Bunny Briggs
Bunny Briggs (February 26, 1922 – November 15, 2014) was an American tap dancer who was inducted into the American Tap Dancing Hall of Fame in 2006.
Briggs was born in Harlem, New York on February 26, 1922. At one point he thought about becoming a Catholic priest[1] but instead began performing as a tap dancer and singer. He performed with Duke Ellington's Orchestra. In May 1985 Briggs performed on the NBC TV Special, "Motown Returns to the Apollo". He was nominated for a Tony Award in 1989 for his work in the Broadway show Black and Blue. He appeared on stage and in movies including the Gregory Hines film Tap in 1989. In 2002, Briggs received an honorary Doctorate of Performing Arts in American Dance by Oklahoma City University in 2002, honoring him as one of the nine doctorates of Tap Dance.
Death
Briggs died in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 15, 2014, aged 92. His wife, Olivette Miller Briggs, preceded him on April 27, 2003.[2]
Discography
- Broken Windows, Empty Hallways (Prestige, 1972; with Houston Person)
References
Links
- Oklahoma City University doctorate, okcu.edu; accessed December 1, 2014.
- Obituary, nytimes.com, November 27, 2014; accessed December 1, 2014.
- Tap Dance Hall of Fame Bunny Briggs Bio, atdf.org; accessed December 1, 2014.
- Yankee Jazz Beat Article on Bunny Briggs, georgeborgman.blogspot.com; accessed December 1, 2014.
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