Sportin' Life : John W. Bubbles, An American Classic

著者名：Harker, Brian

Oxford University Press（2021/12/28発売）

• 言語：ENG
• ISBN：9780197514511
• eISBN：9780197514535

Description

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 theater audiences for more than thirty 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. Finally, after a massive stroke ended his dancing career, he made a second comebackcomplete with acclaimed performances from his wheelchairas a living legend inspiring a new generation of entertainers. His biggest obstacle was the same one blocking the path of every other Black performer of his time: unrelenting, institutionalized racism. Yet Bubbles was an entertainer of the old school, fierce and indestructible. In this compelling and deeply researched biography, his dramatic story is told for the first time.

Table of Contents

TimelineIntroductionPart I: Prodigy (1903-1920)Chapter 1: Words to Live ByChapter 2: The Soul of MinstrelsyChapter 3: Buck and BubblesPart II: Innovator (1920-1931)Chapter 4: A Find of FindsChapter 5: ReinventionChapter 6: Beautiful DaysChapter 7: Dancing in the DarkChapter 8: AloneChapter 9: Dreams FulfilledPart III: Master (1931-1953)Chapter 10: Jazz, Jazz, JazzChapter 11: A Miracle of Racy BrillianceChapter 12: Swing Is KingChapter 13: Black BizetChapter 14: Requiem for a Two-ActPart IV: Survivor (1953-1986)Chapter 15: ExileChapter 16: Turn Back the UniverseChapter 17: Bubbles Bounces Back!Chapter 18: This Unforgettable PassageChapter 19: A World of MirthAcknowledgmentsNotesWorks CitedIndex