The amazing African-American tap dancer, Lois Bright. She was married to Dan Miller one of the two tap-dancing Miller Brothers that you see in the clip above. Unfortunately, Lois Bright Miller never got her full recognition in show business, as the act was called simply, The Miller Brothers and Lois. But as you can see, she did everything that the brothers did and more.
Clearly, if you’re talking about the great female tap dancers of the last century such as Ann Miller and Eleanor Powell, then Lois Bright Miller is right up there.
Ginger Rogers, eat your heart out.
Click on the image to play.
Thanks to YouTuber lavenderhousefilms
It always drove me nuts when I was a kid and saw tap dancing on the Admiral TV. I wondered whether the sound of the tapping was enhanced or added
I’m pretty sure that in almost all movies, including those of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, the tap sounds were added in post-production. Of course, if you were in the room at the time of the filming you would hear the actual tapping live–but a boom mic can’t pick up the sound of taps without getting into the frame, and so the sound had to be dubbed in afterwards.
I don’t know whether technology has advanced where they can do it live nowadays, but I guess probably not. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have a need for the present day Foley artists who do things like add the sound of footsteps in a movie post-production for exactly the same reason.
That’s a good question Pearl.
,…and a GREAT clip Jack(!).
I think I’ve read….somewhere (? 🤔),
the Taps WERE recorded….LIVE(!..!).
Fred Astaire would use wooden Taps(!),
in order to keep the sound…..’soft’.
I’ll check my ‘source’.
I’ve had the nervous pleasure, of working with a ‘hoofer’,
for some television shows..
(someone has to clean the shoes! 😕)
…she was always told:
“Keep it….’soft’ ”
The metalic taps really…..’bing’.
Anyways,…great clip Jack(!).
Thanks.
Thanks for the info, Dennis. It’s a fascinating topic.