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Sportin' life : John W. Bubbles, an American classic / Brian Harker.
- Format:
- Book
- Author/Creator:
- Harker, Brian, author.
- Series:
- Oxford cultural biographies.
- Oxford scholarship online.
- Oxford cultural biographies
- Oxford scholarship online
- Language:
- English
- Subjects (All):
- Tap dancing.
- African American entertainers.
- Bubbles, John W.
- United States.
- Genre:
- Biographies.
- Physical Description:
- 1 online resource (329 pages)
- Place of Publication:
- New York, New York : Oxford University Press, [2022]
- Summary:
- John W. Bubbles was the ultimate song-and-dance man. A groundbreaking tap dancer, he provided inspiration to Fred Astaire, Eleanor Powell, and the Nicholas Brothers. His vaudeville team Buck and Bubbles captivated theatre audiences for more than 30 years. Most memorably, in the role of 'Sportin' Life' he stole the show in the original production of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, in the process crafting a devilish alter ego that would follow him through life. Coming of age with the great jazz musicians, he shared countless stages with the likes of Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, and Ella Fitzgerald. Some of his disciples believed his rhythmic ideas had a formative impact on jazz itself. In later years he made a comeback as a TV personality, revving up the talk shows of Steve Allen and Johnny Carson and playing comic foil to Bob Hope, Judy Garland, and Lucille Ball.
- Contents:
- cover
- Half title
- Series
- Sportin' Life
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Contents
- Foreword
- Chronology
- Introduction
- PART I: PRODIGY (1903- 1920)
- 1. Words to Live By
- 2. The Soul of Minstrelsy
- 3. Buck and Bubbles
- PART II: INNOVATOR (1920- 1931)
- 4. A Find of Finds
- 5. Reinvention
- 6. Beautiful Days
- 7. Dancing in the Dark
- 8. Alone
- 9. Dreams Fulfilled
- PART III: MASTER (1931- 1953)
- 10. Jazz, Jazz, Jazz
- 11. A Miracle of Racy Brilliance
- 12. Swing Is King
- 13. Black Bizet
- 14. Requiem for a Two-Act
- Part IV: Survivor (1953-1986)
- 15. Exile
- 16. Turn Back the Universe
- 17. Bubbles Bounces Back!
- 18. This Unforgettable Passage
- 19. A World of Mirth
- Acknowledgments
- Notes
- Works Cited
- Index
- 01_9780197514511_Index.pdf.
- Notes:
- Also issued in print: 2022.
- Includes bibliographical references and index.
- Description based on print version record.
- ISBN:
- 0-19-751453-7
- 0-19-751454-5
- 0-19-751452-9
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