Kennedy Center Honors 1987, tribute to honor Sammy Davis Jr.
The Nicholas Brothers, Fayard and Harold, Jimmy Slyde, Chuck Green and Sandman Sims.
Enjoy a loaded deck… Rhythmically Musical… True Talent…
Preserving and Advancing the Art of Tap Dance.
By Tap Legacy
Kennedy Center Honors 1987, tribute to honor Sammy Davis Jr.
The Nicholas Brothers, Fayard and Harold, Jimmy Slyde, Chuck Green and Sandman Sims.
Enjoy a loaded deck… Rhythmically Musical… True Talent…
By Tap Legacy
Dr. Arthur Duncan was born in Pasadena, California, September 25, 1933. Pursuing his college education, he entered the Pasadena City College to study pharmacy, but left school soon after to pursue a career in show business, at which he garnered success as a tap dancer and singer. He toured with the Jimmy Rodgers Show.
After several years of appearances in Europe, Duncan was discovered by Lawrence Welk’s personal manager, Sam Lutz. After appearing as a guest on the show, Lawrence Welk offered Duncan a permanent spot as a member of his musical family.
Arthur Duncan gained fame as the first African American performer on the popular Lawrence Welk Show. Duncan danced and sang on the show from 1964 to the show’s finale in 1982.
Besides his solo number on the show, he teamed up with Bobby Burgess and Jack Imel in performing popular dance routines.
After the Lawrence Welk Show finale in 1982, Duncan has appeared in several television shows such as Diagnosis Murder, Columbo, The Betty White Show and many more. He also appeared with Red Skelton, Sammy Davis Jr., Gregory Hines, Jerry Lewis, Dick Van Dyke, Tommy Tune, Lionel Hampton and much more.
He was featured in the Challenge scene in the 1989 movie TAP with Harold Nicholas, Jimmy Slyde, Steve Condos, Bunny Briggs, Sandman Sims, Pat Rico, Henry LeTang On Piano, Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr.
He continues to be a major force as a Tap Master on the Tap Festival scene Nationally and Internationally, among an enormous busy schedule.
Duncan has received the 2004 Flo-Bert Award of Lifetime Achievement of Tap Artistry, in New York City, and the 2005 Living Treasure in American Dance Award from the Oklahoma City University and an honorary doctorate was presented to him in Spring 2008. Also receiving the Gregory Hines Humanitarian Award from the Gabriella Axelrad Education Foundation for his work with the Inner City Kids’ Non-Profit Dance Program.
The clip is from the 1965 Lawrence Welk Show, with Duncan tap dancing on the piano to Cute played by Doug Scherer!!!
By Tap Legacy
From the Lawrence Welk Show – 1966, Arthur Duncan with Jack Imel and Bobby Burgess.
Arthur Duncan, Pasadena, California, was Pursuing his college education, when he entered the Pasadena City College to study pharmacy, but left school soon after to pursue a career in show business, at which he garnered success as a tap dancer and singer. He toured with the Jimmy Rodgers Show. After several years of appearances in Europe, Duncan was discovered by Lawrence Welk’s personal manager, Sam Lutz.
After appearing as a guest on the show, Lawrence Welk offered Duncan a permanent spot as a member of his musical family.
Duncan gained fame as the first African American performer on the popular Lawrence Welk Show. Duncan danced and sang on the show from 1964 to the show’s finale in 1982.
Besides his solo number on the show, he teamed up with Bobby Burgess and Jack Imel in performing popular dance routines. See Clip.
After the Lawrence Welk Show finale in 1982, Duncan has appeared in several television shows such as Diagnosis Murder, Columbo, The Betty White Show and many more. He also appeared with Red Skelton, Sammy Davis Jr., Gregory Hines, Jerry Lewis, Dick Van Dyke, Tommy Tune, Lionel Hampton and much more.
He was featured in the Challenge scene in the movie TAP – 1989 with Harold Nicholas, Jimmy Slyde, Steve Condos, Bunny Briggs, Pat Rico, Sandman Sims, Henry LeTang, Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr.
He continues to be a major force as a Tap Master on the Tap Festival scene Nationally and Internationally, among an enormous busy schedule.
Duncan has received the 2004 Flo-Bert Award of Lifetime Achievement of Tap Artistry, in New York City, and the 2005 Living Treasure in American Dance Award from the Oklahoma City University and an honorary doctorate was presented to him in Spring 2008. Also receiving the Gregory Hines Humanitarian Award from the Gabriella Axelrad Education Foundation for his work with the Inner City Kids’ Non-Profit Dance Program.
By Tap Legacy
The Challenge scene from the 1989 film TAP.
Dancing in order of appearance, Henry LeTang On Piano, Arthur Duncan, Bunny Briggs, Jimmy Slyde, Steve Condos, Harold Nicholas, Pat Rico and Sandman are the hurdle that Harold Nicholas jumps over, Sandman Sims, Sammy Davis Jr. with Gregory Hines.
A Historic Moment for the Art of Tap Dance.
Enjoy the Real Form….
By Tap Legacy
To all dancers, dance enthusiasts and tap dancers, join us in celebrating the Birthday of Mable Lee Queen of the Soundies today 08/02/1921.
she began performing at the age of 4 in her hometown of Atlanta, Georgia and became a soloist with the Red McAlister Band by the age of nine.
As a teenager, Ms. Lee came to New York City where she worked in the chorus line of the West End Theatre followed by that of the Apollo Theatre before being given a spot as a soubrette, a featured soloist with a line of girls behind her. Mable toured with big bands led by the likes of Cab Calloway, Eubie Blake, Louis Jordan, Fats Waller, Lucky Milinder and many more.
During World War II, Mable performed in the first all-black USO unit, conducted by Eubie Blake and his sixteen-piece orchestra, and would later take her own show, complete with chorus line and band, out with the USO.
From 1942-1946, Mable Lee appeared in over 100 SOUNDIES, earning her the title, Queen of the Soundies.
Ms. Lee has also made her mark in theatre starring in Eubie Blake’s Shuffle Along, the national touring production of Bubblin’ Brown Sugar, and AMAS Repertory Theatre’s production of Suddenly the Music Starts – alongside Harold Nicholas. She was also the only female member of the cast of The Hoofers, which opened at the Mercury Theatre and included such luminaries as Lon Chaney, Chuck Green, Jimmy Slyde, Sandman Sims, and Buster Brown, among others.
Ms. Lee has received the Flo-Bert Award for lifetime achievement, has been inducted in the Tap Dance Hall of Fame and is a member of the Tap Legacy™ Honorary Board. She was nominated for an Audelco Award for Outstanding Musical Performance in Suddenly the Music Starts, received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and has been on the cover of Ebony Magazine.
Mable Lee can be found performing today at the Tap Extravaganza®, and other tap dance events.
By Tap Legacy
The clip starts with the famous scene of Sammy in his first onscreen appearance in the 1933 Vitaphone short Rufus Jones for President.
The second part of the clip is a Historical moment Motown returns to the Apollo Theatre.
Do have a glimpse while listening to their clarity, style, class, and Rhythmic Musicality, How they did it.
Sammy Davis Jr.. Dr. Bunny Briggs, Charles ‘Chuck’ Green, Gregg Burge, Ludie Jones, Dr. Jimmy Slyde, Howard ‘Sandman’ Sims & Harold Nicholas.
Again, Yes, That’s where it is at…