Showtime At The ApolloFor close to sixty years the Apollo Theatre in the heart of Harlem has been one of America's foremost cultural institutions, a top showcase for black entertainers and a launching pad for some of the greatest talents of our time: Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton, Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, Sarah Vaughan, and Richard Pryor are just a few. Ted Fox has written a unique and lively history of the very special combination of people and atmosphere at the Apollo; he lets the theatre's stars tell a large part of the story through personal anecdotes, augmented by a splendid array of rare pictures. The author also discusses the evolution of black cultural forms in music and comedy, and in so doing preserves routines, Apollo trademarks, and backstage lore that might otherwise be lost. Book jacket. |
Contents
Introduction The Worlds Most Famous Theatre | 1 |
Harlems Early YearsThe Apollos Heritage | 39 |
The Thirties | 67 |
Copyright | |
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125th Street Amateur Night Apollo audience Apollo Theatre artists backstage became began big bands Bill Billy black community Bobby Schiffman Cab Calloway CALIFORNIA/SANTA CRUZ called Charlie comedians comedy Cotton Club crowd CRUZ The University dance dancers Dinah Dionne Dionne Warwick disc jockeys downtown dressing room early Ella Fitzgerald Ellington Ertegun fifties Foxx Frank Schiffman girl Gladys Knight gonna gospel Harlem Opera House Harold Cromer headliner heard Honi Coles James Brown jazz Jimmy John Hammond Johnny Otis kids knew Lafayette Leslie Uggams loved Motown musicians Negro never onstage Orioles performers played the Apollo popular r-and-b radio Redd revues rhythm and blues rhythm-and-blues Ruth Brown Sam Cooke sang show business singer singing sixties song soul music sound stage stagehands stars talent thing told took University Library UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA/SANTA uptown walked week Willie York