-
Born in Richmond, Virginia
Name was originally Luther Robinson -
Bojangles started his dance career by performing at local beer gardens
-
Used physical force to make his brother switch names with him, becoming Bill instead of Luther.
His brother in turn, took the name of Percy and became a drummer. -
Bill ran away to Washington, D.C. where he worked briefly as a jockey
-
Joined Mayme Remington's touring troupe, performing in The South Before the War
-
Returned to Richmond to join an army unit as a drummer when the Spanish-American war broke out, where he received an accidental gunshot wound due to someone who was cleaning their gun
-
Entered the dance contest at the Bijou Theater in Brooklyn, NY winning a gold medal and defeating Harry Swinton, who was considered the best dancer of his day
-
Bojangles worked with George Cooper as a vaudeville team, replacing Cooper's partner on short notice
-
Got married to Lena Chase
-
He met Marty Forkins, who urged him to develop his solo act at nightclubs
-
Robinson was a full partner in the duo, which had become primarily a tap dancing act
-
Served as rifleman in World War I
-
Second marriage was to Fannie S. Clay, who was his manager and helped him found Negro Actors Guild of America
-
Starred in Blackbirds of 1928, which features his famous "stair dance"; this show was his big breakthrough
-
Earned the nickname "Bojangles" for his contentious tendacies
-
Made his debut film, Dixiana
-
Performed The Little Colonel and The Littlest Rebel with Shirley Temple
-
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm was the last film he was in with Shirley
-
his third and final marriage was to Elaine Plaines, whom he was with until his death
-
Died in New York City
He died poor because most of his money went to charities before he died from heart failure -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Robinson
http://www.biography.com/people/bill-bojangles-robinson-9460594#early-life
http://black-face.com/Bill-Bojangles-Robinson.htm
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0732408/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm
Google Images
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/stars/bill-bojangles-robinson/
