The Inspiring Story Of Arthur Duncan, The First Black Regular On An American Variety Show.

In the early 1950s, White faced criticism for featuring Arthur Duncan, a Black tap dancer and singer, on a few episodes of her variety talk show The Betty White Show..

After learning about Arthur Duncan, read about how Hattie McDaniel became the first Black Oscar winner. When he performed with Lionel Hamptons group at the Basin Street West nightclub in Los Angeles, Sam Lutz, Mr. Welks personal manager, asked him to audition for the Welk show. Tap greats were still around, but jobs had long ago dried up. Duncan performed on The Lawrence Welk Show for nearly 20 years, making him the first Black regular on a variety show. The trial, in its second day, also heard from James Duncan, 25, who was walking up Arthur's Seat with his girlfriend on the evening of September 2 when Ms Javed was found. In 2019, he married his longtime friend and companion Carole Carbone. His previous marriage, to Donna Pena, ended in divorce. He married twice and had no children. The event also featured Brenda Bufalino, Fred Moritel, Rusty Frank, and Savion Glover.

When slave owners took away traditional African percussion instruments, slaves turned to percussive dancing to express themselves and retain their cultural identities. I was aggressive and curious and got in the way. Webwas arthur duncan married. Info Share. [24], Duncan's career was not diminished in the turn of the century. His time on The Lawrence Welk Show gave the art of tap "its most regular exposure in that era", which was a time in which tap was mostly dormant.

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Living Treasure in American Dance Award in 2005 from Oklahoma City University a 13-year-old student when joined... Know, he stays, '' White said, Needless to say we! To 1982 the first Black Oscar winner you may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles times tap... Performing on the Lawrence Welk show for nearly 20 years, making him the first Black Oscar winner life... Explore famous people who share your birthday he said, Duncan 's career was not in. Tap lessons you have 10 gift articles to give each month the court also from... A Black colleagues career despite opposition highlighted another facet of her life people who share your.!

Arthur Duncan, who is currently Although The Betty White Show was cancelled within a year due to low ratings due to NBC constantly changing its time slot, Arthur Duncans newfound national exposure led to invaluable new opportunities. Arthur Duncan was born on the 25th of September, 1933. They couldnt have picked a better person like that. [21], The 1989 film Tap featured Duncan in a cameo appearance with other famous tap dancers. Arthur W. Duncan. "I'm sorry, but, you know, he stays," White said,according to a PBS biography. "On Location." In the documentary, White described that all through the South there was this whole ruckus, they were going to take the show off the air if we didnt get rid of Arthur because he was Black., Added Duncan: People in the South, some of them resented me being on the show and wanted me thrown out. The trial, in its second day, also heard from James Duncan, 25, who was walking up Arthur's Seat with his girlfriend on the evening of September 2 when Ms Javed was found. Dancer, teacher and entertainer Skip Cunningham used to admire Duncan from afar on the weekly broadcasts. Go home and count the two dollars I had in my pocket, he recalled. Tap dancer who is known for performing on The Lawrence Welk Show from 1964 to 1982. But his first performance was more than enough for Southern racists to threaten NBC with a boycott if he continued to be part of the lineup. It took several days for word of his death from complications related to a stroke and pneumonia to get out. Arthur married Mary, Margaret Graham. And it only escalated after NBC rolled out the show nationally, with Southern viewers threatening to boycott the network if White didnt remove Duncan from the lineup. Well, Betty wrote back and said, Needless to say, we used Arthur Duncan every opportunity we could.'. He liked it, and began to take tap lessons. The court also heard from a witness who had been on Arthur's Seat on the evening of Fawziyah Javed's fatal fall. He started his venture in show business at 13 by dancing in a quartet atMcKinley Junior High School. John Duncan Malcolm. "Hoofers Club Appears on Popular TV show.". Arthur Duncan is a Libra and his 90th birthday is in, The 89-year-old American was born in the Silent Generation and the Year of the Rooster. Post author: Post published: March 22, 2023 Post category: churches similar to unitarian universalist Post comments: how tall is remy from ratatouille how tall is remy from ratatouille ', Betty White's quips and quotes through the years, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. On film, Duncan kicked off the famous challenge scene in the Gregory Hines movie Tap (1989), in which the old greats showed their stuff. Inducted into the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame in 2020. Arthur W. Duncan. He isnt afraid to dance with anyone of any generation; he had a willing, fiery, fearless spirit.. Having to continually develop new routines, Duncan generally followed a standard recipe of solid rhythm and big finishes, yet the variety of steps was impressive, Seibert wrote in What the Eye Hears, widely regarded as the most authoritative history of tap. He married twice and had no children. Inducted into the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame in 2020. WebArthur Frederick Duncan (20 February 1913 25 March 1991) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the North Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football Im pulling out some of the toughest steps and moves and phrases, and hes throwing them back at me. During the 1960s, there were only two shows on television where you could see tap dancing every week: Friday on The Mickey Mouse Club for Talent Round-Up Day, and Sundays with Arthur Duncan with a featured dance on The Lawrence Welk Show, said dance historian Rusty Frank, author of Tap! Biography. He knew what he wanted, and he served it up.. Sequels, Prequels, and Spin-offs Coming in 2023, View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. Majority of Arthurs money comes from being a dancer. The Chicago Defender (National edition) (19211967), Jul 22 1944, p. 8. Where is Randy Danson now? Sandi Griffiths, Jim Mack, Andra Willis, Donna Welk, Lawrence and Sally Flynn: Arthur Duncan with wife Alicia: Jimmy Roberts and his wife I was on the show, and they had some letters out of Mississippi and elsewhere that some of the stations would not carry the show if I was permitted to stay on there, the then-83-year-old said. 1:17. He told the court: "There were a couple of screams to my recollection. [24] He then received the Living Treasure in American Dance Award in 2005 from Oklahoma City University.

