Bill “Bojangles” Robinson American Entertainer (1878-1949)
Unscripted (Commentary)
By Keith Edmonds
FWIS Contributing Writer
In today’s edition of UNSCRIPTED I’d like to share a man with you that does not get nearly the credit that he deserves regarding his contributions to the entertainment world and influencing early greats in the industry such as James Brown, Sammy Davis Jr., Gregory Hines, and even Michal Jackson. Born Luther Robinson on May 25, 1878, in Richmond, Virginia Bill “Bojangles” Robinson was an American tap dancer, actor, and singer who reached unprecedented fame at a time when Black performers were getting shunned by their white counterparts. Getting his start at the age of five, Robinson began dancing for a living, performing in local beer gardens, and in 1891, he joined Mayme Remington's touring troupe. (Later performing as a vaudeville act). He achieved enormous success as a nightclub and musical-comedy performer working exclusively in Black theaters before Black audiences. Robinson was one of the first minstrel and vaudeville performers to appear as Black without the use of blackface makeup, as well as one of the earliest black performers to perform solo, overcoming vaudeville’s two-colored rule. Robinson was the best known and the most highly paid African American entertainer in the United States during the first half of the 20th century and began his career in the age of minstrel shows and moved to vaudeville, Broadway theater, the recording industry, Hollywood films, radio, and television.
(According to dance critic Marshall Stearns), “Robinson’s contribution to tap dance is exact and specific. He brought it on its toes, dancing upright and swinging,” adding an unknown “lightness and presence.” His signature routine was the “stair dance”, in which he would tap up and down a set of stairs in a rhythmically complex sequence of steps that left audiences in startling appreciation! Robinson got a huge break in 1908, meeting Marty Forkins, (who later became his manager). Forkins urged Robinson to develop his solo act in nightclubs and though he took a break to serve in World War II he quickly returned from Europe to his “comfort zone” performing and sharing his unique style and flair of dancing for audiences nation-wide. Robinson’s talents carried him to Broadway where he starred in the hugely successful musical revue Blackbirds of 1928, which was a revue starring African American performers, (intended for white audiences). The show was a breakthrough for Robinson as he became well known as “Bojangles” to his audiences (the origin of this nickname “Bojangles” varies across the color lines, a consequence of differing opinions of him by Black and White people) To White people, his nickname meant happy-go-lucky, while the Black people lead by variety artist Tom Fletcher who claimed it was slang for "squabbler.”) His catchphrase, "Everything's copacetic," reinforced Robinson's sunny disposition for those that knew him well. Although Robinson worked regularly as an actor, make no mistake about it, he was best known for his flamboyant tap-dance routines as that’s what audiences came to expect when they arrived at each venue where he performed.
During his career Robinson starred in 14 Hollywood motion pictures, (many of them musicals), and became well known for the multiple roles he played opposite child star Shirley Temple. Some of the films that he is credited for include Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, The Little Colonel, and Stormy Weather, (co-starring Lena Horne and Cab Calloway). Sadly, despite his fame, Robinson still was not able to transcend the narrow range of stereotypical roles written for Black actors at the time. By accepting these movie roles, Robinson was at least able to maintain steady employment and remain in the public eye. Unfortunately, despite earning millions, Robinson died poor at the age of 71 with much of his monies going to charities in Harlem and his strong penchant for gambling.
Robinson has remained a well-known figure even after his death, (particularly in the world of dance circles). In 1989, a joint congressional resolution established National Tap Dance Day on May 25, which was Robinson's birthday. As a tribute to his greatness, a public park in Harlem bears Bill Bojangles Robinson name which is a way of honoring his charitable contributions and participation in the neighborhood's civic life and he is buried in the Cemetery of the Evergreens, in Brooklyn, New York.
Notable Bill Bojangles Robinson Contributions:
1) 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. This rule stipulated that black performers couldn’t appear alone onstage. So, Robinson teamed up with other black vaudevillians, including George W. Cooper in 1902. But as his fame grew, the two of them split to begin performing alone.
2) Appeared Without Blackface:
Early twentieth-century vaudeville performers still frequently wore blackface, But Robinson and Cooper refused to wear blackface, (according to the Library of Congress.) And Robinson continued to not wear blackface in his later solo acts, even though it was part of mainstream entertainment well into the mid-20th century and remains an extremely controversial (but ever-present) concern today.
Danced with White Actors:
3) Mimicking American society in general, the world of entertainment was extremely segregated. But Robinson, frequently performed with white actors. His first film role came in 1930 with Dixiana, a film that had a predominantly white cast, and he teamed up in later movies with the legendary Shirley Temple.