The Nicholas Brothers, Fayard and Harold, are one of those tantalizing acts that appear almost out of nowhere in various old movies, bringing the house down with their dazzlingly acrobatic tap routines, and then shuffling off to let the headliners take over again. After seeing them in several films, I finally saw one that gave them a screen credit, and thought, Aha! I gotta find out more about these guys! This page is devoted to what I've found out so far...
"Pie, Pie Blackbird" (Vitaphone, 1932) (Short)
A musical short featuring Eubie Blake, Nina May McKinney, and the Nicholas Brothers... this was their film debut, although they had been working in Vaudeville for some time before that...
"The Emperor Jones" (United Artists, 1933)
Harold Nicholas landed a part in this famous Paul Robeson feature film...
"Syncopancy" (Paramount, 1933) (Short)
Harold Nicholas in a Max Fleisher short film.
"Kid Millions" (Samuel Goldwyn, 1934)
An Eddie Cantor/Ethel Merman vehicle, with Harold Nicholas in a bit role. An absolutely terrible, flimsy film... but it's a trip seeing the brothers when they were so young -- the youngest was just a little kid! Ther routine got a lot better, but if you're on a Nicholas Brothers kick, you might want to check flick this out...
"The All-Colored Vaudeville Show" (Vitaphone, 1935) (Short)
Adelaide Hall sings, the Nicholas Brothers dazzle.
"The Big Broadcast of 1936" (Paramount, 1935)
The Brothers land a role in a Bing Crosby flick! Now you're talking! Cab Calloway and Jackie Oakie also appear.
"Coronado" (MGM, 1936)
Also features Eddie Duchin and his orchestra.
"The Black Network" (Vitaphone, 1936) (Short)
Also features Nina Mae McKinney and Amanda Randoph.
"Calling All Stars" (British Lion, 1937)
A musical short featuring Eubie Blake, Nina May McKinney, as the Nicholas Brothers make it to London, alongside some of the best British "sweet bands" of the day, including Larry Adler, Ambrose & His Orchestra, Elisabeth Welch, Buck & Bubbles.
"Down Argentine Way" (Twentieth Century Fox, 1940)
With Carmen Miranda & Betty Grable.
"Tin Pan Alley" (Twentieth Century Fox, 1940)
With Alice Faye, Betty Grable, Don Ameche, and Carmen Miranda.
"The Great American Broadcast" (Twentieth Century Fox, 1941)
Alice Faye, John Payne, Jack Oakie, Nicholas Brothers, Ink Spots
"Sun Valley Serenade" (Twentieth Century Fox, 1941)
One of those dreadful Sonia Henie movies, with Glenn Miller, Milton Berle and Dorothy Dandridge also in the cast.
"Orchestra Wives" (Twentieth Century Fox, 1942)
"Stormy Weather" (1943)
An amazing display of African-American jazz and blues talent.
"Take It Or Leave It" (Twentieth Century Fox, 1944)
The Brothers appear in this Phil Baker/Phil Silvers comedy; also one of Buster Keaton's later films.
"The Reckless Age" (Universal, 1944)
With Harold Nicholas; also features The Delta Rhytm Boys.
"Carolina Blues" (Columbia, 1944)
Harold Nicholas appears along with Ann Miller, Kay Kyser, and the Four Step Brothers
"Dixieland Jamboree" (Vitaphone, 1946)
Harold Nicholas appears in another Vitaphone short, along with Cab Calloway and Adelaide Hall
"The Pirate" (MGM, 1948)
The Brothers hoof up a storm in this Gene Kelly/Judy Garland film
"Botta E Riposta" (1951)
An Italian film, also featuring Louis Armstrong, Earl Hines and Jack Teagarden
(Pathe News Reel) (Pathe-France, 1948)
"L'Empire De La Nuit" (UFA-Comacio, 1963)
Harold Nicholas co-stars as Eddie Constantine's sidekick in this French-produced feature.
"The Liberation of L.B. Jones" (Columbia, 1970)
Lee J. Cobb, Roscoe Lee Browne, Lola Falana, Fayard Nicholas
"Uptown Saturday Night" (Warner Brothers, 1974)
Sidney Poitier, Bill Cosby, Harry Belafonte, Harold Nicholas as....Little Seymour
"That's Entertainment!" (MGM, 1974)
Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, Nicholas Brothers
"Disco 9000" (1974)
Harold Nicholas appears
"That's Dancing!" (MGM/UA, 1985)
"Tap" (Tri-Star, 1989)
With Gregory Hines & Sammy Davis, Jr.
"The Five Heartbeats" (Twentieth Century Fox, 1990)
Harold Nicholas as...Sarge, Robert Townsend, Diahann Carroll
"The Nicholas Brothers: We Sing and We Dance" (A&E, 1992)
Documentary.
"Funny Bones" (Suntrust, 1995)
Harold Nicholas with... yikes! Jerry Lewis
"A Night at the Golden Eagle" (Independent production, 2000)
Directed by Adam Rifkin, with Fayard Nicholas
"Broadway: The Golden Age, By The Legends Who Were There" (2002)
"Night At The Golden Eagle" (2002)
"Brotherhood In Rhythm : The Jazz Tap Dancing Of The Nicholas Brothers"
by: Constance Valis Hill (2002)
"Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience In Hollywood"
Director: Velma Cato (1998) (VHS=xxxxxxxxxxxx)
Main Jazz Index
Pop Music Index
Slipcue Main Index