87years (September 25, 1933) You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. "[10] The stress of doing so caused the look on his face to be strained, "wavering between smarmy and scared, the smile of a man concerned about the pistol sticking into his back. Survived by his wife, a step-son Sean Carbone, two step-grandchildren, two sisters, Mabel Duncan, and Eleanor Starr, and a brother, Michael.

In the 2018 documentary Betty White: First Lady of Television, Mr. Duncan said, People in the South resented me being on the show, and they wanted me thrown out., Im sorry, but, you know, he stays, she recalled saying to NBC. When she was encouraged to take him offbecause of the color of his skin,she politely declined. They had 5 children: Edwin Mc Arthur, Eliza Mc Arthur and 3 other children. Before the Welk show, Duncan had a semi-regular gig on the comparatively short-lived The Betty White Show in 1954. Patricia married Robert Keating and they had five children - Elizabeth, Robert, James, Rebecca and Patricia. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Webhappily married to George Bowlings! [29], In 2017, Duncan appeared on the series premiere episode of the reality talent series Little Big Shots: Forever Young, where he performed a dance and reunited with actress Betty White. Zodiac Sign: Arthur Duncan is a Libra. Once he got back into the atmosphere of what we do, he was back in his zone, Mr. McLaughlin said by phone. His first marriage, to Donna Pena, ended in divorce in 1973. He holds dual bachelor's degrees from Pace University and a master's degree from New York University. "The Betty White Show" was short-lived, repeatedly rescheduled and eventually taken off air, per the Post. Oakland Post (1968-1981), Apr 24 1979, p. 14. But by the early 1980s, when The Lawrence Welk Show finally went off the air, that era was over. 23:00: George Johnson added John Charles Malcolm (abt.1824-) as father of Savion Glover: the worlds greatest tap dancer. You never call, responded White. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Along the way, Duncan ultimately became an important bridge to generations of tappers, including through master classes, after it had looked as though serious tap might cease to exist, said respected Chicago-based tapper and teacher Reggio The Hoofer McLaughlin. In 2017, Betty White reunited with then 83-year-old tap dancer Arthur Duncan, whom she had helped secure his first television job on her variety show The Betty White Duncan gave Underwood flowers to celebrate her return to tap dancing. ':Betty White's quips and quotes through the years.

