Maceo Anderson
Encyclopedia
Maceo Anderson expressed an interest in dancing at the age of three. As a child, he used to sneak into the Lafayette Theatre
to watch performances with his young friends. He and his friends would practice dance routines. As a young man in his teens, he founded a trio of dancers who performed at Harlem
's Cotton Club
.
Anderson was the founder of the tap dancing
group known as "The Four Step Brothers
". The group performed successfully for over thirty years. They were credited as being the first black act to perform at Radio City Music Hall
. "The Four Step Brothers" also made television
and motion picture appearances. Their dance routines were a unique blend of soft shoe, tap, acrobatic tricks, and "flashy" footwork. The dancers in the group attempted to outperform one another. Anderson performed with the group throughout their existence. They performed abroad and with the Duke Ellington Orchestra
. Ellington wrote "Mystery Song" for Anderson and his performing friends, Al Williams and Mr. Walker. The three performed together as "The Three Step Brothers" until the 1930s when they added a fourth performer to the group and at that time, they became known as "The Four Step Brothers".
For a short period of time, the foursome did not perform together. Anderson was drafted into the United States Army
in 1941. In 1943, "The Four Step Brothers" were asked to perform in a variety of short Hollywood films
. In 1946, they performed with Frank Sinatra
and then embarked on a six month performance at the Paris
ian Le Lido
followed by tours to Italy
and Spain
. In 1953, they performed with Bob Hope
in Here Come the Girls.
After retiring from dance, Anderson became a church
minister and actively worked to help the homeless in the Los Angeles area. "The Four Step Brothers" were honored in 1988 with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
.
Maceo Anderson died in Los Angeles, California on July 4, 2001. His grandson, Robert L. Reed and Reed's children, have followed "in the steps" of Mr. Anderson and are tap dancing performers.
Lafayette Theatre
Lafayette Theatre may refer to:* Lafayette Theatre , in Suffern, Rockland County, New York, USA* Lafayette Theatre , in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA* Lafayette Circus , Manhattan, NYC, 1825...
to watch performances with his young friends. He and his friends would practice dance routines. As a young man in his teens, he founded a trio of dancers who performed at Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
's Cotton Club
Cotton Club
The Cotton Club was a famous night club in Harlem, New York City that operated during Prohibition that included jazz music. While the club featured many of the greatest African American entertainers of the era, such as Fletcher Henderson, Duke Ellington, Adelaide Hall, Count Basie, Bessie Smith,...
.
Anderson was the founder of the tap dancing
Tap dance
Tap dance is a form of dance characterized by using the sound of one's tap shoes hitting the floor as a percussive instrument. As such, it is also commonly considered to be a form of music. Two major variations on tap dance exist: rhythm tap and Broadway tap. Broadway tap focuses more on the...
group known as "The Four Step Brothers
The Four Step Brothers
The Four Step Brothers were an African-American dance group. The group started out as a trio in 1925, with the original members, Maceo Anderson, Al Williams and Red Walker...
". The group performed successfully for over thirty years. They were credited as being the first black act to perform at Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...
. "The Four Step Brothers" also made television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
and motion picture appearances. Their dance routines were a unique blend of soft shoe, tap, acrobatic tricks, and "flashy" footwork. The dancers in the group attempted to outperform one another. Anderson performed with the group throughout their existence. They performed abroad and with the Duke Ellington Orchestra
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
. Ellington wrote "Mystery Song" for Anderson and his performing friends, Al Williams and Mr. Walker. The three performed together as "The Three Step Brothers" until the 1930s when they added a fourth performer to the group and at that time, they became known as "The Four Step Brothers".
For a short period of time, the foursome did not perform together. Anderson was drafted into the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in 1941. In 1943, "The Four Step Brothers" were asked to perform in a variety of short Hollywood films
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
. In 1946, they performed with Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
and then embarked on a six month performance at the Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
ian Le Lido
Le Lido
Le Lido is a cabaret and burlesque house on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, France, famous for its exotic shows, which rival those of Las Vegas and where Elvis Presley gave an impromptu concert...
followed by tours to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. In 1953, they performed with Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
in Here Come the Girls.
After retiring from dance, Anderson became a church
Christian Church
The Christian Church is the assembly or association of followers of Jesus Christ. The Greek term ἐκκλησία that in its appearances in the New Testament is usually translated as "church" basically means "assembly"...
minister and actively worked to help the homeless in the Los Angeles area. "The Four Step Brothers" were honored in 1988 with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
.
Maceo Anderson died in Los Angeles, California on July 4, 2001. His grandson, Robert L. Reed and Reed's children, have followed "in the steps" of Mr. Anderson and are tap dancing performers.
Sources
- Maceo Anderson at Find-A-Grave
- Encyclopedia Britannica online
- The Four Step BrothersThe Four Step BrothersThe Four Step Brothers were an African-American dance group. The group started out as a trio in 1925, with the original members, Maceo Anderson, Al Williams and Red Walker...
- http://www.guardian.co/uk/print/04224184-103684,00.html