Bill Robinson

Tap dancer and entertainer

• Born: May 25, 1878
• Birthplace: Richmond, Virginia
• Died: November 25, 1949
• Place of death: New York, New York

Robinson was a tap dancer extraordinaire and frequent dancing partner of child actor Shirley Temple. In the first half of the twentieth century, Robinson, also a singer and joke teller, became famous for his vaudeville shows. He delivered both stage and film entertainment that enthralled his audiences.

Early Life

William Robinson was born Luther Robinson in Richmond, Virginia, in 1878. One of three children, Robinson was the son of Maxwell, a machine-shop worker, and Maria Robinson, a singer and choir director. After the death of both parents, Robinson and his brother Bill became dependents of their paternal grandmother, Bedilia Robinson. Their grandmother, a former slave and devout Baptist, opposed gambling, dancing, and swearing. Robinson, who disliked his own given name, boldly took his brother Bill’s name as his own.

When Robinson was young, he teamed up with Lemmuel “Eggie” Eggleston to dance and sing on street corners and in beer gardens. Robinson soon became known by the nickname “Bojangles.” Several different explanations have been given for this moniker; one school of thought holds that the nickname reflects Robinson’s happy-go-lucky persona, while another common theory is that Robinson was known as a “jangler” or “squabbler,” someone who is contentious and known for verbal sparring. A third widely held theory is that the name derives from that of hatmaker Lion J. Boujasson.

In 1890, Robinson hopped aboard a freight train to Washington, D.C., and obtained a job as a stable boy at Benning Race Track. His first professional entertainment job was as a pickaninny or “pick” in The South Before the War, a traveling show featuring Mayme Remington. When he outgrew his role, Robinson enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as a rifleman for two years. After completing his service, in 1900 Robinson traveled to New York and partnered with another singer-dancer, Theodore Miller. The duo was best known for their singing. Robinson’s participation in a buck-and-wing (tap with arm movement) dance contest sponsored by the Old Kentucky dance troupe in Brooklyn, New York, gained him greater distinction. Robinson challenged superstar tap dancer Harry Swinton to a dancing contest and won. Over the next couple of years, Robinson danced with several different partners, including Lula Brown and Johnny Juniper.

Life’s Work

From 1902 to 1914, Robinson paired up with vaudeville dancer and comedian George W. Cooper. At the time, Cooper was one of the few African American entertainers to participate in the mostly white vaudeville acts. Pairing with Cooper gave Robinson an opportunity to work in vaudeville, too. Robinson initially played the part of a fool or clown in the duo. It was not the best use of his talent, but the team was well received, and Robinson gained more public exposure. On November 14, 1907, Robinson married Lena Chase. Four months later, Robinson was arrested, wrongfully charged with armed robbery, sentenced to eleven to fifteen years in prison, then acquitted during a second trial. After his short jail term, Robinson joined Cooper on the Keith Circuit, touring most of the major cities in the North. Robinson’s professional role developed over this time; he met Marty Forkins, who became his agent, and he earned the right to incorporate dance into his partnership act.

While his dance career advanced, Robinson’s personal life suffered. Although he performed on the Keith Circuit, race restrictions created difficulties with traveling and lodging. He legally carried a gun and found it advantageous to befriend police officers. Robinson cultivated a smiling, charming stage persona, but in reality he was quick to anger and addicted to gambling. Robinson and Cooper parted ways in 1914; he and Lena separated in 1915.

Robinson commenced his solo career in Chicago, where he performed and gave dance lessons. In 1917-1918, during World War I, he entertained U.S. troops heading overseas. In 1919, Robinson appeared at New York’s Palace Theater, where he introduced his famous staircase dance. Robinson, billed as “The Dark Cloud of Joy,” soon joined the Orpheum Circuit. He divorced Lena in 1922 and married Fannie Clay shortly afterward. Robinson toured Europe in 1926.

At the age of fifty, Robinson finally earned Broadway acclaim singing and dancing to “Doin’ the New Low Down” in Blackbirds of 1928. Soon thereafter he settled in Harlem. Robinson’s success in Blackbirds was followed by other Broadway performances including Brown Buddies (1930), Blackbirds of 1933, Hot Mikado (1939), All in Fun (1940), and Memphis Bound (1945). During this period, Robinson also performed in films, including Hello, Bill (1929), Harlem Is Heaven (1933), King for a Day (1934), Hooray for Love (1935), Cotton Club Revue (1938), By an Old Southern River (1941), Let’s Shuffle (1941), and Stormy Weather (1943). He danced in four additional films opposite Shirley Temple. In June, 1943, Fannie divorced Robinson. He married Elaine Plaines on January 27, 1944.

On October 5, 1930, Robinson was accidentally shot in the arm while coming to the aid of a victim of a purse snatcher. In 1933, he was named the honorary mayor of Harlem. During the mid-1930’s, Robinson performed at the Cotton Club, a famous New York nightclub that sometimes invited well-respected black entertainers to join the performances given to white audiences. In 1937, Robinson was named the honorary president of the Negro Actors’ Guild.

As his reputation as a dancer grew, Robinson acquired a generous income and was very charitable with his earnings. He also performed at benefits, including fund-raisers for the families of slain New York police officers and firefighters and for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Ironically, Robinson suffered a major heart attack while at a benefit for the American Heart Association. He died a year and a half later, on November 25, 1949, in New York City. Schools were closed and thousands of people came to Harlem to honor Robinson at his funeral services. Irving Berlin and Ed Sullivan were honorary pallbearers. Robinson died in near poverty, but his dancing became legendary.

Significance

Although Robinson had little formal education, he developed a dancing style, showmanship, and charisma that led him to become a renowned entertainer. Despite his happy-go-lucky persona, he struggled with racial prejudice and personal demons. He was beloved for his stair dance, competitive spirit, wooden tap shoes, charitable work, and performing opposite Temple. However, his arrogance, gambling, and willingness to play stereotypical roles diminished his standing.

Bibliography

Emery, Lynne Fauley. Black Dance from 1619 to Today. 2d rev. ed. Princeton, N.J.: Dance Horizons Book, 1988. Covers African American dance forms, dancers, and choreographers from the slave trade to the 1980’s.

Glass, Barbara S. African American Dance: An Illustrated History. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 2007. Provides information on Robinson’s history, legal trouble, and dance steps.

Haskins, James, and N. R. Mitang. Mr. Bojangles: The Biography of Bill Robinson, New York: Welcome Rain, 2000. Chronicles the life and times of Robinson.

Richardson, Ben. Great American Negroes. Revised by William A. Fahey. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, 1956. Offers a good overview of Robinson’s life including some interesting trivia.