Anise Margaret Boyer (1914–2008) was an American dancer and actress known for her work during the Harlem Renaissance. She joined the

Cotton Club The Cotton Club was a New York City nightclub from 1923 to 1940. It was located on 142nd Street and Lenox Avenue (1923–1936), then briefly in the midtown Theater District (1936–1940).Elizabeth Winter"Cotton Club of Harlem (1923- )" Blac ...

chorus line A chorus line is a large group of dancers who together perform synchronized routines, usually in musical theatre. Sometimes, singing is also performed. Chorus line dancers in Broadway musicals and revues have been referred to by slang terms ...

when she was a teenager and starred in the 1932 film '' Harlem is Heaven.'' She also danced in the duo Anise and Aland, travelling extensively with Cab Calloway's band. She retired from the entertainment industry in 1948.

Early life and stardom

Boyer was born on April 15, 1914 in

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. She was already dancing in

revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own dur ...

s by age seven or eight. Her first recognition came in 1924, when she won a talent competition sponsored by

Noble Sissle Noble Lee Sissle (July 10, 1889 – December 17, 1975) was an American jazz composer, lyricist, bandleader, singer, and playwright, best known for the Broadway musical ''Shuffle Along'' (1921), and its hit song "I'm Just Wild About Harry". Ea ...

and

Eubie Blake James Hubert "Eubie" Blake (February 7, 1887 – February 12, 1983) was an American pianist and composer of ragtime, jazz, and popular music. In 1921, he and his long-time collaborator Noble Sissle wrote '' Shuffle Along'', one of the first B ...

. She also excelled at Hunter College High School in New York City. She joined the chorus line of

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater Ha ...

's famed

in 1928. In 1931, the ''

Pittsburgh Courier The ''Pittsburgh Courier'' was an African-American weekly newspaper published in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1907 until October 22, 1966. By the 1930s, the ''Courier'' was one of the leading black newspapers in the United States. It was acqu ...

'' wrote that she had been "Harlem's most charming juvenile dancer" for several seasons. Commentator

Walter Winchell Walter Winchell (April 7, 1897 – February 20, 1972) was a syndicated American newspaper gossip columnist and radio news commentator. Originally a vaudeville performer, Winchell began his newspaper career as a Broadway reporter, critic and co ...

, in his syndicated column, repeatedly called her the prettiest dancer at the club. In 1932, Boyer appeared in the film '' Harlem Is Heaven'', starring opposite

Bill "Bojangles" Robinson Bill Robinson, nicknamed Bojangles (born Luther Robinson; May 25, 1878 – November 25, 1949), was an American tap dancer, actor, and singer, the best known and the most highly paid African-American entertainer in the United States during the f ...

. Reviewing the film, ''

The Pittsburgh Courier The ''Pittsburgh Courier'' was an African-American weekly newspaper published in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1907 until October 22, 1966. By the 1930s, the ''Courier'' was one of the leading black newspapers in the United States. It was acqu ...

'' called her a "sensation" and wrote, "Her talent and ability is instantly recognized the moment she makes her appearance." In the late 1930s and early 1940s, Boyer danced with Al Dixon as Anise and Aland, often performing with Cab Calloway's band. They performed internationally and danced at venues including the Apollo Theater, the Cotton Club, and the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles. They were known for a type of dance called "

adagio Adagio (Italian for 'slowly', ) may refer to: Music * Adagio, a tempo marking, indicating that music is to be played slowly, or a composition intended to be played in this manner * Adagio (band), a French progressive metal band Albums * ''Adagi ...

", which combined ballroom dance with lifts and spins. The two wed in 1942, just before Dixon was drafted into military service—an event that ended their career as a dance team. In 1943 and 1944, Boyer appeared in a series of Los Angeles revues: ''Africana'' at the

Music Box A music box (American English) or musical box (British English) is an automatic musical instrument in a box that produces musical notes by using a set of pins placed on a revolving cylinder or disc to pluck the tuned teeth (or ''lamellae'' ...

, ''Blue Rhapsody'' at the Alabam, and ''Sweet 'n Hot'' at the Mayan Theater. She also made uncredited appearances dancing in the 1943 film ''Stormy Weather'' and in the 1944 film '' Carolina Blues'' (the latter in a number with

Harold Nicholas Harold Lloyd Nicholas (March 27, 1921 – July 3, 2000) was an American dancer specializing in tap. Nicholas was the younger half of the tap-dancing pair the Nicholas Brothers, known as two of the world's greatest dancers. His older brother was ...

). Around this time, Dixon performed with Archie Savage as Archie and Anise, including in the ''Blue Rhapsody'' and ''Sweet 'n Hot'' revues. Their partnership was short-lived: Savage was sentenced to prison for theft from

Ethel Waters Ethel Waters (October 31, 1896 – September 1, 1977) was an American singer and actress. Waters frequently performed jazz, swing, and pop music on the Broadway stage and in concerts. She began her career in the 1920s singing blues. Her no ...

in February 1944. Boyer was a light-skinned

black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...

woman and was encouraged by her agent to attempt to pass as white to get more work, a suggestion she rejected.

Retirement from entertainment, later life, and death

In 1946, Boyer began working at the Los Angeles office of attorney Walter L. Gordon Jr. She married Robert Clark, who previously had been married to actress

Louise Beavers Louise Beavers (March 8, 1902 – October 26, 1962) was an American film and television actress. From the 1920s until 1960, she appeared in dozens of films and two hit television shows. She was most often cast in the roles of a maid, servant ...

, the following year. Boyer filmed an uncredited appearance in the Louis Jordan film '' Look-Out Sister'' in 1948, then retired from the entertainment industry. In 1951, she was said to be seeking a divorce because Clark had physically abused her. The two nonetheless remained married for some time. In 1967, Boyer married Phillip Burris in Los Angeles. Boyer enjoyed golf. She was a charter member of L.A.'s Vernondale Golf Club, a pioneering club for African-American women, and she served as the organization's president in 1949. Boyer died on October 10, 2008 of natural causes. She lived in Los Angeles at the time of her death.

References

External links

Video of Boyer dancing
in '' Carolina Blues'' - featured at 4:56-5:07
Video of Boyer dancing
in '' Stormy Weather'' - featured at 1:19-1:25 {{DEFAULTSORT:Boyer, Anise 1914 births 2008 deaths 20th-century American dancers 20th-century American actresses Harlem Renaissance African-American actresses African-American female dancers American female dancers Dancers from Florida Dancers from New York (state) Dancers from California American jazz dancers 20th-century African-American women 20th-century African-American people 21st-century African-American people 21st-century African-American women

Early life and stardom

Retirement from entertainment, later life, and death

See also

References

External links