Sportin' life : John W. Bubbles, an American classic / Brian Harker.

9780197514542 (ebook) :

New York, NY : Oxford University Press, [2022]

©2022

1 online resource (xii, 314 pages) : illustrations (black and white, and colour).

Access is available to the Yale community.

Access restricted by licensing agreement.

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.

Oxford scholarship online.

Print version :

Books / Online

English

November 07, 2022

Includes bibliographical references and index.