2007
Search results
Apr 2, 2014 · (1878-1949) Who Was Bill "Bojangles" Robinson? Broadway legend Bill "Bojangles" Robinson started his career as a vaudeville performer, transitioning to Broadway and to Hollywood films in...
Robinson was a popular figure in both black and white entertainment worlds of his era, and is remembered for the support that he gave to fellow performers, including Fred Astaire, Eleanor Powell, Lena Horne, Jesse Owens and the Nicholas Brothers.
- He Was A Contradiction. Bill Robinson was the number one tap dancer and eventually the highest-paid Black entertainer of his generation. But his nickname was quite puzzling.
- He Had A Tragic Beginning. Bill Robinson was born on May 25, 1878, in Richmond, Virginia. His father was a machinist and his mother led the church choir.
- They Tossed Pennies. Robinson’s grandmother took over the task of raising the boys, and Robinson started earning pocket money. He danced for the folks waiting in line at the theater, or while drinking in outdoor pubs.
- He Was Hooked. Because minstrel shows made fun of Black Americans, white performers played the Black characters wearing dark makeup on their faces. For some reason they also had groups of authentically Black children who sang and danced at the edge of the stage.
- Performed Solo. According to author Constance Valis Hill, early in his career, Robinson, like other black performers, had to abide by the so-called “two-colored” rule of vaudeville.
- Appeared Without Blackface. Early twentieth-century vaudeville performers still frequently wore blackface, just like the white “minstrel show” performers who started vaudeville in the 1800s.
- Danced With White Actors. Like American society generally, the world of performance was highly segregated. But Robinson, whose fame grew as a soloist, frequently performed with white actors.
Feb 14, 2014 · When Shirley Temple Black died earlier this week, many of the tributes mentioned one of the most iconic scenes in American movie history: the staircase dance that Temple performed with Bill...
- Elizabeth Blair
Bill Robinson was an American dancer of Broadway and Hollywood, best known for his dancing roles with Shirley Temple in films of the 1930s. Robinson’s parents having died when he was a child, he was raised by a grandmother and received little formal schooling.
People also ask
Who homages Bill Robinson?
Who was Bill Robinson?
Is Bill Robinson living or dead?
What did Bill Robinson do for a living?
How did Fred Astaire pay tribute to Bill Robinson?
Who played Bill Robinson in 'Bojangles'?
Imitation, Embodiment, and Homage in Eleanor Powell’s Tribute to Bill Robinson. Robynn J. Stilwell. p. 116-131. Plan détaillé. Texte intégral. 1 The 1939 film Honolulu (Edward Buzzell, MGM, 1939) takes advantage of a cruise-ship tradition of passenger talent shows to add numbers to its shipbound second act.
