12/26/22 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: Be A Clown From The Pirate- Gene Kelly and The Nicholas Brothers

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In The Pirate (1948) both Gene Kelly and Judy Garland fought to get The Nicholas Brothers (Fayard Nicholas and Harold Nicholas) included in the movie. They succeeded, but the Be a Clown sequence was cut by exhibitors in Memphis and other U.S. cities in the South because it included The Nicholas Brothers, who were black.  Continue reading

8/31/20 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: Pie Pie Blackbird (1932) | Eubie Blake Nina Mae McKinney Nicholas Brothers

Pie Pie Blackbird, like a lot of classic shorts from the time is nothing more than an excuse to spotlight some great music from the period. Continue reading

5/17/19 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Nicholas Brothers- Lucky Number (1936)

The Black Network (1936) the all-black musical short starring Nina Mae McKinney and including this dance number with the Nicholas Brothers, a fifteen-year-old Harold and twenty-two-year-old Fayard Nicholas, perform the song Lucky Number.
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2/22/19 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: We Sing, We Dance- The Nicholas Brothers Story

We Sing, We Dance the Nicholas Brothers Story, a 1992 Arts and Entertainment documentary about the life of the Nicholas Brothers.  In addition to interviews of  Fayard and Harold Nicholas the documentary features Mikhail Baryshnikov, Cab Calloway, Hammer, Gregory Hines, Maurice Hines, Dorothy Nicholas, Morrow Clarke Peters, Leonard, Reed, Max Roach, and Bobby Short. Continue reading

4/22/21 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: The Nicholas Brothers and Dorothy Dandridge- Chattanooga Choo Choo (1941)

The Nicholas Brothers and Dorothy Dandridge dance in Chattanooga Choo Choo from the 1941 Sun Valley Serenade. The song was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song, and inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1996. Continue reading

Shall We Dance Friday: The Nicholas Brothers in “Jumpin Jive” from Stormy Weather

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The Nicholas Brothers were a famous African- American team of dancing brothers, Fayard (1914–2006) and Harold (1921–2000). With their highly acrobatic technique (flash dance), high level of artistry and daring innovations, they were considered by many the greatest tap dancers of their day. Continue reading