Fayard Nicholas Biography (1914-)

Full name, Fayard Antonio Nicholas; born October 20, 1914, in Mobile, AL; sonof Ulysses Domonick (a drummer and orchestra leader) and Viola (a piano player and orchestra leader; maiden name, Harden) Nicholas; brother of Harold Nicholas (a dancer with whom he formed the Nicholas Brothers); married GeraldinePate, January, 1942 (divorced, c. 1955); married Lee Braton (an attorney; marriage ended); married Barbara January, September 17, 1967 (died March 7, 1998); married Katherine Hopkins (an entertainer and yoga instructor), 2000; children: (first marriage) Anthony Fayard, Paul Didier; (third marriage) Nina. Addresses: Contact: c/o 2109 South Wilbur Ave., Walla Walla, WA 99362.

Gender: Male
Occupation: Dancer, choreographer, actor, singer
Birth Details: October 20, 1914; Mobile, Alabama

Famous Works

CREDITS
Film Appearances
with Harold Nicholas
(Uncredited) Pie, Pie Blackbird (short film), Vitaphone, 1932
(Uncredited) Kid Millions, Samuel Goldwyn, 1934
An All-Colored Vaudeville Show (short; also known as All Colored Vaudeville), Vitaphone, 1935
Dot, The Big Broadcast of 1936, Paramount, 1935
Coronado, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1936
The Black Network (short film), Vitaphone, 1936
My American Wife, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1936
Calling All Stars, British Lion, 1937
(Uncredited) Down Argentine Way, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1940
Tin Pan Alley, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1940
The Great American Broadcast, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1941
Sun Valley Serenade, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1941
Orchestra Wives, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1942
Stormy Weather, 1943
Take It or Leave It, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1944
Dixieland Jamboree (short film), Vitaphone, 1946
The Pirate, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1948
Botta e Riposta, 1951
El Mensaje de la muerte, 1952
(Archive footage) That's Entertainment!, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1974
That's Dancing!, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1985
(Archive footage) That's Black Entertainment, 1990

Benny, The Liberation of L. B. Jones, Columbia, 1970
Tapdancin', 1981
Dancer, Janet Jackson: The Rhythm Nation Compilation, 1990
Dancer, Janet Jackson: Design of a Decade 1986/1996, 1996
Himself, I Used to Be in Pictures (documentary), Astoria Productions, 2000
A Night at the Golden Eagle, 2000
Stage Appearances; with Harold Nicholas
(Broadway debut) Ziegfeld Follies, 1936
Blackbirds (also known as The Blackbirds of 1936 and LewLeslie's Blackbirds), West End production, London, 1936
Babes in Arms, Broadway production, 1937
St. Louis Woman, Martin Beck Theatre, New York City, 1946
Sammy on Broadway, Broadway production, 1974
Major Tours
with Harold Nicholas
Blackbirds (also known as The Blackbirds of 1936 and LewLeslie's Blackbirds), U.K. cities, c. 1930s.
The Tap Dance Kid, U.S. cities, 1985-1986
Stage Work
(With Cholly Atkins, Henry LeTang, and Frankie Manning) Choreographer, Black and Blue, Minskoff Theatre, New York City, 1989-1991
Television Appearances
Specials
The American Film Institute Salute to Gene Kelly, CBS, 1985
The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 1987
The 43rd Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1989
America's Dance Honors (also known as America's Dance Awards), ABC, 1990
The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 1991
The Nicholas Brothers: We Sing and We Dance (documentary), Arts and Entertainment, 1992
The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 1992
(Archive footage) Vaudeville: An "American Masters" Special (documentary), PBS, 1997
Himself, It's Black Entertainment, Showtime, 2000
Television Work
Episodic
Choreographer, "Black and Blue," Great Performances, PBS, 1993
Radio Appearances
with Harold Nicholas
The Horn and Hardart Kiddie Hour, 1930

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

Contemporary Black Biography, Volume 20, Gale Group, 1998
Hall, Constance Valis, Brotherhood in Rhythm: The Jazz Tap Dancing ofthe Nicholas Brothers, Oxford University Press, 2000

Periodicals

Dance Magazine, April, 1995, p. 40

Electronic

Fayard Nicholas Official Website, http://www. icholasbrothers.com

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