Carol Chilton Thomas Anthony (December 13, 1907 – October 27, 1996) was an American dancer, part of the duo Chilton and Thomas, with her husband Maceo Thomas. She danced in several films and stage productions, and was one of the "first American artists to be selected for the initial television broadcast in England."
Early life and education
Chilton was born in Chicago, the daughter of Newton T. Chilton and Lucille E. Bacon Chilton. Both parents were part of the
Great Migration from the American South to Northern cities; her mother was a probation officer and her father was a carpenter. She trained as a dancer in Chicago.
Career
Chilton was performing as a dancer and singer in Chicago from her teens. She and Thomas began touring together as a "fancy dance act" by early 1927.
They were often billed as "Creole dancers". Theirs are really winged feet," commented an Iowa newspaper in 1929. "That seems to be the only solution for the rapidity of their motion. They apparently dance on the air." In 1933 they had a novelty act that involved Chilton playing piano while Thomas danced on dinner plates.
Chilton and Thomas danced in the films ''
Love and Hisses
''Love and Hisses'' is a 1937 American musical comedy film directed by Sidney Lanfield and starring Walter Winchell, Ben Bernie and Simone Simon. It is the sequel to the film ''Wake Up and Live''.Lev p.24 Twentieth Century Fox's Darryl F. Zanuck w ...
'' (1937) and ''
Strike Me Pink
"Strike Me Pink" is a song by American singer-songwriter Debbie Harry, released in 1993 as the second single from her fourth solo album, ''Debravation'' (1993). The song was written by Harry, Anne Dudley and Jonathan Bernstein, and produced by D ...
'' (1936). The appeared on
Broadway with
Al Jolson and
Eddie Cantor
Eddie Cantor (born Isidore Itzkowitz; January 31, 1892 – October 10, 1964) was an American comedian, actor, dancer, singer, songwriter, film producer, screenwriter and author. Familiar to Broadway, radio, movie, and early television audiences, ...
.
They toured in California with comedian
Fanny Brice
Fania Borach (October 29, 1891 – May 29, 1951), known professionally as Fanny Brice or Fannie Brice, was an American comedienne, illustrated song model, singer, and theater and film actress who made many stage, radio, and film appearances. S ...
in 1928, and performed in England during four tours between 1930 and 1937,
including a performance for the King and Queen, early live television broadcasts for the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...
,
and appearances with jazz musician
Valaida Snow in 1936.
They danced in France with the ''
Blackbirds of 1934'' company, but they left in a contract dispute, and they were sued by the French impresario Felix Terry. In 1938 they toured in Australia and the Far East. One of their last performances together was at the opening of the
Idlewild resort in Michigan in 1941. They also played
USO
The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...
shows in their last years together.
Both Thomas and Chilton stopped dancing by 1943. During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, Chilton worked at an aircraft factory in Chicago.
Personal life
Chilton married her dancing partner, Maceo Thomas, in 1927.
They divorced in the early 1940s, and both soon remarried. She married again in 1943, to Louis Fite Anthony; they had three children, Carol, Stephen, and Pamela. Her second husband died in 1987.
She died in Chicago in 1996, at the age of 90.
References
External links
*
1907 births
1996 deaths
American dancers
Entertainers from Chicago
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