Bill robinson biography
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Bill "Bojangles" Robinson
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Who Was Bill "Bojangles" Robinson?
Broadway legend Bill "Bojangles" Robinson started his career as a vaudeville performer, transitioning to huvudgata and to Hollywood films in the s and s. His delicate tap-dance style and cheerful demeanor made Robinson a favorite of both Black and white audiences. He died in New York City on November 25,
Early Life
Bill "Bojangles" Robinson was born Luther Robinson in Richmond, Virginia, on May 25, His father, Maxwell, worked in a machine shop, while his mother, Maria, was a choir singer. After both of his parents died in , Robinson was raised by his grandmother, Bedilia, who had been an enslaved individ earlier in her life. According to Robinson, he used physical force to compel his brother, Bill, to switch names with him, since he did not care for his given name of Luther. Additionally, as a ung man, he earned the nickname "Bojangles" for his contentious tend
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Mr. Bojangles: The Biography of Bill Robinson
More than fifty years after his death in , Bill "Bojangles" Robinson is still the most famous tap dancer who ever lived, immortalized in the song "Mr. Bojangles," fondly remembered as Shirley Temple's dance partner in three of her films, and the subject of a Fred Astaire dance routine, "Bojangles of Harlem." Robinson was the first black single dancer to star in white vaudeville circuits, for nearly thirty years as a headliner. Not only did he get top billing at the Palace in New York, he also played command performances for kings, presidents, and lesser folk. He appeared on radio and television, and played to packed houses on Broadway." "Mr. Bojangles, the first full-length biography of Bill Robinson, reveals the charmer, gambler, brawler, athlete, consummate entertainer, and crusader for actors' rights behind the man who pushed past the color barrier in the first half of the 20th century. Haskins and Mitgang, with access to many of
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Bill Robinson
American dancer and actor, AKA Bojangles (–)
This article is about the entertainer. For other people with the same name, see William Robinson (disambiguation).
Bill Robinson | |
|---|---|
Robinson in | |
| Born | Luther Robinson ()May 25, Richmond, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | November 25, () (aged&#;71) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Resting place | Cemetery of the Evergreens, New York City |
| Other&#;names | Bojangles |
| Occupations | |
| Years&#;active | – |
| Spouses | Lena Chase &#; &#; (m.&#;; div.&#;)&#;Fannie S. Clay &#; &#; (m.&#;; div.&#;)&#;Elaine Plaines &#; (m.&#;)&#; |
Bill "Bojangles" Robinson (born Luther Robinson; May 25, – November 25, ), was an American tap dancer, actor, and singer, the best known and the most highly paid black entertainer in the United States during the first half of the 20th century.[1][2] His long career mirrored changes in American ent