[5][6] Southern acted in a supporting role in the Western film, Two-Gun Man from Harlem.
[8] War Perkins of the Chicago Defender newspaper listed Southern and three others as giving the best performances in the film.
[9] Around 1940, Southern partnered with drummer Lionel Hampton on a musical film project, titled From Spirituals to Swing, which was "accepted by the Paramount production department".
[1] According to a copyright, Southern, Hampton, and Otis René wrote a song together for the feature, titled "I'd Be Lost Without You".
[13] Lionel Hampton and the King Cole Trio played on the record, with Helen Forrest singing.