Arthur Duncan

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For other people named Arthur Duncan, see Arthur Duncan (disambiguation).
Arthur Duncan
Artur Duncan v Kidričevem 1962.jpg
Duncan in 1962
Born (1933-09-25) September 25, 1933 (age 88)
Pasadena, California
NationalityAmerican
OccupationTap dancer, entertainer
Years active1946 – present

Arthur Duncan (born September 25, 1933) is an American tap dancer, known for his stint as a performer on The Lawrence Welk Show from 1964 to 1982. This, along with his earlier inclusion (despite objections) on The Betty White Show in 1954 and with the help of White herself, made him the first African-American regular on a variety television program.[1]

Early life[]

Born in Pasadena, California,[2] Duncan entered show business at age 13, when he was a member of a dance quartet that performed at McKinley Junior High School in Pasadena.[3] He later entered Pasadena City College to study pharmacy,[2] but left to pursue a career in show business.

Career beginnings and The Betty White Show[]

He began touring with Jimmy Rogers and was on The Betty White Show.[4] However, when Betty White's show reached a national audience, television stations in the Jim Crow South threatened a boycott if Duncan remained on the show. White refused to fire him, saying "I’m sorry, but, you know, he stays. Live with it",[5] giving Duncan more airtime. Duncan was unaware of the controversy until years later.[6] The show was cancelled that same year.[7]

In 1957, Duncan joined Bob Hope's troupe touring U.S. military bases, making him the first African American to be part of that 100-member group.[8]

After several years of appearances in Europe, Duncan was discovered by Lawrence Welk's personal manager Sam Lutz. After appearing as a guest on the show, Lawrence Welk offered Duncan a permanent spot as a member of his "musical family."

Later years[]

The 1989 film Tap featured Duncan in a cameo appearance with other famous tap dancers.[9]

In 2004 Duncan was honored at the annual "Tap Extravaganza" in New York City.[1]

In 2006, Duncan was honored for his contributions to tap dance at the 15th Annual St. Louis Tap Festival.[10]

In 2017, Duncan appeared on the series premiere episode of the reality talent series Little Big Shots: Forever Young, where he performed a dance and reunited with actress Betty White.[11]

In 2018, Duncan made an appearance on The Talk as part of a surprise for co-host Sheryl Underwood who performed a tap dance routine with Savion Glover as part of the show's New Year's Evolution. Underwood said Duncan was her inspiration for tap dancing. Duncan gave Underwood flowers to celebrate her return to tap dancing.[12]

Legacy[]

In 2020, Duncan was inducted into the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame of the American Tap Dance Foundation.[13]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Seibert, Brian (2004-05-30). "DANCE: THIS WEEK; All the Tap Dancers in New York". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 11 December 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-09.
  2. ^ a b "Arthur Duncan [biography]". Performing Arts Encyclopedia. Library of Congress. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
  3. ^ "Arthur Duncan, dancer on Welk show, will be here". Columbus Daily Telegram. Columbus, Nebraska. 1965-07-23. Retrieved 2013-07-16.
  4. ^ "Betty White's 80-year career celebrated in PBS special". August 1, 2018.
  5. ^ Brockell, Gillian (2021-12-31). "'Live with it': Betty White defied racist demands in 1954". Washington Post. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  6. ^ Keveney, Bill. "Betty White: PBS salutes Happy Homemaker, Golden Girl, TV pioneer". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  7. ^ Brockell, Gillian (December 31, 2021). "'Live with it': Betty White defied racist demands in 1954". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 2269358. Archived from the original on 2022-01-07. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  8. ^ "First Negro Joins Bob Hope GI Cheering Troupe", Jet Jan 9, 1958
  9. ^ Holden, Stephen (1988-07-06). "The Pop Life". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-11-09.
  10. ^ Arthur Duncan – via memory.loc.gov.
  11. ^ Freeze, Kellie. "Betty White Steals the Show With a Big Surprise on 'Little Big Shots: Forever Young' (VIDEO)". TV Insider.
  12. ^ "The Talk - Sheryl Underwood Tap Dances with Famed Performer Savion Glover; Meets Idol Arthur Duncan". YouTube. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  13. ^ "About the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame". American Tap Dance Foundation. Retrieved April 3, 2021.

External links[]

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