Hi! For our second Music and Entertainment Spotlight of the month, I wanted to focus on the Entertainment half and one of the first Black triple threats in the entertainment industry. Today's entrant was able to parlay his skills as a dancer and choreographer into a career in Hollywood, where he enjoyed a three decade long career. A self-taught performer, he shook up the way musical comedy dance numbers on screen and on Broadway were laid out with his creative blend of dance methods.
Name: Clarence "Buddy" Bradley, 1905-1972
Profession: Dancer, choreographer and actor
Why is the Spotlight on him today? For his success in both the dance and film industries and his work in both fields
Notables:
--was the first Black dancer to choreograph and stage an all-White show when he was hired to stage the 1938 London-based Rodgers and Hart musical Evergreen
--made his career in London, even opening a dance studio called the Buddy Bradley Dance School and gaining over 500 students before closing down shortly before Bradley's death
--first decided to be a dancer while working at a busboy for a boarding house and having to entertain the diners with the other residents, many of whom were dancers who provided him with inspiration and helped him learn an assortment of other dances, which he later blended into his own style
--was inspired by Jack Wiggins and Clarence "Dancing" Dotson after seeing them dance at a theatre and started to teach himself various dances
--counted Eddie Rector, a tap dancer and performer as his main idol and mentor throughout his career
--got his first professional jobs at Connie's Inn, where he used to practice his steps while working at the boarding house, and the Kentucky Club
--made his official debut as a dancer in the Florence Mills Revue at the Lincoln Square Theater
--after meeting Billy Pierce, a fellow Black choreographer, was hired to teach dance to stars on Broadway at the Billy Pierce Dance Studios
--was able to command $250 for each routine at the start of his career as a choreographer
--while working for Billy Pierce, taught dance routines to Fred Astaire, Lucille Ball and Mae West, to name a few, but was hardly acknowledged in any of the American programs
--got his big break as a choreographer after coming up with a routine for the Ziegfeld Follies after the original choreographer's work wasn't up to par, but was still robbed of his credit as the original producer still took full credit for the routine
--did his part in revolutionizing how dance routines on Broadway looked for the time period because of his unique blend of dance styles and his method of coming up with routines
--became known for his work fixing dance routines on Broadway
--was able to make an international impact on the world of dance, as dancers from different countries were able to take inspiration from his methods and blend it into their routines
--through his work in London, where he started to receive his due credit as a choreographer, he was able to break into the film industry
Further reading links:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5
Quote of the Day:
"His dance ideas were well ahead of his time, and knowing performers of musical comedy stage flocked to him. He was personally popular in the profession, together with respect given to his creative choreography."
--Buddy Bradley's obituary
No comments:
Post a Comment