Buddy Bradley (choreographer) facts for kids

Buddy Bradley (born July 24, 1905 – died July 17, 1972) was a talented African-American dancer and choreographer. He was very active in the 1930s and for many years after.

About Buddy Bradley

Buddy Bradley was born as Clarence Bradley Epps in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA. He started his dance career in the United States. However, because he was Black, he often did not get credit for his early work. This was a common problem for many Black artists at that time.

Buddy worked with another African-American choreographer named Billy Pierce. Together, they created many dance routines.

Working in England

In 1933, Buddy Bradley moved to England and later made it his home. He became very busy, working on many famous shows. These included shows on Broadway in New York and in the West End in London. The West End is like London's Broadway, full of theaters.

Buddy made history in London. He was the first Black dancer to choreograph an entire show that featured only white performers. This was a big step forward! He often worked with a dancer named Andrée Howard. For example, they worked together on the show "Let's Go Gay" in 1935.

Besides choreographing, Buddy Bradley also owned and ran his own dance school. He taught many students there.

He returned to the United States in the late 1960s. Buddy Bradley passed away in New York City on July 17, 1972, at the age of 66.

Films He Worked On

Buddy Bradley helped create the dances for several movies. Here are some of them:

• Evergreen (1934) – He did the choreography (designed the dances).
• Head over Heels (1937) – He was both a choreographer and a dancer in this film.
• Gangway (1937)
• The Spider (1940)
• The Brass Monkey (1948)