Harold Nicholas

For the Fayard and Harold Nicholas dance team, see The Nicholas Brothers.

Harold Nicholas
Born	Harold Lloyd Nicholas
Occupation(s)	Theatre director, dancer, choreographer
Spouse(s)	Dorothy Dandridge (1942-1951) Rigmor Newman (? -2000)

Harold Lloyd Nicholas (17 March 1921 – 3 July 2000) was an American dancer specializing in tap, the younger half of the world famous tap dancing pair The Nicholas Brothers, known as two of the world's greatest dancers, together with his brother, Fayard Nicholas. He was married to actress Dorothy Dandridge from 1942 to 1951, the couple had one child, Harolyn Nicholas, who was born severely mentally handicapped.

Biography

Early years

Nicholas was born to drummer and orchestra leader, Ulysses Domonick, and pianist, Viola Harden in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. By the age of three, his older brother Fayard enjoyed sitting in the audience of the black vaudeville theater where his parents performed, enraptured by the great performers on stage. He fell in love with everything about show business, and when the Nicholas' added a second son to the family, seven-year-old Fayard insisted that the child be named after his idol, a silent screen comedian. Soon after Harold was born the two brothers began dancing. They quickly gained acclaim for their elegant acrobatic moves and mastery of tap. When Fayard turned 16 and Harold 9, they had made their first appearance at the legendary Cotton Club in New York. Audiences fell in love at first sight with them.

Career

Soon after the Nicholas brothers became an immediate success their reputation grew. He and his brother Fayard were established superstars at Twentieth Century Fox with their astounding dance numbers in the studios musicals features the two brothers began appearing in musical films with Eubie Blake. They performed in vaudeville, on Broadway, in nightclubs, on television, and in movie musicals. Harold appeared in more than 50 movies, including The Big Broadcast (1936), Down Argentine Way (1940), Tin Pan Alley (1940), and Sun Valley Serenade (1941).

Fred Astaire told the brothers that their dazzling footwork, leaps and splits in the Jumpin’ Jive dance in Stormy Weather (1943) produced the greatest movie musical number he had ever seen. In the number, the brothers dance on drums and leap over orchestra musicians. The Nicholas Brothers’ Hollywood career began after movie mogul Samuel Goldwin spotted them in a nightclub and cast them in Kid Millions (1934). The two became big film stars despite racial restrictions at the time prohibiting speaking parts and scenes with white co-stars. Their last film together was 1948’s The Pirate, in which Gene Kelly danced with them, breaking the color barrier. Harold went on to work as a solo artist, moving to France and touring as a singer and dancer. He appeared in the French film L’Empire De La Nuit (1964).

Later life

He returned to America occasionally to do shows with his brother. He also appeared in Uptown Saturday Night (1974) and Tap (1989). He had last appeared in The Five Heartbeats (1991). Carnegie Hall sold out for a tribute to him and his brother in 1998, who were both present that special night. By that time he had moved to the Upper West Side in New York, where he lived his last years with his third wife Rigmor Newman. He died on July 3, 2000 at the age of 79 from heart failure.