Bill Robinson
Born in Richmond, Virginia, USA — May 25 1878• Died Nov 25 1949
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Biography
According to one jazz dance source, Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson was the chief instigator for getting tap dance "up on its toes." Early forms of tap, including the familiar "buck and wing", contained a flat-footed style, while Robinson performed on the balls of his feet with a shuffle-tap style that allowed him more improvisation. It obviously got him noticed and it certainly made him a legend. Born Luther Robinson in Richmond, Virginia, on May 25, 1878, he was orphaned in infancy and reared by a grandmother. He took his brother Bill's name for his own onc…
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Bill Robinson's Credits
Browse acting and crew credits across movies and TV — filter and sort to find specific roles.
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
Aloysius
Up the River
Memphis Jones
That's Dancing!
Stormy Weather
Bill Williamson
One Mile from Heaven
Officer Joe Dudley
Road Demon
Zephyr
In Old Kentucky
Greyboy
The Little Colonel
Walker
The Littlest Rebel
Uncle Billy
Just Around the Corner
Samuel G. Henshaw
Hooray for Love
himself
Hidden Hollywood: Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Film Vaults
Self (Archival Footage)
Dixiana
Specialty Dancer
The Big Broadcast of 1936
Specialty
Harlem Is Heaven
Bill
The Harlem Renaissance
Self (archive footage)
Dancetime Tap Dance History
King for a Day
Bill Green
The Big Benefit
Self
Let's Scuffle
HImself
By an Old Southern River
Self