June Carter Cash
Musical Monikers
Madonna
Justin Bieber
My Ghost Story
I Survived
Babe Ruth
Johnny Cash
Georgia O'Keefe
I Survived
Quick Facts
- NAME: Bill "Bojangles" Robinson
- OCCUPATION: Film Actor, Dancer
- BIRTH DATE: May 25, 1878
- DEATH DATE: November 25, 1949
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Richmond, Virginia
- PLACE OF DEATH: New York, New York
- Originally: Luther Robinson
- Nickname: "Bojangles"
- Full Name: Bill Robinson
- AKA: Bill "Bojangles" Robinson
Best Known For
Bill "Bojangles" Robinson was an iconic African-American tap dancer and actor best known for his Broadway performances and film roles.
Videos see all videos
-
Alvin Ailey - Revelations (3:06)
Alvin Ailey - Revelations
Alvin Ailey choreographed “Revelations” when he was just 29 years old. The ballet premiered on January 31st, 1960 and has become a masterpiece of American dance. Video courtesy of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
Quiz
Think you know about Biography?
Answer questions and see how you rank against other players.
Play NowBill Robinson. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 04:51, May 24, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/bill-bojangles-robinson-9460594.
Bill Robinson. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/bill-bojangles-robinson-9460594 [Accessed 24 May 2013].
"Bill Robinson." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 24 2013, 04:51 http://www.biography.com/people/bill-bojangles-robinson-9460594.
"Bill Robinson," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/bill-bojangles-robinson-9460594 [accessed May 24, 2013].
"Bill Robinson," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/bill-bojangles-robinson-9460594 (accessed May 24, 2013).
Bill Robinson [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 24] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/bill-bojangles-robinson-9460594.
Bill Robinson, http://www.biography.com/people/bill-bojangles-robinson-9460594 (last visited May 24, 2013).
Bill Robinson. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/bill-bojangles-robinson-9460594. Accessed May 24, 2013.
Synopsis
Broadway legend Bill "Bojangles" Robinson was born Luther Robinson in Richmond, Virginia, on May 25, 1878. Robinson started his career as a vaudeville performer, transitioning to Broadway and to Hollywood films in the 1930s and 1940s. His delicate tap-dance style and cheerful demeanor made Robinson a favorite of both black and white audiences. He died in New York City on November 25, 1949.
Quotes
"Everything is copacetic."
Early Life
Bill "Bojangles" Robinson was born Luther Robinson in Richmond, Virginia, on May 25, 1878. His father, Maxwell, worked in a machine shop, while his mother, Maria, was a choir singer. After both of his parents died in 1885, Robinson was raised by his grandmother, Bedilia, who had been a slave earlier in her life. According to Robinson, he used physical force to compel his brother, Bill, to switch names with him, since he did not care for his given name of Luther. Additionally, as a young man, he earned the nickname "Bojangles" for his contentious tendencies.
Dancing and Acting Career
At the age of 5, Robinson began dancing for a living, performing in local beer gardens. In 1886, at the age of 9, he joined Mayme Remington's touring troupe. In 1891, he joined a traveling company, later performing as a vaudeville act. He achieved great success as a nightclub and musical-comedy performer. At this stage of his career, he performed almost exclusively in black theaters before black audiences.
In 1908, Robinson met Marty Forkins, who became his manager. Forkins urged Robinson to develop his solo act in nightclubs. Robinson took a break from performance to serve as a rifleman in World War I. Along with fighting in the trenches, Robinson was also a drum major who led the regimental band up Fifth Avenue upon the regiment's return from Europe.
In 1928, he starred on Broadway in the hugely successful musical revue Blackbirds of 1928, which featured his famous "stair dance." Blackbirds was a revue starring African-American performers, intended for white audiences. The show was a breakthrough for Robinson. He became well known as "Bojangles," which connoted a cheerful and happy-go-lucky demeanor for his white fans, despite the nearly polar-opposite meaning of the nickname in the black community. His catchphrase, "Everything's copacetic," reinforced Robinson's sunny disposition. Although he worked regularly as an actor, Robinson was best known for his tap-dance routines. He pioneered a new form of tap, shifting from a flat-footed style to a light, swinging style that focused on elegant footwork.
Robinson's fame withstood the decline of African-American revues. He starred in 14 Hollywood motion pictures, many of them musicals, and played multiple roles opposite the child star Shirley Temple. His film credits include Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, The Little Colonel and Stormy Weather, co-starring Lena Horne and Cab Calloway. Despite his fame, Robinson was not able to transcend the narrow range of stereotypical roles written for black actors at the time. By accepting these roles, Robinson was able to maintain steady employment and remain in the public eye.
profile name: Bill "Bojangles" Robinson profile occupation:
Your Connections
Sign in with Facebook to see how you and your friends are connected to famous icons.
Profile Connections
Included In These Groups
-
Famous Harlem Residents
View groupAfter the Civil War, many of the country's best and brightest black advocates, artists, entrepreneurs and intellectuals moved to the New York City neighborhood of Harlem. Thanks largely to the efforts of these residents, Harlem became both the cradle of a cultural revolution and the heart of the civil rights movement. Meet some of the many people who gave—and continue to give—this neighborhood a voice, simply by calling it home.
Famous Harlem Residents 62 people in this group
-
Apollo Legends
View groupMany African-Americans made their name performing at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, including Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown and Jimi Hendrix. The roster of talented artists who made their careers after a successful amateur night at the Apollo grew so large, that the venue earned a reputation as the place to jump-start the career of an ambitious hopeful. Other performers, like Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson, came to the theater after experiencing big professional success, adding further credibility to the historic New York concert hall. Explore the biographies of some of the more notable African-Americans who stepped out onto the Apollo stage, making entertainment history.
Apollo Legends 25 people in this group
-
African-American Biopics
View groupWho can forget Angela Bassett as Tina Turner or Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles? Do you remember who played Billie Holiday? Or who Beyoncé performed as in the film Cadillac Records? More recent African-American biopics include the Lifetime original movie Betty & Coretta (2013), starring Angela Bassett as Coretta Scott King and Mary J. Blige as Betty Shabazz, and The Butler (2013), starring Forest Whitaker and based on the life of Eugene Allen.
View our photos of African-American biopics to compare these famous figures to the actors and actresses who have portrayed them.
African-American Biopics 39 people in this group