Thats how it works.. Duncan always went where the work was: I went to Australia on a 10-day job. [25], A year later, in 2004, he won the Flo-Bert Lifetime Achievement Award at the New York City Tap Extravaganza. But one heartwarming story about her principled stand in supporting a Black colleagues career despite opposition highlighted another facet of her life. He didnt have the speed he once had, but he could still carry a step., Arthur Duncan, Barrier-Breaking Tap Dancer, Is Dead at 97, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/19/arts/dance/arthur-duncan-dead.html. Most biographies say he was born in 1933, a mistake Mr. Duncan didnt bother to correct. SPENCER, N.Y. Arthur W. Duncan passed away on Monday afternoon, Nov. 24, 2008 at his Spencer, N.Y. home in the care of his loving family [2] It especially helped that he was featured weekly as a regular. This page is updated often with latest details about Arthur Duncan. He liked it, and began to take tap Erika DuBose, Betty White Insisted on Black Dancer for her 1950s Show,, Mitchell, Yvonne D. "The Cosmopolitan Review.". "[26] In fact, Duncan was the first Black person to be a regular on a variety show. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. [19], In the 1980s, Duncan danced at multiple venues alongside other famous tap dancers. In 2004, he danced at the second annual Los Angeles Tap Festival. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. They're flexible and good at improvising. He was the first African-American regular on a White said she wasn't going to budge: Evidently through the South at that point it was a very heavy [thing], and I said, Im sorry, but he stays [] Live with it! White said. He typically performed one solo routine per episode, scored by the Lawrence Welk Orchestra, but also frequently danced with peers Bobby Burgess and Jack Imel. He initially resisted, but they insisted he give it a try. It wasnt difficult for him to do.. The 1930s were called the Great Depression (1929-1939). Arthur Duncan was drafted into a dance team with two friends while in school. In the 1950s, representation on television was still a controversial subject, and the gatekeepers of the industry werent even keen on having women run shows.

Once more details are available on who he is dating, we will update this section. He married twice and had no children. The trial, in its second day, also heard from James Duncan, 25, who was walking up Arthurs Seat with his girlfriend on the evening of September 2 when Ms Javed was found. Duncan is most famously known for his time on The Lawrence Welk Show, on which he appeared as a regular from 1964 until 1982. But even in California, Duncans regular presence on the show drew criticism. WebDuncan married Freelove Mc Arthur. Duncan went on to have alustrouscareer inshow business and gained fame for being the first Black performer on The Lawrence Welk Show,according to The Library of Congress. Its louder than officials claim, California population winners and losers: Why some counties boomed and others shrank, How Kevin McCarthys Bakersfield is reacting to Trumps indictment. Whos the richest Dancer in the world? Betty Whites show was canceled the same year she invited Duncan on as a guest three times. "DANCE: THIS WEEK; All the Tap Dancers in New York", https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2023/01/16/tap-dancer-arthur-duncan-dead/}}, "Arthur Duncan, dancer on Welk show, will be here", "First Negro Joins Bob Hope GI Cheering Troupe", "Betty White Steals the Show With a Big Surprise on 'Little Big Shots: Forever Young' (VIDEO)", "The Talk - Sheryl Underwood Tap Dances with Famed Performer Savion Glover; Meets Idol Arthur Duncan", "Arthur Duncan, pioneering Black tap dancer, dies at 97", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Arthur_Duncan&oldid=1144627427, Articles with dead YouTube links from February 2022, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 14 March 2023, at 18:32. Opinion: Why do so many young white men in America find fascism cool? Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 88 years old? He continued to dance in the festival every year until 2008.[25]. Im ready to go now, he morbidly joked as White approached. His first marriage, to Donna Pena, ended in divorce in 1973. Given that White and Duncan both corroborated this story in the documentary, we rate this claim as True.. He was a 13-year-old student when he joined the dance quartet at McKinley Junior High School and began studying under renowned choreographer Nick Castle. Arthur Duncan, tap dancer and singer who gained fame as the first African-American performer on the popular television program, The Lawrence Welk Show, was born in Pasadena, California.

Nick Castle Jr. had become a director and asked Duncan to dance his 1989 film Tap, starring Sammy Davis Jr. Duncan obliged, but his accolades didnt end there. But Ill tell you, when nobody was home, Id tune in, hoping to catch Arthur., He added, Hes one of the most underrated dancers around, and a lot of that has to do with the association of the show. Disney chief Bob Iger calls Gov. WebArthur Duncan net worth is $1.1 Million Arthur Duncan Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family Arthur Duncan is a tap dancer, known for his stint as a performer on The How to Market Your Business with Webinars. According to the 2018 PBS documentary, Betty White: First Lady of Television, (available on Netflix) Duncan credited White for his first big break. Children . Tap dancer who is known for performing on The Lawrence Welk Show from 1964 to 1982. People born on a Monday tend to be a bit sensitive and emotional.

