Louis Armstrong
Born: 1901-08-04 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Died: 1971-07-06
Known For: Acting
Biography
Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana. Coming to prominence in the 1920s as an "inventive" cornet and trumpet player, Armstrong was a foundational influence in jazz, shifting the music's focus from collective improvisation to solo performance. With his instantly recognizable deep and distinctive gravelly voice, Armstrong was also an influential singer, demonstrating great dexterity as an improviser, bending the lyrics and melody of a song for expressive purposes. He was also greatly skilled at scat singing, vocalizing using sounds and syllables instead of actual lyrics. Renowned for his charismatic stage presence and voice almost as much as for his trumpet-playing, Armstrong's influence extends well beyond jazz music, and by the end of his career in the 1960s, he was widely regarded as a profound influence on popular music in general. Armstrong was one of the first truly popular African-American entertainers to "cross over," whose skin-color was secondary to his amazing talent in an America that was severely racially divided. It allowed him socially acceptable access to the upper echelons of American society that were highly restricted for a person of color. While he rarely publicly politicized his race, often to the dismay of fellow African-Americans, he was privately a huge supporter of the Civil Rights movement in America.
Filmography
2025
- Deadly Melody ... (Music)
- Memories ... (Music)
2024
- Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat as Self (archive footage)
2023
- Espetáculo ... (Music)
2022
- The Sound of 007 as Self (archive footage)
- Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues as Self (archive footage)
- Coldplay: Music of the Spheres - Live Broadcast from Buenos Aires as Self (voice) (archive sound)
2021
- Dark Eyes as Self (archive footage)
- Tight Shoes ... (Compositor)
- Louis Armstrong in Concert as Self - Performer (archive footage)
2019
- And I think to myself, what a wonderful world. ... (Songs)
2018
- The Jazz Ambassadors as Self (archive footage)
2014
- Bing Crosby: Rediscovered as Self (archive footage)
- Jazz Legends in Their Own Words as Self (archive footage)
2012
- …Sings Musicals as Self (archive footage)
2009
2008
- The Mentalist ... (Songs)
- Good Evening Ev'rybody: In Celebration of Louis Armstrong as Self
- Jazz Evolution as Self - Trumpet
2007
- Music Inn as Himself (archive footage)
- Louis Armstrong - Live In Stockholm 1962 as Self
2006
- Frankie Laine: An American Dreamer as Self (archive footage)
- Louis Armstrong: Live in '59 as Trumpet, Vocal
2005
- Året var 1955 as Self (archive footage)
- Billie Holiday: The Ultimate Collection as Himself
- Louis Armstrong: The Louis Armstrong Show as Trumpet/Vocals
2004
- The Harlem Renaissance as Self (archive footage)
- The Story Of The Blues as Self
2003
- Cole Porter in Hollywood: True Love as Self (Archive Footage)
2002
- It's Black Entertainment as Self (archive footage)
2001
- Jazz as Self (archive footage)
- Swing With Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman and Tony Bennett
- Louis Armstrong: 100th Anniversary 1901-2001 as Himself (archive footage)
1999
- The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong as Self (archive footage)
1993
- The Best Of Danny Kaye - The Television Years as Self (archive footage)
- Benny Goodman - Adventures In The Kingdom Of Swing as Self (archive footage)
- Bluesland: A Portrait in American Music as Self (archive footage)
1992
- Satchmo: The Life of Louis Armstrong as Self (archival footage)
1991
- The Magic of Bing Crosby as Self (archive footage)
1982
1976
- That's Entertainment, Part II as (archive footage)
1974
- On the Road with Duke Ellington as Self
1971
- The Pearl Bailey Show as Self
1970
- The Flip Wilson Show as Self
- Why America as Self (archive footage)
1969
- On Her Majesty's Secret Service ... (Songs)
- Hello, Dolly! as Orchestra Leader
- The Johnny Cash Show as Self
1968
- The Dick Cavett Show as Self - Guest
1967
- Omnibus as Self
1966
- A Man Called Adam as Willie Ferguson
- Rhein-Melodie - Wein, Gesang und gute Laune as himself
1965
- Hallo Satchmo as Self
- When the Boys Meet the Girls as Louise Armstrong
- Louis Armstrong v Praze as Self
- The Day of the Oath as Self
1964
- Shindig! as Self - Singer
- The Hollywood Palace as Self
- Louis Armstrong: Live in Australia as Chanteur, Trompettiste,
1963
- The Danny Kaye Show as Self
- Berlin-Melodie
1961
- Paris Blues as Wild Man Moore
- Auf Wiedersehen as er selbst
1960
- Jazz on a Summer's Day as Self
1959
- Discorama as Self
- La Paloma as Louis Armstrong
- The Bell Telephone Hour as Self
- Kærlighedens melodi as Musician with Orchestra
- The Five Pennies as Louis Armstrong
- The Beat Generation as Louis Armstrong
1958
- Kraft Music Hall as Self
- The All-Star Christmas Show as Self
1957
- DuPont Show of the Month as Self
- The Edsel Show as Self
- Satchmo the Great
1956
- The Steve Allen Show as Self - Jazz Trumpeter
- The Dinah Shore Chevy Show as Self
- High Society as Self
- Jazz Ball as Self (archive footage)
1954
- The Glenn Miller Story as Louis Armstrong
1953
- The Oscars as Self
- Saluti e baci as himself
1952
- Glory Alley as Shadow Johnson
1951
- The Strip as Himself
- Here Comes the Groom as Louis Armstrong (uncredited)
1950
- What's My Line? as Self
- The Colgate Comedy Hour as Self
- I'm in the Revue as Band Leader
1948
- The Ed Sullivan Show as Self
- A Song Is Born as Louis Armstrong
1947
- New Orleans as Himself
1945
- Pillow to Post as Orchestra Leader
1944
- Jam Session as Himself
- Atlantic City as Himself
1943
- Show-Business at War as Self
- Cabin in the Sky as The Trumpeter
1942
- Shine as Self
- Swingin' on Nothin' as Self
- Sleepy Time Down South as Self
1941
- Birth of the Blues as Self (archive footage)
1938
- Doctor Rhythm as Trumpet Player
- Going Places as Gabe
1937
- Artists & Models as Self
- Every Day's a Holiday as Louis Armstrong
1936
- Pennies from Heaven as Henry
1934
1932
- A Rhapsody in Black and Blue as Himself
- I'll Be Glad When You're Dead You Rascal You as Louis Armstrong
1930
- Ex-Flame as Louis Armstrong