Originally a play written by Philip Yordan, portraying a Polish-American family, the play was rewritten by American Negro Theater Director Abram Hill and director Henry Wagstaff Gribble for an all African-American cast.
There was a white cast version of this movie made in 1949. It starred Paulette Goddard, who starred in the white cast version of the play that went to Paris. (c. 1947-8). The original play was with an African American cast.
After first being produced with an all African American cast, in 1944, with 957 performances. It also toured in Europe.
The Black cast toured Europe in 1944. There was also a revival that performed in London in 1947. An all white cast (originally it was written for a Polish-American family) starring Paulette Goddard, also went to Paris.
Rosetta LeNoire's debut.