Norma miller redd foxx biography

Since she was too young to go into the Savoy Ballroom, she often danced outside on the sidewalk where the music could be heard quite well. The first time Whitey saw her she appeared out of nowhere on the dance floor and won a Savoy dance contest with Twistmouth George as her partner.

Norma miller redd foxx biography

Not long after that, Whitey was watching some of his dancers in a contest at the Apollo and once again saw young Norma defeat his dancers. When she was 12, she was "discovered" dancing outside the Savoy, and in was invited to join Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, soon to make an extended tour of Europe. Pursuing a career in both dance and comedy, she began working with comedian Redd Foxx in and later joined him on the 's television series Sanford and Son serving as both a stand-up comic and choreographer.

Her career spanned for more than eight decades. Miller shared the stage with singers Ethel Waters and Billie Holiday, befriended filmmaker Orson Welles in Brazil, smoked marijuana with Louis Armstrong, helped integrate Miami Beach nightclubs with Cab Calloway, and launched a saucy and profane stand-up career with support from Redd Foxx and Richard Pryor.

One of the interviews she says that her favorite celeb was Sammy Davis Jr. She had known him since he began performing at a very early age as well. Because of his association with Frank Sinatra, blacks finally got respect at Las Vegas Hotels and other areas in the country. She obviously had the love and respect of those she worked with. Whitey's Lindy Hoppers performed in the movie Hellzapoppin'where Miller had a memorable role as a dancing cook, executing breathtaking flipsslides, kicks, splitsand lifts.

Because of the attack on Pearl Harborthey were unable to find transportation home and ended up staying for 10 months, nearly exhausting all of their energy and money. To fund the classes, she began norma miller redd foxx biography as a producer for Smalls Paradisea nightclub in Harlem. Inher group toured nationally with Count Basie.

InMiller moved to Las Vegaswhere she lived for much of the s and s. Look, you're not going to be able to dance any longer. Your knees are knocking. You better learn to talk. From February untilMiller traveled around Vietnamperforming her solo comedy routine for American troops in the Vietnam War. Inshe produced a show at the Village Gate in New York and then moved back to Las Vegas, where she starred in and produced shows.

Inshe moved back to New York and inshe moved back to Las Vegas. Beginning in the s, Miller played a major role in the swing revival. From May 9—11,Miller performed for the first time in Italy at the "L. Lindy Old Timers event" in Montesilvanobeginning a collaboration with the Italian Swing Dance Society that lead to five years of concerts, festivals, conventions, recordings and books.

From toMiller wrote new lyrics and songs that were arranged and recorded with the Italian Billy Bros. Swing Orchestra. On October 21,Miller performed a last concert at the Teatro S. Cecilia in Palermo; she was almost In Maya new edition sold out of her book Swing, Baby Swing! In Septembera second printing of the new edition of the book was issued with new pictures, notes and a last chapter about Miller's last four years of living in Italy.

Miller never married. From toshe was in a relationship with performer Roy Glennwhom she met while filming Hellzapoppin'. They put off marriage plans many times and decided to separate in Glenn died in On May 5,Miller died from congestive heart failure at the age of Miller wrote or played a major role in several books, including: [ 1 ]. Miller's most well-known film appearance is in the lindy hop scene in Hellzapoppin'featuring Whitey's Lindy Hoppers.