The Cotton Club Boys were African American chorus line entertainers who, from 1934, performed class act dance routines in musical revues produced by the Cotton Club until 1940, when the club closed, then as part of Cab Calloway's revue on tour through 1942.
They debuted in the 24th edition of the "Cotton Club Parade" in spring 1934, a period at the beginning of the swing era, the post-Harlem Renaissance, a year after Prohibition, and the trough of the Great Depression. The chorus line's name often included a prefix reflecting the number of entertainers, such as "The Six Cotton Club Boys", "The 12 Cotton Club Boys", etc.
History
Some Cotton Club Boys alumni went on to become major influences in American arts and culture. Cholly Atkins, for example, contributed to Motown, musical theatre, and film. While the Cotton Club Boys were African-American, the Cotton Club maintained a whites-only policy for customers.
The original Cotton Club, Harlem (1923–1936) The Cotton Club first opened in 1923 in Harlem on the 2nd floor of a building at 142nd Street and Lenox Avenue, close to Sugar Hill. The space had been formerly leased and operated by the boxer Jack Johnson as the Club Delux, an intimate supper club. Owney Madden, a bootlegger and gangster, took over the lease in 1923 after his release from Sing Sing. He was one among the syndicate owners that included beer baron Bill Duffy, boxer Tony Panica (John Francis Panica, known in the boxing world as Tommy Wilson), and Harry Block. Madden redecorated the space and changed the name to the Cotton Club. The Cotton Club sold liquor during Prohibition, which lasted until 1933. When the club opened, George "Big Frenchy" Demange was the manager. Walter Brooks, who brought Shuffle Along to Broadway in 1921, was the , or nominal owner.
The Savoy Ballroom, which had a no-discrimination policy, was one block south at 596 Lenox Avenue. Smalls Paradise, which also had a no-discrimination policy, was seven blocks south and one avenue west at 2294 Seventh Avenue. The old Harlem Club at 142nd Street and Lenox Avenue reopened in May 1937 as the Plantation Club.
The new Cotton Club, Midtown (1936–1940) Following the repeal of Prohibition in 1933 and the Harlem riot of 1935, jazz venues began moving from Harlem to Midtown, around 52nd Street, and downtown. The new Cotton Club opened September 24, 1936, at Broadway and 48th Street, in the Great White Way section of the Theater District near Times Square. The Cotton Club was closed for the 1936 season while the owners planned the move. In the interim, some of the entertainers from the original club performed in productions billed as the "Cotton Club Revue" at the Harlem Alhambra.
Closing of the Cotton Club (1940) The last show at the Cotton Club ran Saturday night, May 15, 1940, just before Madden left New York. It was reported in 1940 that the Cotton Club had suffered from competition from the World's Fair. Another likely impetus for the closing were the demands of Local 802, the New York chapter of the American Federation of Musicians, for back pay, especially salaries owed to Andy Kirk's band. The location subsequently opened as a nightclub called the Latin Quarter.
Influences on the Cotton Club Boys John Tiller (1854–1925): pioneer of precision dancing, influenced the Cotton Club Boys and Girls, who performed can-cans
Selected productions: Cotton Club Boys with the Cotton Club Revue
Cotton Club Boys with the Cotton Club Revue 1934 24th edition of Cotton Club Parade Opened March 23, 1934; opening night was largest show ever staged there; production ran for nine months, merging into fall edition Produced by Dan Healy (Daniel E. Healy; 1888–1969) Harold Arlen's last show with Cotton Club Parade Jimmie Lunceford and His Orchestra featuring Adelaide Hall Debut of Cotton Club Boys: Stretch Johnson, Charles "Chink Collins, William Smith, Walter Shepherd, Tommy Porter, Maxie Armstrong, Louis Brown, Jimmy Wright, Thomas "'Chink" Lee, Eddie Morton Songs introduced: "Ill Wind" and "Primitive Prima Donna", both written by Arlen (music) and Koehler (words) for Hall in this production
