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James Berry (entertainer)

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James Berry
Promotional photo of Berry in 1924
Bornc. 1915[note 1]
Died(1969-01-28)January 28, 1969
Other namesBubbles
Occupationactor

James Berry (c. 1915 – January 28, 1969), also known as Bubbles, was an American actor and dancer. He featured in several silent films as a child, and starred in the Berry Brothers dance duo (later a trio) alongside his brothers.

As a child, Berry and his older brother Ananias (Nyas) began performing dance routines together. The family moved to Hollywood, Los Angeles, and Berry began acting in silent comedy films with the Century Film Corporation. He formed the Berry Brothers dance duo with Nyas in the 1920s, and they were later joined by their younger brother Warren. The brothers starred in several Broadway shows together, and featured in films through the 1930s and 1940s.

Early life

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James Berry was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Ananais and Redna Berry.[1]: 23 

As a child, Berry and his older brother Ananais (Nyas) began touring the church circuit in Chicago, reciting poems by Paul Laurence Dunbar.[1]: 23  The family soon moved to Denver, where Berry's younger brother Warren was born in 1922, and the duo began performing at carnivals.[1]: 23  The elder Ananais had forbidden his children from dancing for religious reasons, but Berry persuaded his father to allow him to enter a dance contest at a local theater.[1]: 23  He won the competition and was offered a $75 weekly contract by the theater manager, but it was rejected by his father.[1]: 23 

James and Nyas continued performing together and created an act based on the vaudeville duo Bert Williams and George Walker, calling themselves "The Miniature Williams and Walker".[1]: 23 

Career

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In the mid-1920s, the Berry family moved to Hollywood, Los Angeles, and James began performing at parties hosted by silent film stars.[1]: 23 

In April 1924, Berry was signed by Julius and Abe Stern's Century Film Corporation to film ten comedies: he had previously worked for the brothers in two films before the contract was proposed.[3] Berry was then given the stage name "Bubbles" due to his "effervescent antics" on screen.[2]

While working for Century, Berry starred in several Buddy Messinger-led projects, such as the 1924 films Low Bridge and Don't Fall.[4][5] In the same year, he starred in Century's film Speed Boys alongside Spec O'Donnell and Arthur Trimble.[6]

Berry Brothers

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Main article: Berry Brothers

In the 1920s, the Berry Brothers dancing duo was officially formed by James and his brother Nyas.[7]: 91  They specialised in tap dance (although never wore tap shoes) and combined strutting with acrobatic techniques.[7]: 91  The brothers were frequent performers at the Cotton Club, featuring in revues alongside performers like Duke Ellington.[7]: 91 

They collaborated on several projects with Lew Leslie, a writer and producer of Broadway shows, starring in his revue Blackbirds of 1928 and touring internationally with Blackbirds of 1929.[7]: 91  They continued to work with Leslie into the 1930s, starring in Blackbirds of 1930 and his 1931 musical Rhapsody in Black.[8][9] The show also starred Valaida Snow, who later married Nyas.[10] Following their marriage, Nyas left the act and was replaced by Berry's younger brother Warren. The brothers later formed a trio after Nyas's marriage to Snow fell apart.[1]: 23 

From 1942 until 1943, the Berry Brothers starred in Show Time at the Broadhurst Theatre.[11] They starred in Star Time at the Majestic Theatre in 1944.[12]

In 1941, the brothers starred in the MGM musical Lady Be Good.[13]: 123–124  In 1942, they featured in Panama Hattie.[14]: 118  In 1948, they starred in Boarding House Blues.[1]: 23  The following year, they starred in You're My Everything.[15]

Later career

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Following Nyas Berry's death in 1951, the two remaining brothers continued performing as a duo and individually.[1]: 23  In 1954, Berry co-founded the Traditional Jazz Dance Company with Mura Dehn.[16]: 18  In 1987, footage of Berry recreating his 1920s routines was featured in Dehn's documentary The Spirit Moves.[17]

Personal life

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On January 28, 1969, Berry died in New York from arteriosclerosis.[1]: 23 

Acting credits

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1924 Speed Boys As Bubbles [6]
1924 Low Bridge As Bubbles [4]
1924 Don't Fall As Bubbles [5]
1941 Lady Be Good As the Berry Brothers [13]: 123–124 
1942 Panama Hattie As the Berry Brothers [14]: 118 
1948 Boarding House Blues As the Berry Brothers [1]: 23 
1949 You're My Everything As the Berry Brothers [15]
1987 The Spirit Moves Archive footage [17]

Stage

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Year Title Role Venue Ref.
1928 Blackbirds of 1928 Broadway [7]: 91 
1929 Blackbirds of 1929 International tour [7]: 91 
1930 Blackbirds of 1930 Royale Theatre, Broadway [8]
1931 Rhapsody in Black Sam H. Harris Theatre, Broadway [9]
1942–1943 Show Time Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway [11]
1944 Star Time Majestic Theatre, Broadway [12]

Notes

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  1. ^ The American National Biography gives Berry's birth year as being c. 1915.[1]: 23  Some articles published in 1924 report Berry as being five years old at the time, which would make his birth year 1918 or 1919.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Garraty, John A.; Carnes, Mark C. (2005). American National Biography:Supplement 2. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-977149-3. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Studio Executives Rename Century's Colored Comedian". Universal Weekly. 19 (18): 37. June 14, 1924.
  3. ^ "Colored Comedy Child is Signed by Century". Motion Picture News. 29 (15): 1660. April 12, 1924.
  4. ^ a b "Sterns Announce Autumn Releases". Universal Weekly. 19 (26): 23. August 9, 1924.
  5. ^ a b ""Don't Fall!"". Universal Weekly. 20 (11): 44. October 25, 1924.
  6. ^ a b "Buddy Messinger and Spec O'Donnell Leave Century Studio for Vacation". Universal Weekly. 19 (18): 37. June 14, 1924.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Hill, Constance Valis (2010). Tap Dancing America: A Cultural History. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0190225384.
  8. ^ a b "Blackbirds of 1930". Playbill. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  9. ^ a b "Rhapsody in Black". Playbill. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  10. ^ Reitz, Rosetta (1982). "Hot Snow: Valaida Snow (Queen of the Trumpet Sings & Swings)". Black American Literature Forum. 16 (4): 158–159. doi:10.2307/2904225. ISSN 0148-6179. JSTOR 2904225. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  11. ^ a b "Show Time". Playbill. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  12. ^ a b "Star Time". Playbill. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  13. ^ a b Konzett, Delia Malia Caparoso (2020). Hollywood at the Intersection of Race and Identity. Rutgers University Press. ISBN 978-0-8135-9931-1. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  14. ^ a b Trenka, Susie (2021). Jumping the Color Line: Vernacular Jazz Dance in American Film, 1929–1945. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-86196-978-4. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  15. ^ a b Clover, Carol J. (1995). "Dancin' in the Rain". Critical Inquiry. 21 (4): 741. doi:10.1086/448772. ISSN 0093-1896. JSTOR 1344065. S2CID 162299329. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  16. ^ Dehn, Mura (1976). "Jazz Profound". Dance Scope. 11 (1).
  17. ^ a b "Mura Dehn, A Choreographer and Specialist in Black Dance". The New York Times. February 14, 1987. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
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