kids encyclopedia robot

Cotton Club Boys (chorus line) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The Cotton Club Boys were a group of talented African American dancers who performed amazing dance routines in musical shows called "revues." They started performing in 1934 at the famous Cotton Club in New York City. They continued to perform there until the club closed in 1940. After that, they toured with Cab Calloway's show until 1942.

The Cotton Club Boys first appeared in a big show called the "Cotton Club Parade" in the spring of 1934. This was at the beginning of the swing era, a time when jazz music was very popular. The group's name often changed to show how many dancers were performing, like "The Six Cotton Club Boys" or "The 12 Cotton Club Boys."

History of the Cotton Club Boys

Many dancers from the Cotton Club Boys became very important in American arts and culture. For example, Cholly Atkins later helped create the famous Motown sound and worked in musical theater and movies.

Even though the Cotton Club Boys were African American, the Cotton Club had rules about who could be a customer. Most of the audience members were not African American.

The First Cotton Club in Harlem (1923–1936)

The Cotton Club first opened in 1923 in Harlem, a neighborhood in New York City. It was located on 142nd Street and Lenox Avenue. Before it became the Cotton Club, it was a small club owned by the boxer Jack Johnson.

In 1923, a businessman named Owney Madden took over the club. He redecorated it and changed its name to the Cotton Club. During a time called Prohibition (which lasted until 1933), it was against the law to sell alcohol. However, the Cotton Club did sell drinks during this time. George "Big Frenchy" Demange was the manager when the club opened.

Other clubs in Harlem, like the Savoy Ballroom and Smalls Paradise, welcomed everyone, no matter their background.

The New Cotton Club in Midtown (1936–1940)

After Prohibition ended in 1933, and following some community unrest in Harlem in 1935, many jazz clubs started moving from Harlem to Midtown, closer to Times Square.

The new Cotton Club opened on September 24, 1936, at Broadway and 48th Street. While the club was moving, some of its entertainers performed in shows called the "Cotton Club Revue" at the Harlem Alhambra theater.

The Cotton Club Closes (1940)

The very last show at the Cotton Club was on May 15, 1940. One reason the club might have closed was competition from the World's Fair, which was a big event happening nearby. Another reason was that a musicians' union asked for unpaid salaries for bands like Andy Kirk's. After the Cotton Club closed, the location became a different nightclub called the Latin Quarter.

What Inspired the Cotton Club Boys?

The Cotton Club Boys and Girls were inspired by people like John Tiller (1854–1925). He was a pioneer in "precision dancing," where dancers perform very exact and synchronized movements.

Shows Featuring the Cotton Club Boys

The Cotton Club Boys performed in many exciting shows, often as part of the "Cotton Club Revue."

Cotton Club Boys in Shows

1934

  • 24th edition of Cotton Club Parade
    • This show opened on March 23, 1934. It was the biggest show ever put on at the club at that time and ran for nine months.
    • It was produced by Dan Healy.
    • Jimmie Lunceford and His Orchestra performed, featuring singer Adelaide Hall.
    • This was the debut of the Cotton Club Boys, including Stretch Johnson, Charles "Chink" Collins, William Smith, and Eddie Morton.
    • New songs like "Ill Wind" were introduced.
  • 25th edition of Cotton Club Parade

1935

  • 26th edition of Cotton Club Parade
    • Opened on July 25, 1935.
    • Co-starred Nina Mae McKinney.
    • Claude Hopkins and His Orchestra performed with singer Orlando Roberson.
    • The Cotton Club Boys in this show included Chink Lee, Freddie Heron, and Jules Adger.
  • At the Apollo
    • From November 29 to December 6, 1935.
    • Featured Claude Hopkins and His Band and the New Fall Edition of the Cotton Club Revue.
    • Performers included Lena Horne, the Cotton Club Boys, and the Cotton Club Girls.

1936

  • 1st edition (also called 27th edition) of Cotton Club Parade
    • Opened in mid-September 1936 at the new Cotton Club in Midtown.
    • Featured Cab Calloway and His Orchestra.
    • The dances were directed by Clarence Robinson.
  • At the Comedy Theater
    • A musical comedy called Black Rhythm ran from December 19 to December 24, 1936.
    • It included the Cotton Club Boys.

1937

1938

  • 4th and 5th editions of Cotton Club Parade
  • At the Apollo
    • From August 26–31, 1938.
    • Featured Luis Russell Orchestra and the Cotton Club Boys.

1939

  • At the World's Fair
    • The Hot Mikado also opened at the World's Fair on June 20, 1939, and included the Cotton Club Boys.
  • 6th edition of Cotton Club Parade
    • Opened on November 1, 1939.

1940

  • The Hot Mikado
  • On Tour
    • The Cotton Club Boys performed in many cities, including Hartford, Montreal, Norfolk, and Syracuse.
  • At the Apollo
    • Cab Calloway's New Revue opened on November 22, 1940.
    • It featured the Six Cotton Club Boys.

1941

  • On Tour with Cab Calloway
  • Cab Calloway's Quizzicale
    • This was a national radio show with live performances from July to October 1941.
    • It included performances from places like Camp Wheeler and Fort Dix.

1942

  • Cab Calloway's Quizzicale
    • Continued as a weekly radio show on Tuesday evenings for six months.
    • Broadcasts came from cities like Detroit and Chicago.
  • At the Casa Mañana nightclub in Culver City
    • Opened on July 23, 1942, and had a very successful opening.
  • 1942–44 musicians' strike
    • Starting August 1, 1942, musicians could not perform on radio or make recordings.
  • At the Paradise Theatre in Detroit
    • From December 4–10, 1942.
    • Featured Cholly and Dotty (dancers), and the Cotton Club Boys.

Famous Members of the Cotton Club Boys

Here are some of the talented dancers who were part of the Cotton Club Boys:

  • Original Members:
    • Stretch Johnson (Howard Eugene Johnson; 1915–2000): His sister Winnie Johnson was also a Cotton Club Girl.
    • Charles "Chink" Collins
    • Billy Smith (William Smith): Later served as an entertainer in the U.S. Army during World War II.
    • Walter Shepherd
    • Tommy Porter (Thomas Porter)
    • Maxie Armstrong (Maxwell Armstrong, Jr.; 1914–2001): Sang with a military band during World War II.
    • Louis Brown: Later became a liquor salesman.
    • Jimmy Wright
    • Thomas "Chink" Lee: Became a tavern manager.
    • Eddie Morton (Edward James Morton, Jr.; 1910–1998)
  • Later Members:
    • Cholly Atkins (Charles Sylvan Atkinson; 1913–2003): Started as a substitute dancer and later became a choreographer for the Cotton Club Boys. He was a big influence on Motown dance.
    • Jules Adjer (Julian Francis Adger, Jr.; 1913–1991): Danced in the 1943 film, Cabin in the Sky.
    • Freddie Heron (Frederick Clinton Heron; 1910–1977): Later became a chief bartender at famous Harlem clubs.
    • Warren Coleman (1900–1968)
    • Roy Chink Baker: Later owned a tavern.
    • Al Martin
    • Ernest Frazier
    • Al Alstock (Paxton Alfonson Allstock; 1914–1937): Sadly passed away in 1937.
    • Roy Carter
    • Sherman Coates
kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Cotton Club Boys (chorus line) Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.