In 1974, the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame recognized Katherine Dunham for her extensive body of work in the film industry. She served as choreographer for a number of films and appeared in many more, either by herself or with members of her dance company. Her work on films helped to financially support her independent theatrical pursuits. The chronological list of Dunham’s film career can be viewed at the Library of Congress’s Web site. In 1939, she kicked off her film career by choreographing and appearing in several dance scenes in the short film Carnival of Rhythm. In 1942, she received center attention as she performed a solo number in Star Spangled Rhythm. In the same year, Miss Dunham arranged the dance scenes for the Bud Abbott and Lou Costello film Pardon My Sarong.   

In 1943, Miss Dunham and her company appeared in what was to become a black cinema classic, Stormy Weather. This film features Cab Calloway, Lena Horne, Fats Waller, and the tap dancing wonder of the Nicholas Brothers (Fayard and Harold) and Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. In 1948, Miss Dunham choreographed two scenes for Casbah, a film that features Yvonne de Carlo, Peter Lorre, Tony Martin, and Eartha Kitt. It is unfortunate that Miss Dunham did not receive credit for her portrayal of Odette in this film.

Miss Dunham and her company shared their skills with productions based in Italy in 1949, appearing in Botta e risposta. In 1954, they appeared in two European films, including a German film, Liebessender, and the world got a uncommon glimpse of the inside of a classroom and the teaching of the Dunham Technique in Mambo, another Italian film. In 1958, Dunham and her company appeared in the Mexican film Música en la noche. She returned to Hollywood in 1959 to choreograph Green Mansions, starring Anthony Perkins and Audrey Hepburn. She further shared her choreography skills in the 1964 John Huston film The Bible.

Films that Katherine Dunham Appeared In

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Rites de Passage Film reconstruction of Dunham Technique, Rites de Passage, December 12, 1973. Missouri Historical Society Photographs and Prints Collection.
The Bible Behind the scenes during the making of The Bible at the Centro Experimentale di Cinema, Rome. Katherine Dunham confers with director John Huston while Amru Sani (left) and Miss Dunham’s daughter Marie-Christine (center) listen in. Summer 1964. Missouri Historical Society Photographs and Prints Collection. Courtesy of Di Laurentiis Studio/Twentieth Century Fox.
Mambo Katherine Dunham performing in Italian–American film production of Mambo. The film was produced in 1954 and released in the United States in 1955. Missouri Historical Society Photographs and Prints Collection.
Stormy Weather Katherine Dunham and troupe in 1943 film Stormy Weather. Produced by Twentieth Century Fox. Library of Congress Web site. All rights reserved. Courtesy of the Morris Library, Special Collections Research Center, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.
Cabin in the Sky Katherine Dunham in the 1940 Broadway hit production Cabin in the Sky, co-choreographed by Dunham and George Balanchine. Photograph by Bob Golby. Courtesy of the Morris Library, Special Collections Research Center, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.

Films that Katherine Dunham Appeared In

CARNIVAL OF RHYTHM (1939)
Dunham begins her film career with Carnival of Rhythm, a short film written by Stanley Martin, directed by Jean Negulesco, and produced by Warner Brothers is devoted entirely to her, her company, and her choreography. She, Archie Savage, and Talley Beatty are the stars. Released in 1941, it includes Ciudad Maravillosa and early versions of Los Indios, Batucada, and Adeus Terras. All are based on Brazilian themes.
Source: The Library of Congress. "Selections from the Katherine Dunham Collection, Timeline." http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/html/dunham/dunham-timeline.html

STAR-SPANGLED RHYTHM (1942)
Pop, a security guard at Paramount has told his son that he's the head of the studio. When his son arrives in Hollywood on shore leave with his buddies, Pop enlists the aid of the studio's dizzy switchboard operator in pulling off the charade. Things get more complicated when Pop agrees to put together a show for the Navy starring Paramount's top contract players.
Source: Turner Classic Movie (TCM) Movie Database. http://www.tcm.com/tcmbd/index.jsp

STORMY WEATHER (1943)
Dancing great Bill 'Williamson' sees his face on the cover of Theatre World magazine and reminisces: just back from World War I, he meets lovely singer Selina Rogers at a soldiers' ball and promises to come back to her when he "gets to be somebody." Years go by, and Bill and Selina's rising careers intersect only briefly, since Selina is unwilling to "settle down." Will she ever change her mind? Concludes with a big all-star show hosted by Cab Calloway.
Source: Turner Classic Movie (TCM) Movie Database. http://www.tcm.com/tcmbd/index.jsp

CASBAH (1948)
Pepe Le Moko (Tony Martin) leads a gang of jewel thieves in the Casbah of Algiers, where he has exiled himself to escape imprisonment in his native France. Inez (Yvonne DeCarlo), his girl friend, is infiriated when Pepe flirts with Gaby (Marta Toren), a French vistor, but Pepe tells her to mind her own business. Detective Slimane (Peter Lorre)is trying to lure Pepe out of the Casbah so he can be jailed. Against Slimane's advice, Police Chief Louvain capture Pepe in a dragnet, but his followers free him. Inez realizes that Pepe has fallen in love with Gaby and intends to follow her to Europe. Slimane knows the same and uses her as the bait to lure Pepe out of the Casbah.
Directed by: John Berry
Source: Turner Classic Movie (TCM) Movie Database. http://www.tcm.com/tcmbd/index.jsp

MAMBO (1954)
A beautiful dancer finds herself the magnet for three strong-willed people, each trying to rearrange her life. Filmed on location in Venice.
Source: Synopsis on VHS packaging. Produced by Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica.