Marie Bryant
| Marie Bryant | |
|---|---|
| Born |
November 6, 1919 Meridian, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | May 23, 1978 (aged 58) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Dancer, singer, choreographer |
| Years active | 1934–1978 |
Marie Bryant (November 6, 1919 – May 23, 1978) was an American dancer, singer and choreographer, described as "one of the most vivacious black dancers in the United States".
Bryant was born in Meridian, Mississippi, moving with her family as a child to New Orleans, Louisiana. By the age of 10 she was performing impersonations of Josephine Baker at her church. In her teens, her dance teacher, Mary Bruce, included her in her annual show at the Regal Theater in Chicago. She made her professional debut with Louis Armstrong at the Grand Terrace Cafe in Chicago in 1934, and became a regular singer and dancer in the venue's floor shows. She then performed in Los Angeles with Lionel Hampton, and at the Cotton Club in New York City with Duke Ellington.
By 1939, she was a featured attraction at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, and toured nationally with Duke Ellington. In Los Angeles, she performed in Ellington's 1941 musical revue Jump For Joy, featuring the hit number "Bli-Blip". She also appeared as the head of a dance troupe in the movie Carolina Blues, and sang in the 1944 short film Jammin' the Blues, accompanied by Lester Young, Barney Kessel and others. In 1946 she starred in the musical show Beggar's Holiday, with music by Ellington and lyrics by John LaTouche.
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