Stuart Heisler

Birth of the Blues: (89 min., b&w) As a child, Jeff Lambert hangs out in New Orleans' Basin Street, playing hot swing on his clarinet instead of the classics his father prefers. He's inspired by an African-American group there and, some years later, at the turn of the century, sets out to form a jazz band of his own. Patterned after the story of trombonist Jack Teagarden of the Original Dixieland Jazz Group. Blue Skies (93 min., col.): Dancing star...

During a campaign for reelection, the crooked politician Paul Madvig decides to clean up his past, refusing the support of the gangster Nick Varna and associates with the respectable reformist politician Ralph Henry. When Ralph's son, Taylor Henry, a gambler and the lover of Paul's sister Opal, is murdered, Paul's right arm, Ed Beaumont, finds his body on the street. Nick uses the financial situation of The Observer to force the publisher Clyde Matthews...

Along came Jones: Cowboy Melody Jones rides into town looking for work and is mistaken for the evil desperado Monte Jarrad. Jones lets all the special treatment go to his head until the real outlaw shows up looking for him. Fury at showdown: A rancher trying to overcome his past as a notorious gunfighter is forced into violent retribution when his brother is killed by crooks who are after his property.