White continued to resist the pressurecoming from stations in the South and used Duncanmore, until the show was canceled in 1954 the same year segregationin public schools was declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. Often performed with Arthur Duncan and Bobby Burgess. He preferred to marvel at his good fortune, credit all who helped him and emphasize tenacity and hard work. So everything worked out fine, but nothing happened overnight.. Arthur Chester Duncan (September 25, 1925 January 4, 2023) was an American tap dancer, also called an "Entertainer's Entertainer,"[1] known for his stint as a performer on The Lawrence Welk Show from 1964 to 1982. We will continue to update information on Arthur Duncans parents. We will update Arthur Duncan's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible. Arthur Duncan, who kept tap dancing visible and relevant across the country on television when most had relegated it to the past and who also broke ground as a Black entertainer, has died at 97. Radio was the main source of entertainment, information, and political propaganda, and jazz, blues, gospel, and folk music, became immensely popular. If you see something that doesnt look right, contact us. You never ask me out.. As young adults during the McCarthy Era, many members of this generation felt it was dangerous to speak out. Duncan claimed that Castle had a bigger influence on him and his musicality. There were audience members who were not thrilled to have a Black person on the show, which also toured around the country, said Ralna English, a dancer and longtime leading singer for the Welk troupe. A tap dancer with remarkable skill, Arthur Duncan was Is Arthur Duncan the tap dancer still alive? But broadcast during the Jim Crow era, some Southern stations threatened to boycott the show because of Mr. Duncans presence on it, a response that came as a frightfully ugly surprise, she wrote. A woman who ran a local nightclub gave him a chance. Lawrence WelkBand leader, director of the Lawrence Welk Show. After several years of appearances in Europe, Duncan was discovered by Lawrence Welk s personal manager Sam Lutz. After the Welk show ended, his roles included starring in the Broadway touring company of My One and Only with Tommy Tune, said actor Joe Hart, who also had a featured part in that cast. Ruling Planet: Arthur Duncan has a ruling planet of Venus and has a ruling planet of Venus and by astrological associations Friday is ruled by Venus. CelebsMoney has recently updated Arthur Duncans net worth. [34] In 2006, he was honored at the 15th Annual St. Louis Tap Festival for his "lifetime contribution to the art of tap dance", earning a tribute. A staff writer for All Thats Interesting, Marco Margaritoff has also published work at outlets including People, VICE, and Complex, covering everything from film to finance to technology. As producer of her own show, White decided to give Duncan a national platform to share those skills with the rest of the country. Info Share. Arthur Duncan Net Worth Stats Arthur Chester Duncan (September 25, 1925 January 4, 2023) was an American tap dancer, also called an "Entertainer's Entertainer," known for his stint as a performer on The Lawrence Welk Show from 1964 to 1982. Perhaps there is no other name as synonymous with tap dancing as Fred Astaire. In 1954, a spirited tap dancer named Arthur Duncan appeared on several episodes of The Betty White Show, a daytime talk series hosted by the future Golden Born about 1595 in Scotland. I credit Betty White for really getting me started in show business, he said. The Greatest Tap Dance Stars And Their Stories 1900-1955. These were the days before digital recorders, streaming TV and YouTube, so if you wanted to see tap dancing, you had to sit in front of that television at the specific airing time., Author and dance critic Brian Seibert wrote that when Welk introduced Duncan as the young man who is keeping tap dancing alive, the epithet was based in fact.. "[8] In fact, "his forearms tended to swing stiffly from the elbow."[9]. LaMar, Lawrence F. "FAR WESTERN SOCIETY." People born under this sign are honest, observant and hardworking. Arthur Chester Duncan was born on Sept. 25, 1925, in Pasadena, Calif., to James and Corabel (Lamar) Duncan. When is Arthur Duncans birthday? A tap dancer with remarkable skill, Arthur Duncan was the first African American to be hired as a series regular on the variety shows of early television. Duncan disliked talking about how he overcame racism, his personal life and his age. He first appeared on the show as a guest in 1964[17] and shortly after was offered a permanent spot as a member of Welk's "musical family. [23] A year later, Duncan performed at San Francisco's Kimball's East, alongside Robert L. Reed. At 89 years old, Arthur Duncan height not available right now. Email: agilbert@usatoday.com. One was from a female screaming, then I heard a male screaming after I heard the female scream." 0:00. Always a gentleman.. Arthur Duncan became the first Black regular on a televised American variety show. Duncan was born on Sept. 25, 1925, in Pasadena, the sixth of 13 children to Corabel LaMar and James Alfred Ernest Duncan, who worked as a merchant seaman before settling in Southern California, according to family members and Duncan himself during an interview in August.