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The nicholas brothers

The Nicholas Brothers

Dancer

Photograph of Harold and Fayard Nicholas

Profession

ActorDancer

Overview

The astonishing talents of dancers Fayard and Harold Nicholas, better known jointly as the Nicholas Brothers, made them two of the most important tap dancers of all time. Amazingly, they developed their famously acrobatic, expressive style without the aid of formal dance training, the brothers combining physical genius—body control, rhythm, and athleticism—with astute appreciation for the possibilities of various stages and sets. Fred Astaire called the finale of Stormy Weather (1943), in which they leapfrog down a flight of stairs, the greatest movie musical number of all time.

Select Filmography

Year
Name
Credits
Genre
Nicholas Brothers home movies
Director
Home Movie
NameNicholas Brothers home movies
YearCreditsDirectorGenreHome Movie

About the Filmography

The selected filmography for the years 1897–1971 includes works featured in the exhibition and others that are considered historically, socially, or politically relevant. Hollywood productions are generally excluded; the focus is instead on independent films, particularly the work of Black filmmakers. Black Academy Award nominees and winners are noted. This filmography was compiled using the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and various filmographies, including those by Klotman, Richards, and Hyatt. Primary production materials and contemporaneous film reviews were also consulted. Complete credits for many of the films are unavailable. All films are US productions unless otherwise noted, and distribution credits refer to the original distributors.