Hazel Scott was the gorgeous face of jazz, and one of the most revered stars of the early 20th century.
Not only was Hazel Scott a beloved musical sensation, but she also channeled her talents into Hollywood stardom, becoming the first Black American to host their own television show.
Plan ahead now, for this Friday night to take time out to watch the new documentary American Masters – “The Disappearance of Miss Scott,” premiering nationwide this Friday, February 21st at 9 p.m. ET on PBS, in honor of Black History Month.
Discover her storied life, from her childhood as a musical prodigy in Trinidad to her prolific career on stage and the silver screen.
Featuring archival footage and stills, performance clips, animation, and interviews, “The Disappearance of Miss Scott” is the first known documentary centering on the jazz virtuoso’s life, detailing her awe-inspiring talents on the piano, how she used her star power to be an influential voice of the nascent Civil Rights Movement, and her life in Paris after being blacklisted from Hollywood during the 1950s Red Scare.
Her career in the US ultimately ended after she defended herself and her colleagues in front of the House Un-American Committee, and her story has been mostly silenced until this film.
Excerpts of Scott’s unpublished autobiography are voiced by Emmy Award-winning actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, revealing Scott as a woman who would not compromise on her beliefs, and are complemented by interviews with country star Mickey Guyton, actresses Amanda Seales and Tracie Thoms, jazz musicians Camille Thurman and Jason Moran, and Adam Clayton Powell III, Hazel Scott’s only son.
(“The Heat On” produced one of Hazel’s most iconic film scenes and currently, the most viewed clip of her performances on YouTube.)
“The Disappearance of Miss Scott” is a great presentation spotlighting the amazing Hazel Scott. Narrated by one of our favorites Sheryl Lee Ralph, who brings the spirit to anything she speaks on.
We will always take our hats off to Hazel Scott, as she was literally one of the first Black celebrity Americans, to recognize her self-worth!
She took a stand and always stood up for herself and her people.
(Billboard Magazine)
“You have someone 70/80 years ago who challenged the way blacks were portrayed, in media and in Hollywood.”
“Hazel Scott was the forefront of what would later happen with the Civil Rights Movement.”
During the documentary, you hear the beautiful Hazel Scott in her own words discuss her life and career. With some really cool animations included.
Plus Alicia Keys makes an appearance and shares how Hazel inspired her with playing the piano.
Born in Port of Spain, Trinidad in 1920, Scott was a musical wonder and was trained by her mother, a classically trained pianist and music teacher. Four years later, she left the Caribbean for Harlem, New York with her mother and grandmother, and by the age of eight she was a pupil of Professor Walter Damrosch at the Juilliard School of Music.
Scott’s undeniable talent led to a vibrant jazz career performing with the likes of Max Roach and Charles Mingus in some of New York City’s most iconic venues, including Café Society, Cotton Club, and Carnegie Hall. Subsequently, she brought her musical skills to the silver screen, starring as herself in films like Something to Shout About, I Dood It, and Rhapsody in Blue.
(Actress Dorothy McGuire and singer Hazel Scott playing host to service men at the Stage Door Canteen during WWII. Photo by George Karger/Getty Images)
In 1950, DuMont Television Network offered Scott her own television program. “The Hazel Scott Show” featured musical performances from Scott, along with musicians Charles Mingus and Max Roach, and was nationally syndicated during its run.
As one of the biggest faces in entertainment at that time, Scott notably used her star power to stand up for those who were marginalized. She refused to play before segregated audiences, and as a Hollywood screen siren, she spoke out against unfair treatment.
She led an actors strike when a film director insisted on putting his Black actors in dirty costumes and took a restaurant to court because it refused to serve her. In 1945, Scott married Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., the first Black American Congressman from the state of New York, and together they were a formidable pair advocating for social progress.
“The Disappearance of Miss Scott” is produced and directed by Nicole London.
