Million Dollar Productions

Ralph Cooper was an experienced black actor nicknamed "Dark Gable"[3] who was also a singer, dancer, comedian and emcee at the Apollo Theater Amateur Night in Harlem.

Using the experience he went into partnership with the Popkin brothers, Harry and Leo to form Million Dollar Productions.

[6] The production company made several fast moving genre pictures with budgets, despite its name, of approximately $8,000 to $10,000 with the films shot in seven days.

Other black stars appearing in Million Dollar Productions were Nina Mae McKinney, Mantan Moreland, Laurence Criner and Louise Beavers.

Following World War II, the Popkin brothers produced several well regarded mainstream Hollywood films such as D.O.A.