Harlem Globetrotters 1956 Promotional Reel - 8mm film

After initially forming in the 1920s the Harlem Globetrotters quickly inspired several other organizations to launch similarly themed touring companies of exhibition basketball teams combining comedic antics an stellar athleticism. Some competing companies featured notable players who had previously been under contract with the Harlem Globetrotters, and frequently adopted team names that were overtly suggestive of the famous Globetrotters moniker, and even player uniforms that were similarly designed to those of the original team. In the early 1950s one such team was founded as The Fabulous Harlem Magicians, known more informally as the Harlem Magicians. This, along with the fact that many such competing teams not only featured ex-Globetrotter players but also on-court antics that had earlier been popularized by the Globetrotters prompted The Harlem Globetrotters to commission this promotional reel in 1956. This cut was produced by Castle Films and distributed on 8mm silent film with scenes interspersed with interstitial text, with frequent use the word "Magic" or Magical in an attempt to more closely associate the term with the Harlem Globetrotters as opposed to the Harlem Magicians. Also notable is the re-design of the player jerseys to feature the world "Original" over the team name. The soundtrack to this video was generated with a collection of royalty-free music along with a cut of "Sweet Georgia Brown", long associated with The Harlem Globetrotters as their team theme song.