Fayard Antonio Nicholas was an American choreographer, dancer and actor. He and his younger brother Harold Nicholas made up the Nicholas Brothers tap dance duo, who starred in the MGM musicals An All-Colored Vaudeville Show, Stormy Weather, The Pirate, and Hard Four. The Nicholas brothers also starred in the 20th Century-Fox musicals Down Argentine Way, Sun Valley Serenade, and Orchestra Wives. In 1932, when he was 18 and his brother was only 11, they became the featured act at Cotton Club in New York City. The brothers earned fame with a unique style of rhythm tap that blended "masterful jazz steps with daredevil athletic moves and an elegance of motion worthy of ballet". They appeared in the Ziegfeld Follies on Broadway and in London they worked with jazz choreographer Buddy Bradley. The performances led them to a career in film. Nicholas appeared in over 60 films, including the 1943 musical Stormy Weather with their signature staircase dance.
Fayard Antonio Nicholas was an American choreographer, dancer and actor. He and his younger brother Harold Nicholas made up the Nicholas Brothers tap dance duo, who starred in the MGM musicals An All-Colored Vaudeville Show, Stormy Weather, The Pirate, and Hard Four. The Nicholas brothers also starred in the 20th Century-Fox musicals Down Argentine Way, Sun Valley Serenade, and Orchestra Wives. In 1932, when he was 18 and his brother was only 11, they became the featured act at Cotton Club in New York City. The brothers earned fame with a unique style of rhythm tap that blended "masterful jazz steps with daredevil athletic moves and an elegance of motion worthy of ballet". They appeared in the Ziegfeld Follies on Broadway and in London they worked with jazz choreographer Buddy Bradley. The performances led them to a career in film. Nicholas appeared in over 60 films, including the 1943 musical Stormy Weather with their signature staircase dance.
His career was interrupted from 1943 to 1944 when he served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Nicholas achieved the rank of Technician fifth grade while in WWII.
After his dance career ended, Nicholas and his wife, Katherine Hopkins Nicholas, embarked on a lecture tour discussing dance. In 2003, Nicholas served as "Festival Legend" at the third "Soul to Sole Tap Festival" in Austin, Texas.
Nicholas was inducted into the National Museum of Dance C.V. Whitney Hall of Fame in 2001.
External links
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/nm0629379
Wikipedia: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q531888
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Filmography (Movies)
Nicholas Brothers: Stormy Weather
Character:Self (archival footage)
Release Date:11/06/2022
Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:10/11/2019
Bob Hope: Entertaining the Troops
Character:Self
Release Date:10/05/2016
Hard Four
Character:Ulysses
Release Date:01/11/2007
The Pirate: A Musical Treasure Chest
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:24/07/2007
Dorothy Dandridge: An American Beauty
Character:Self
Release Date:24/06/2003
Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There
Character:Self
Release Date:03/04/2003
Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer
Character:Self
Release Date:24/09/2002
Night at the Golden Eagle
Character:Mr. Maynard
Release Date:17/05/2002
It's Black Entertainment
Character:Self
Release Date:08/02/2002
Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story
Character:Self (uncredited)
Release Date:05/02/2002
Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood
Character:Self
Release Date:10/02/1998
The Nicholas Brothers: We Sing and We Dance
Character:Himself
Release Date:29/11/1992
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:16/05/1988
That's Dancing!
Character:From 'Down Argentine Way' (archive footage)
Release Date:18/01/1985
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:06/08/1975
That's Entertainment!
Character:(archive footage)
Release Date:21/06/1974
The Liberation of L.B. Jones
Character:Benny Smith
Release Date:18/03/1970
Hello Kathrin
Character:
Release Date:08/05/1956
El misterio del carro express
Character:
Release Date:22/07/1953
El mensaje de la muerte
Character:Bailarín
Release Date:02/05/1953
Abbott and Costello Christmas Show
Character:Himself
Release Date:22/02/1952
The Pirate
Character:Performer
Release Date:11/06/1948
Take It or Leave It
Character:(archive footage) (uncredited)
Release Date:17/07/1944
Stormy Weather
Character:Dancer
Release Date:21/07/1943
Orchestra Wives
Character:Dancer (as Nicholas Brothers)
Release Date:04/09/1942
Sun Valley Serenade
Character:Specialty Dancer (uncredited)
Release Date:29/08/1941
The Great American Broadcast
Character:Railroad Station Dancer
Release Date:09/05/1941
Tin Pan Alley
Character:Dancer
Release Date:29/11/1940
Down Argentine Way
Character:One of the Nicholas Brothers
Release Date:11/10/1940
Nicholas Brothers Family Home Movies
Character:
Release Date:01/01/1940
My Son Is Guilty
Character:Specialty Act
Release Date:28/12/1939
Calling All Stars
Character:Himself
Release Date:01/03/1937
The Black Network
Character:Dancer (uncredited)
Release Date:04/04/1936
Don't Gamble with Love
Character:Specialty Dancer
Release Date:28/02/1936
Coronado
Character:Dance Specialty (uncredited)
Release Date:27/11/1935
The Big Broadcast of 1936
Character:Dot
Release Date:20/09/1935
An All-Colored Vaudeville Show
Character:Self
Release Date:21/06/1935
Kid Millions
Character:Dancer on Ship
Release Date:10/11/1934
Barber Shop Blues
Character:Self - Dancer - One of the Nicholas Brothers
Release Date:30/09/1933
Pie, Pie Blackbird
Character:Child with Nina / Dancer (as The Nicholas Brothers)
Release Date:03/06/1932
Television Appearances
Images
