The Flying Ace

The Flying Ace
Theatrical poster
Directed byRichard E. Norman
Written byRichard E. Norman
Produced byRichard E. Norman
StarringLaurence Criner
Kathryn Boyd
Production
company
Norman Film Manufacturing Company
Distributed byNorman Film Manufacturing Company
Release date
  • 1926 (1926)
Running time
65 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageSilent (English intertitles)
The Flying Ace (1926) by Richard E. Norman

The Flying Ace is a 1926 black-and-white silent drama film directed by Richard E. Norman with an all-African-American cast. This film was inspired by Bessie Colman and six-reel film, made by Norman Studios in Jacksonville, Florida, utilized a mix of professionals such as leads Laurence Criner and Kathryn Boyd, and non-professional actors.[1][N 1]

Films such as The Flying Ace, that used an all-African-American cast and were shown specifically to African-American audiences, were known as "race films". Norman Studios produced feature length and numerous short race films during the 1920s. The untapped black filmgoing market and the plethora of talented performers unable to get work in mainstream films led to the production of race films by Norman Studios.[2]

Richard Norman's reason for producing race films was not solely a business decision. Although the studio was filling a niche, Norman was also motivated by the state of race relations at the time and wanted to make a positive impact.[3]

In 2021, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[4]

  1. ^ Berry 2015, p. 163.
  2. ^ "Richard E. Norman (1891-1960) Norman Film Manufacturing Company." Norman Studios Online Museum, 2019. Retrieved: June 15, 2019.
  3. ^ McCarthy 2007, p. 63.
  4. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (December 14, 2021). "National Film Registry Adds Return Of The Jedi, Fellowship Of The Ring, Strangers On A Train, Sounder, WALL-E & More". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 14, 2021.


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