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Bill Robinson was born in Richmond, Virginia on May 25th 1878. His parents were Maria Robinson and Maxwell Robinson. Maxwell was a machine-shop worker and Maria was a choir singer.
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At the age of 5, Bill Robinson started dancing in local beer gardens and in front of theaters for tossed pennies. A promoter saw him outside the Globe Theater in Richmond and offered him a spot on a local minstrel show which stared mostly white performers in blackface.
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During the year 1884, both of Bill Robinson"s parents died. He was taken in by his grandmother to raise him. Bill Robinson"s name was actually Luther. He claims that he did not like that name and proposed to his brother that they should switch names. Obviously we know who won that argument.
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In 1890, Bill decided to run away to Washington D.C. when he was only 13 years old.
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In 1891, Bill joined a traveling company for a show titled "The South Before the War". He traveled with the company for a year until he decided to leave.
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In 1914, a vaudeville performer, convinced Bill to meet with there manager and was given a solo act while making 3,500 dollars a week. Robinson became one of the first performers to break the vaudeville two-colored rule.
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The show was a huge success on Broadway. Bill Robinson performed his famous "Stair Dance", which is a combination of dance steps based off of different sounds of each step. The play got its name from African American dancers perform for white audiences. The name "Bojangles" was given to him by the white audience for his peppy and cheerful attitude.
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Bill starred in the musical film "Dixiana" by RKO Pictures.
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Bill Robinson and Shirley Temple became the first interracial dance partners in Hollywood history. Shirley Temple and Bill Robinson starred in four films together: The Little Colonel, The Littlest Rebel, Rebecca of Sunny-brook Farm and Just Around the Corner. Bill and Shirley became very good friends after spending so much time together.
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After taking a break from musicals for Hollywood, Bill Robinson returned to the stage to perform "The Hot Mikado" which is a jazz version of the operetta "Gilbert and Sullivan".
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Bill Robinson passes away at the age of 71 on November 25, 1949. Due to some gambling issues, Robinson died a broke man. Ed Sullivan, longtime friend and tv host, arranged Bills funeral and an estimated 32,000 people walked across his open casket to say there goodbyes.
