Ulysses "Slow Kid" Thompson
| Ulysses "Slow Kid" Thompson | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Ulysses Thompson August 28, 1888 Prescott, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Died | March 17, 1990 (aged 101) Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Resting place | Little Rock National Cemetery in Little Rock, Arkansas |
| Other names | Kid Thompson Slow Kid Thompson Ulysses S. Thompson U.S. Thompson |
| Occupation | Singer, dancer, comedian, promoter, and conductor |
| Years active | 1902–69 |
| Spouse(s) | Florence Mills (m. 1921–27) (her death) |
| Parent(s) | George Washington Thompson and Hanna Pandora Driver |
Ulysses "Slow Kid" Thompson (August 28, 1888 – March 17, 1990) was a comedian, singer, tap and acrobatic dancer whose nickname was inspired by his ability to perform a comical, and incredibly slow, dance routine. His career included work in circus, medicine, minstrel, vaudeville, and Broadway.
Ulysses was born in Prescott, Arkansas, to George Washington Thompson, and Hanna Pandora Driver. His mother died of typhus when Ulysses was seven years old, and he ran away from home at age fourteen. Initially, he worked in positions of traditional labor, but he obtained the early skills of an entertainer while dancing in the street for nickels and dimes. His experiences led to a job performing a Juba Dance in a traveling medicine show. Ulysses would dance and tell jokes, providing entertainment to the crowds who came to see the "Doctor". Medicine shows were common during that period of American history and they provided many young men with an opportunity to develop more professional skills.
By the winter of 1904, he was working in Louisiana for The Mighty Hagg Circus. Over the next few years, he worked for Patterson's World Carnival, Heger and Hopper Stock Shows, the Sells Floto Circus, the Gentry Brothers Dog and Pony Show, the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus, and the Ringling Brothers Circus.
At the end of Ringling Brothers 1915 season, he joined Ralph Dunbar's Tennessee Ten on the Keith-Proctor circuit. His tap dancing and acrobatic skills were said to be exceptional, and he was considered to be a master of slow-motion dance. It was as dance director for the Tennessee Ten that he met the young singer and dancer Florence Mills (1895–1927).
In 1918, Thompson was drafted by the U.S. Army. He served with the 5th Army, 92nd Infantry Division, 366th Regiment in France during the war and his military classification was Musician 3rd Class. In that position, he entertained the troops by performing as Drum Major in the Army's Band.
...
Wikipedia