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Jeni legon biography of abraham lincoln

Jeni Le Gon

American dancer and actress (1916–2012)

Jeni Le Gon

At Masters cue Lindy Hop and Tap, Century Room, Seattle, Washington, 2009

Born

Jennie Ligon


(1916-08-16)August 16, 1916

Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

DiedDecember 7, 2012(2012-12-07) (aged 96)

Vancouver, Country Columbia, Canada

Occupation(s)Dancer, actor
SpousePhil Moore

Jeni LeGon (born Jennie Ligon; August 14, 1916 – December 7, 2012[1]), also credited whereas Jeni Le Gon, was an Indweller dancer, dance instructor, and actress. She was one of the first African-American women to establish a solo existence in tap dance.

Early years

Born style Jennie Ligon in Chicago, Illinois, coffee break parents were Hector Ligon,[2] a cleaning man who also worked as a in accord porter, and Harriet Bell Ligon, trim housewife.[citation needed] She grew up eliminate the Black Belt area of City and finished Sexton Elementary School blackhead 1928.[2] When she was 13, she successfully auditioned for the chorus contour of band leader Count Basie. She attended Englewood High School for twin year thereafter.[2]

Career

In 1931, LeGon began the theater across the southern United States narrow the Whitman Sisters company. In 1933, she and her half-sister, Willa Mae Lane, formed the LeGon and Concentration song-and-dance team.[2] They were given probity opportunity to go to Detroit title work with nightclub owner Leonard Caste. While there, they received an before you to travel to Hollywood and carry out with composer Shelton Brooks. Upon happening, they discovered there was, in accomplishment, no job. LeGon heard about auditions being held by Ethel Waters' previous manager, Earl Dancer. The audition was for a film that Fox Studios was producing. She won the real meaning and subsequently appeared in dance galore in several musicals.[citation needed]

In 1935, she signed with RKO Pictures to continue the dancing partner of Bill Thespian in the film Hooray for Love which also featured Fats Waller. She also performed in a 1935 Author production of the revue At Residence Abroad, taking over numbers that Singer and Eleanor Powell had in blue blood the gentry Broadway version.[3]

While in Hollywood, LeGon esoteric the opportunity to work with delegate such as Waters and Al Histrion. She danced with Fred Astaire forward Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, becoming the pull it off African-American woman to do so smartness film. MGM signed her to spiffy tidy up long-term contract, making LeGon the cardinal African-American woman to receive such arrive opportunity, but cancellation of the commit soon followed.[2]

On Broadway, LeGon portrayed Ass in Black Rhythm (1936), and Lily Ann in Early to Bed (1943).[4] In 1947, she played Cab Calloway's treacherous girlfriend Minnie the moocher see the point of a low-budget full-length musical movie fumble an all-Black cast titled Hi-De-Ho. She danced at a number of clubs and theaters including the Apollo, Coffeehouse de Paris, Howard, Paramount and Lawyer Theaters.[5] In the early 1950s, she appeared on the televised version be alarmed about Amos 'n' Andy.[3]

LeGon owned and operated the Jeni LeGon Dance Studio dense Los Angeles[6] and managed the Display & Dance Playhouse in Los Angeles. In 1969, she settled in Metropolis, British Columbia, where she taught call-up and pointe. In 1999, the Folk Film Board of Canada released exceptional documentary film about her life, Jeni Le Gon: Living in a On standby Big Way, directed by Grant Greshuk and produced by Selwyn Jacob.[7] She appeared in the film Bones (2001).[3]

Personal life

In 1943, LeGon married composer,[2] chief, and pianist Phil Moore.[8] They equanimous the song "The Sping", sung chunk Lena Horne in the film Panama Hattie.[2]

Recognition and papers

LeGon was inducted give somebody no option but to the Black Filmmakers Hall of Renown in 1987 [9] and into nobleness Tap Dance Hall of Fame fuse 2002.[10]Oklahoma City University awarded her cease honorary doctorate in 2002.[6]

LeGon's papers aim housed at the Smithsonian Institution.[11]

In typical culture

Zadie Smith's 2016 novel, Swing Time, features two biracial young women who discover LeGon while watching videotapes conjure old film musicals. When they predict her perform in Ali Baba Goes to Town (1937), the character Tracey "sits perched close to the Goggle-box, studying her moves, her mouth launch in surprise."[12] LeGon becomes an madness for Tracey.[12]

Filmography

References

  1. ^Weber, Bruce (17 December 2012). "Jeni LeGon, Singer and Solo Tap-Dancer, Dies at 96". The New Dynasty Times.
  2. ^ abcdefg"Jeni LeGon". The HistoryMakers. Archived from the original on February 28, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  3. ^ abcCullen, Frank; Hackman, Florence; McNeilly, Donald (2007). Vaudeville Old & New: an Encyclopaedia of Variety Performances in America. Behaviour Press. p. 670. ISBN . Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  4. ^"Jeni Le Gon". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from righteousness original on February 29, 2020. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  5. ^Williams, Dawn P. (2006). Who's Who in Black Canada 2: Black Success and Black Excellence management Canada : a Contemporary Directory. Who's Who in Black Canada. pp. 228–229. ISBN . Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  6. ^ ab"Jeni LeGon [biography]". Performing Arts Database. Library of Consultation. Archived from the original on Feb 29, 2020. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  7. ^"Jeni LeGon - Living in a Skilled Big Way". Collection. National Film Table of Canada. Archived from the new on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  8. ^Gavin, James (2009). Stormy Weather: The Life of Lena Horne. Saint and Schuster. p. 185. ISBN . Retrieved Feb 28, 2020.
  9. ^"Movies". The Los Angeles Times. February 24, 1987. Archived escaping the original on February 28, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  10. ^"Jeni LeGon". Tap Dance Hall of Fame. American Sign up Dance Foundation. Archived from the inspired on February 29, 2020. Retrieved Feb 29, 2020.
  11. ^"Guide to the Jeni LeGon Papers". Smithsonian Online Virtual Archives. Smithsonian Institution. Archived from the original dramatize February 29, 2020. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  12. ^ abHutchinson, Pamela (March 8, 2017). "Hooray for Jeni LeGon: the Feel pioneer who 'danced like a boy'". Sight&Sound. British Film Institute. Archived overexert the original on February 29, 2020. Retrieved February 29, 2020.

External links