Billie Holiday

Born: 1915-04-07

Billie Holiday, born Eleanora Fagan, was an American jazz singer with a career spanning nearly thirty years. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz music and pop singing. Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing and tempo. She was known for her vocal delivery and improvisational skills. Billie Holiday appeared in four feature films and many television shows.


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The Apollo

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2019-04-24

The history of New York City's Apollo Theater in Harlem is given the full treatment.

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New Orleans

as Endie
Released: 1947-04-18

A gambling hall owner relocates from New Orleans to Chicago and entertains his patrons with hot...

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It's Black Entertainment

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2002-02-08

A star-studded tribute (from the creators of That's Entertainment) to the contributions of...

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Billie

as self
Released: 2020-09-30

‘Lady Day’ was one of the greatest jazz vocalists the world ever heard. In 1971, journalist...

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Strange Fruit

as uncredited
Released: 2002-05-20

In 1937, after seeing a photo depicting the lynching of a black man in the south, Bronx-born...

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Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 1975-08-06

Period music, film clips and newsreel footage combined into a visual exploration of the American...

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The Emperor Jones

as Extra in Nightclub Scene
Released: 1933-09-29

Unscrupulously ambitious, Brutus Jones escapes from jail after killing a guard and, through...

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Billie Holiday: The Ultimate Collection

as Herself
Released: 2005-10-25

This remarkable DVD includes rare TV and film performances, an especially rare radio interview...

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Queens of Jazz: The Joy and Pain of the Jazz Divas

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2013-05-10

The documentary tracks the diva's difficult progress as she emerges from the tough,...

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Sarah Vaughan & Other Jazz Divas

as uncredited
Released: 2005-01-01

Here's a perfect chance to compare and contrast a clutch of the greatest jazz divas in the...

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Symphony in Black: A Rhapsody of Negro Life

as Self - Blues Singer (uncredited)
Released: 1935-09-12

A rising nineteen-year-old singer by the name of Billie Holiday made her screen debut in this...

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Lady Day: The Many Faces of Billie Holiday

as uncredited
Released: 1990-03-01

Lady Day: The Many Faces of Billie Holiday integrates film and video performances, recordings,...

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Billie Holiday: A Sensation

as herself
Released: 2015-04-07

A documentary about the legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday (1915-1959). There exist many...

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Jazz Voice - The Ladies sing Jazz Vol.1

as uncredited
Released: 2006-12-04

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Billie Holiday: Strange Fruit

as Herself
Released: 2007-11-05

Performance footage of Billie Holiday may admittedly be scant, but this issue compiles into a...

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This Is Pop

as Self (archive footage)
First aired: 2021-03-06

Unknown histories take center stage as the hitmakers themselves - from ABBA to T-Pain - explore...

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Jazz

as Self (archive footage)
First aired: 2001-01-09

Jazz is a ten part series that explores the evolution – and the genius – of America’s greatest...

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