25th edition of Cotton Club Parade Produced by Dan Healy Ran for 8 months Featuring: Adelaide Hall, Avon Long, and Lena Horne Dances by Elida Webb (Elida Webb Dawson; 1893–1975); staging by Dan Healy
1935 26th edition of Cotton Club Parade Opened Thursday, July 25, 1935 Co-stars included Nina Mae McKinney Claude Hopkins and His Orchestra with singer Orlando Roberson (vocalist) Producers: Ted Koehler, Leonard Harper, Elida Webb Music scoring and arranging: Will Vodery, Claude Hopkins, Alex Hill, Ted Koehler Cotton Club Girls: Dolly McCormack, Lucille Wilson (married Louis Armstong in 1942), Anna Jones, Joyce Beasley, Mae Williamson, Hy Curtiss, Tony Ellis, Ione Sneed, Anna Bell Wilson, Nan Joyce, Marie Robinson, Myrtle Quinland, Arlene Payas Cotton Club Boys: Chink Lee, Freddie Heron, Ernest Frazier, Eddie Morton, Al Alstock, Louis Brown, Jules Adger
At the Apollo November 29, 1935 – December 6, 1935 Featuring: Claude Hopkins and His Band with Orlando Roberson (vocalist) and the New Fall Edition of the Cotton Club Revue: Butterbeans and Susie, Babe Matthews, Cook and Brown – tap dance duo of Charles Cook and Ernest Brown – Miller and Mantan, Jesse Cryor (de) (1906–2006), Cora LaRedd (died 1968), Bob Wallace, Lena Horne, Dolly McCormack, the Cotton Club Boys, the Cotton Club Girls
1936 At the Apollo Opened June 26, 1936 (for 1 week) Chick Webb and His Band with Bardu Ali (vocalist and MC) Taft Jordan, trumpeter, was in the band Staging by Addison Carey (likely a pseudonym; 1899–1952) Cotton Club Boys Stars included Charles Linton, Teddy McRae, Charlie Ray, Kitty Aublanche; Pete, Peaches and Duke – precision dancers Gary Lambert "Pete" Nugent (1909–1973) Irving "Peaches" Beamon (born 1911) Duke Miller (1910–1937) Pigmeat-Mason-Baskette Dewey "Pigmeat" Markham John Mason Jimmy Baskette Vivian Harris (1902–2000)
1st edition (aka 27th edition) of Cotton Club Parade Opened mid-September 1936 At the new Cotton Club at Broadway and 48th Street Produced by Dan Healy Book, lyrics, and music by Benny Davis and J. Fred Coots Directed by Clarence Robinson Featuring Cab Calloway and His Orchestra Production and dances by Clarence Robinson
At the Comedy Theater, 110 West 41st Street, Manhattan Black Rhythm, a "sepia swing musical comedy" in two acts Book, music, and lyrics by Donald Heywood (Donald Gerard Heywood; 1896–1967) Directed by Earl Dancer and Lionel Heywood Produced by Earl Dancer and J.H. Levy December 19, 1936 – December 24, 1936 Principal stars included Jeni Le Gon and dancer Avon Long Opening performance was panned by The New York Times theater critic, Bosley Crowther Production included the Cotton Club Boys
1937 2nd edition of Cotton Club Parade Duke Ellington and His Orchestra featuring Ethel Waters and the Nicholas Brothers
At the Nixon Grand Theatre, Philadelphia April 1937 Jimmy Lunceford and His Orchestra, Phantom Steppers, Sandy Burns, Dusty Fletcher, George Wiltshire, the Six Cotton Club Boys
3rd edition of Cotton Club Parade (at midtown Cotton Club) Staged by Leonard Reed Duke Ellington (house band), Ethel Waters, Nicholas Brothers, George Dewey Washington (1898–1954), Bill Bailey, Renee and Estelle, Kaloah, Tip, Tap, and Toe (Samuel Green, Ted Frazier, Ray Winfield), Dynamite Hooker The Chocolateers (acrobatic dance team); possibly the original members: Al Bert "Gip" Gipson, Paul Black, known for his Chinese splits (straddling the floor as he walked), and Eddie West (with James Buster Brown replacing West for a short period of time)
1938 4th edition of Cotton Club Parade
5th edition of Cotton Club Parade
At the Apollo August 26–31, 1938 WMCA broadcast Luis Russell Orchestra featuring Red Allen (without Louis) and Sonny Woods, Hazel Diaz (1908–1997), the Cotton Club Boys
