Frances Taylor Davis facts for kids

Frances Taylor Davis (September 28, 1929 – November 17, 2018) was an American dancer and actress. She was a member of the Katherine Dunham Company. She was also the first African American ballerina to perform with the Paris Opera Ballet.

Using the name Elizabeth Taylor, she performed in Broadway musicals. These included Mr. Wonderful, Shinbone Alley, and West Side Story. Taylor also appeared in Off-Broadway shows like Carmen Jones and Porgy and Bess. At a high point in her career, she left Broadway to marry jazz musician Miles Davis.

Life and Career of Frances Taylor Davis

Early Life and Dance Training

Frances Taylor was born on September 28, 1929, in Chicago, Illinois. She grew up in the Rosenwald Courts in Chicago. Her father worked at the post office.

Taylor started learning classical ballet when she was 8 years old. By the age of 16, she was performing in the famous ballet Swan Lake. Her teacher encouraged her to try out for the Edna McRae School of the Dance. She became the only African American student there.

While at the school, Taylor met the famous dancer and choreographer Katherine Dunham. Dunham offered her a scholarship to study dance at the Katherine Dunham Company. Taylor finished high school. She then briefly went to college, but she decided to follow her dream of a dancing career instead.

Professional Dance Career

Taylor joined the Katherine Dunham Company. There, she was taught by Walter Nicks. She trained and toured a lot with the dance company. They performed in Europe and South America.

In 1948, Taylor was asked to perform with the Paris Opera Ballet. This was a special honor. She became the first African American dancer invited to perform with this famous ballet company. Taylor received great reviews from the press in Paris. People compared her to the French ballet dancer Leslie Caron. She also performed with Benny Goodman at the London Palladium. While in London, Taylor rehearsed with Sadler's Wells Ballet.

In 1953, Sammy Davis Jr. asked Taylor to be his girlfriend in his TV show. The show was called Three for the Road — with the Will Mastin Trio. They had met at Ciro's nightclub, where she was performing. The show was about musicians. It showed African Americans in new ways, not just old stereotypes. They filmed a pilot episode. However, the show was not picked up by a network.

Broadway and Later Work

In 1954, Taylor rejoined the Katherine Dunham dance troupe. She was one of Dunham's main dancers for shows in Rome. Taylor then moved to New York City to act on Broadway. She used the name Elizabeth Taylor for her acting roles. This was because there was already another actress named Frances Taylor.

She appeared in Off-Broadway shows like Porgy and Bess and Carmen Jones. She also performed in three Broadway musicals. These were Mr. Wonderful, Shinbone Alley, and West Side Story. On the opening night of West Side Story in September 1957, Taylor was honored as the best dancer in the cast.

In 1958, Taylor left West Side Story. She later said that jazz musician Miles Davis, whom she was dating, wanted her to quit. He felt a woman should be with her partner.

In 1959, Davis allowed Taylor to teach her own dance classes for a while. Her students included Julie Robinson, who was a Dunham dancer and the wife of actor Harry Belafonte. Another student was Edna Mae Robinson, the wife of boxer Sugar Ray Robinson.

After her marriage to Miles Davis, her career slowed down. He did not want her to work. Choreographer Jerome Robbins asked if she could be in the film West Side Story (1961). Davis said no. Sammy Davis Jr. also asked about Taylor appearing in the musical Golden Boy (1964). Again, Davis refused.

After she and Davis separated in 1965, Taylor taught private dance classes. She also appeared in TV specials with stars like Elvis Presley. She had a role as a maid in the film The Party (1968).

After retiring from performing, she worked as a restaurant hostess in Los Angeles. She worked at places like Hamburger Hamlet and Chasen's.

Personal Life and Relationships

Frances Taylor first met Miles Davis in 1953 at Ciro's nightclub in Los Angeles. When she returned to Chicago, Davis was also there for performances. Taylor introduced Davis to her family. He asked her father for permission to marry her, but her father said no. Taylor also turned down his proposal at that time.

Instead, Taylor married Jean-Marie Durand in Mexico City in 1955. They were both performing there. Durand was from Haiti and also a member of the Katherine Dunham's dance troupe. They had met in Argentina in 1954. After their marriage, she left the dance troupe. They had a son named Jean-Pierre Durand.

After Taylor separated from Durand, she met Miles Davis again in New York City in 1957. He told her he would not let her go this time.

Taylor and Davis married in Toledo, Ohio, on December 21, 1959. She became an inspiration for him. She influenced his music. He wrote a song for her called "Fran Dance" on his album Jazz Track (1959). Her role in the musical Porgy and Bess inspired his album Porgy and Bess (1959). His album Sketches of Spain (1960) was inspired by a flamenco performance Taylor wanted them to see. Davis also put Taylor on the cover of several albums, including Someday My Prince Will Come (1961).

Taylor filed for divorce in 1966. It was finalized in 1968. She was interviewed for the documentary Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool. This film was released after she passed away in 2019.

Taylor also had a relationship with George Barrie, who was the CEO of Fabergé.

Death

Frances Taylor Davis passed away at the age of 89 on November 17, 2018. She was survived by her son Jean-Pierre Durand. She also had a step-daughter, Cheryl Davis, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Filmography

Stage