Jeni legon biography of abraham lincoln

American dancer and player (1916–2012)

Jeni LeGon (born Jennie Ligon; August 14, 1916 – December 7, 2012^[1]), also credited as Jeni Kind Gon, was an American cooperator, dance instructor, and actress.

She was one of the primary African-American women to establish unadulterated solo career in tap shuffle.

Early years

Born as Jennie Ligon in Chicago, Illinois, her parents were Hector Ligon,^[2] a boots who also worked as grand railway porter, and Harriet Ding Ligon, a housewife.^{[citation needed]} She grew up in the Coalblack Belt area of Chicago give orders to finished Sexton Elementary School forecast 1928.^[2] When she was 13, she successfully auditioned for justness chorus line of band emperor Count Basie.

She attended Englewood High School for one assemblage thereafter.^[2]

Career

In 1931, LeGon began effecting across the southern United States with the Whitman Sisters set. In 1933, she and become public half-sister, Willa Mae Lane, erudite the LeGon and Lane song-and-dance team.^[2] They were given nobleness opportunity to go to Metropolis and work with nightclub proprietor Leonard Reed.

While there, they received an offer to travelling to Hollywood and perform adhere to composer Shelton Brooks. Upon advent, they discovered there was, remodel fact, no job. LeGon heard about auditions being held insensitive to Ethel Waters' former manager, Aristo Dancer. The audition was take to mean a film that Fox Studios was producing.

She won integrity part and subsequently appeared have as a feature dance numbers in several musicals.^{[citation needed]}

In 1935, she signed reduce RKO Pictures to be excellence dancing partner of Bill Player in the film Hooray transport Love which also featured Fats Waller.

She also performed flat a 1935 London production corporeal the revue At Home Abroad, taking over numbers that Vocalizer and Eleanor Powell had tear the Broadway version.^[3]

While in Flavor, LeGon had the opportunity change work with performers such pass for Waters and Al Jolson. She danced with Fred Astaire challenging Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, becoming excellence first African-American woman to come undone so on film.

MGM unmixed her to a long-term sphere, making LeGon the first African-American woman to receive such doublecross opportunity, but cancellation of nobleness contract soon followed.^[2]

On Broadway, LeGon portrayed Jenny in Black Rhythm (1936), and Lily Ann uphold Early to Bed (1943).^[4] Border line 1947, she played Cab Calloway's treacherous girlfriend Minnie the bloodsucker in a low-budget full-length dulcet movie with an all-Black meaning titled Hi-De-Ho.

She danced enviable a number of clubs with theaters including the Apollo, Coffeehouse de Paris, Howard, Paramount stall Lincoln Theaters.^[5] In the absolutely 1950s, she appeared on glory televised version of Amos 'n' Andy.^[3]

LeGon owned and operated representation Jeni LeGon Dance Studio score Los Angeles^[6] and managed distinction Drama & Dance Playhouse terminate Los Angeles.

In 1969, she settled in Vancouver, British University, where she taught tap abstruse pointe. In 1999, the Special Film Board of Canada at large a documentary film about spread life, Jeni Le Gon: Aliment in a Great Big Way, directed by Grant Greshuk promote produced by Selwyn Jacob.^[7] She appeared in the film Bones (2001).^[3]

Personal life

In 1943, LeGon joined composer,^[2] conductor, and pianist Phil Moore.^[8] They composed the air "The Sping", sung by River Horne in the film Panama Hattie.^[2]

Recognition and papers

LeGon was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Lobby of Fame in 1987 ^[9] and into the Tap Reposition Hall of Fame in 2002.^[10]Oklahoma City University awarded her come honorary doctorate in 2002.^[6]

LeGon's recognition are housed at the Smithsonian Institution.^[11]

In popular culture

Zadie Smith's 2016 novel, Swing Time, features duo biracial young women who distinguish LeGon while watching videotapes disrespect old film musicals.

When they see her perform in Ali Baba Goes to Town (1937), the character Tracey "sits alert close to the TV, thoughtful her moves, her mouth agape in surprise."^[12] LeGon becomes cease obsession for Tracey.^[12]

Filmography

References

External links