1939 At the Apollo January 7–8 (at midnight) Featured Jimmy Lunceford and His Band Stars included Lora Pierre (tap dancer), Flash and Dash, The Three Chocolateers, Jackie Mabley, Dusty Fletcher, The Cotton Club Boys and the Harperettes
At the Broadhurst Theatre The Hot Mikado (non-WPA version)"The New Play – 'The Hot Mikado,' Non-WPA Version, Opens at the Broadhurst Theater," by Richard Lockridge, The Sun (New York), March 24, 1939, p. 22 March 23, 1939, to June 3, 1939 (85 performances) Directed by Bill Robinson and Cab Calloway Score by Ted Koehler and Rube Bloom Koehler supervised the production Featured Cab Calloway and His Orchestra, alternating with Socarres's Band Included Sister Tharpe, Tanya, Katherine Perry, the Beachcombers, Glenn and Jenkins – comedy team of William "Willie" Henry Glenn and Walter Jenkins (Walter Jenkins Manigault; 1884–1953) – Ruby Hill, Myra Johnson, Son and Sonny – tap dancers Roland James and Sonny Montgomery – Will Vodery's choir, the Six Cotton Club Boys, and a full complement of fifty Harlem dancing girls
At the World's Fair, Hall of Music Located at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park The Hot Mikado (video clip via YouTube) Opened June 20, 1939 (ran 14 months) Included the Cotton Club Boys
6th edition of Cotton Club Parade Opened November 1, 1939
1940 1940: The Hot Mikado The Six Cotton Club Boys, 14-month run with Bill Robinson, traveling with Cab Calloway and His Band
At the Apollo May 23–30, 1940
On tour
At the State Theater, Main Street and Morgan Street, Hartford May 25 and 26, 1940 Included The Six Cotton Club Boys
At the Apollo Opened June 21, 1940 Anise and Aland and Pete Nugent along with Cotton Club Boys and Apollo Dancing Girls Show included The Six Cotton Club Boys: Jules Adger, Louis Brown, Freddie Heron, Chink Lee (manager), Charles Atkinson, Eddie Morton
In Montreal In Wrentham In Norfolk In Raleigh In Knoxville
At the Paramount Theatre
On tour, Brendt circuit
At the Strand Theatre, 501 South Salina Street, Syracuse, New York September 13, 1940
In Flatbush, Brooklyn Opened around September 30, 1940 (for a week engagement)
At the Apollo Cab Calloway's New Revue Opened Friday, November 22, 1940 Stars included Avis Andrews, Anice and Aland, Cook and Brown, Sixteen Apollo Rockettes, and The Six Cotton Club Boys
1941 At the State-Lake Theater, Chicago January 1941
At the Paramount Theater, 509 Grand Avenue, Des Moines January 1941
At Shea's in Buffalo February 1941 Featuring Cab Calloway and His Orchestra Included The Six Cotton Club Boys
At the RKO Temple Theatre, 35 Clinton Avenue S., Rochester, New York From February 7–13, 1941
At the Stanley Theatre, Pittsburgh February 19, 1941
At the State Theater, Main Street and Morgan Street, Hartford, Connecticut March 14, 15, 16, 1941
At the State Theater, 212 Locust Street, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania March 18, 1941
At the Earle Theatre, 11th and Market, Philadelphia
Cab Calloway's Quizzicale National broadcasts of live performances July 6 – October 5, 1941 Mutual Broadcasting System At Camp Wheeler, Macon, Georgia At Fort Dix, near Trenton, New Jersey
At the State-Lake Theater, Chicago 4th appearance in 24 months
At the Rialto, Louisville, Kentucky Opened October 25, 1941
At the Palace Theatre, Canton, Ohio
At the State Theatre, Uniontown, Pennsylvania
At the State Theater, Hartford
At the Adams Theatre, 28 Branford Place, Newark
At the Strand Theatre, Brooklyn
1942 Cab Calloway's Quizzicale National broadcasts of live performances Blue Network ran weekly on Tuesday evenings for 6 months February 25, 1942; From Detroit, March 4, 1942 From The Panther Room, Hotel Sherman, Chicago, April 21, 1942 At the Casa Mañana nightclub, 8781 Washington Boulevard in Culver City Opened July 23, 1942 Largest 4-day opening in the club's history; opening night drew 9,084 patrons
1942–44 musicians' strike