of Joy, Joe Turner, Twiggy Hamilton, Roy Milton, Shuggie Otis (Johnny's son), Pee Wee Crayton, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, and Cardella Di Millo. Melody Maker (a London magazine) described the program as "a happy, unpretentious show that harks back to the halcyon days of R&B" while a San Francisco Chronicle critic exclaimed, "if you would like an instant history of one large segment of popular music, The Johnny Otis Show must be one of the greatest blues/R&B/rock & roll shows ever put together as one act!"
The Johnny Otis's Oldies but Goodies musical revue was a live show in L.A., similar in nature to the popular television programs American Bandstand and Soul Train, where popular artists lip-synched to their hit recordings while members of the audience danced along. Otis's revue featured R&B artists that had been popular during the early days of the rock & roll era, hence the "oldies" designation. Griffiths taped many of these performances between 1975 and 1977, resulting in approximately five hours of footage and including nearly 100 hit songs. Between segments Otis casually chatted with guests before introducing their songs. Of particular interest are numerous performances by Etta James, who was originally discovered by Otis, and who teams up with Richard Berry on her hit song "Roll With Me Henry." Other performers include the Penguins, the Coasters, Richard Berry, Ted Taylor, Richard Berry, Shirley & Lee, Bobby Day, the Medallions, Joe Houston, the Robins, Gene & Eunice, and many more.
These videos are highly recommended for anyone interested in the history and development of black music and the classic sound of R&B.
- Acquisition information:
- Donated to the AAAMC by Johnny Otis and Bill Griffiths in 2004.
- Processing information:
Processed by AAAMC staff. Completed in 2022.
- Arrangement:
Arranged in 2 series:
- Series 1: The Johnny Otis Show
- Series 2: Johnny Otis's Oldies But Goodies
- --- Subseries 2.1: Artist performances
- --- Subseries 2.2: Crowd dancers clips
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Access
- RESTRICTIONS:
-
Use of time-based media materials (audio and video) may require production of listening or viewing copies.
Access to streaming audio, moving image, and full resolution digital image materials may currently be restricted to researchers who can authenticate with an IU account or who are physically present on campus. Remote streaming to individual researchers may be allowed with the completion of applicable forms.
For further information about access to online audiovisual materials, contact AAAMC staff at aaamc@indiana.edu.
- TERMS OF ACCESS:
-
Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, including but not limited to the Indiana Public Records Act (5-14-3-2 et seq.). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which Indiana University assumes no responsibility.
Copyright is retained by the creators/authors of items in this collection, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law. All requests for copying and publishing materials must be submitted in writing to the Archives of African American Music and Culture, and may require the written permission of the creator(s)/author(s) or donor(s).
- PREFERRED CITATION:
-
Johnny Otis and Bill Griffiths Video Collection, SC 100, Archives of African American Music and Culture, Indiana University, Bloomington.
- CAMPUS:
- Indiana University Bloomington
- LOCATION OF THIS COLLECTION:
-
Smith Research Center, Rooms 180-1812805 East 10th StreetBloomington, Indiana 47408-2601, United States
- CAMPUS:
- Indiana University Bloomington
- CONTACT:
-
812-855-8547aaamc@indiana.edu