Anna Lee Hampton (m. 1918; 1923 or later)[2][1] Florence Byers (m. 1929; died 1978)[3][4]
Willie Covan was born on March 4, 1898 in Atlanta, Georgia. Shortly after, his family moved to Chicago. By 1903, Willie was already tapping to the rhythms of the city. When was six years old, he began a six-year career as a pickaninny in the numerous vaudeville shows around the city. There he watched dancers and began to pick up technique from miming them. By age 12, he was tired of pick tapping and started out to make a name for himself in the vaudeville circuit.[5]
Covan got his first big break winning an amateur tap contest around 1910. From that he was taken under the wings of legendary tap dancers "Slow Kid" Thompson, and Leonard Ruffin.[5] In 1927, he formed the tap quartet, The Four Covans.[6][7] They became an instant sensation in the United States and in Europe.[5]
Among the handful of films in which he himself appeared, the one that best showcased Covan's talents is The Duke Is Tops.[9]
While at MGM, he opened his own dance studio in Los Angeles, The Willie Covan Dance Studio, where he and his wife Florence taught for 35 years. Later in life he was seen in films such as The Big Fix and Finian's Rainbow. Covan is most credited for creating many classic tap dance steps, including the Rhythm Waltz Clog, and Around the World. Covan died on May 7, 1989 in his home in Los Angeles and is interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery.[10]
^William Mckinley Covan Illinois, Cook County Marriages, 1871-1968. FamilySearch.
^."Covan Dancer Dies at Home" Los Angeles Sentinel. August 17, 1978. Page A1.
^ abcFrank, Rusty E. (1994). The Greatest Tap Dance Stars and Their Stories 1900-1955. New York: Da Capo Press. pp. 24–27. ISBN0-306-80635-5.
^"Calvin's Weekly Diary of the New York Show World". The Pittsburgh Courier. October 16, 1926. Page 10. "Covan and Ruffin, who have just completed an eight month tour over the Keith time, have split, and Louis Keene, who is now with Ethel Waters, will take Ruffin's place an Willie's Partner." Retrieved 2021-03-02.
^"Bohemian Night History Maker in New York". The Vaudeville News and New York Star. January 22, 1927. Page 7. Retrieved 2021-03-02.
^"Obituaries: Willie Covan". Variety. May 17-23, 1989.
^BOYER, EDWARD J. (1989-05-11). "Stylish Performer Taught Stars to Do His Steps : Willie Covan, 92; Veteran Tap-Dancer". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2016-03-04.
^"The Most Intimate Follies Ever Seen Or Heard". The Akron Beacon-Journal. June 6, 1929. Page 33. Retrieved 2021-03-02.
willie, covan, william, mckinley, covan, march, 1898, 1989, american, dancer, actor, vaudeville, performer, best, known, being, member, quartet, four, covans, choreographer, metro, goldwyn, mayer, born, 1898, march, 1898, atlanta, georgiadiedmay, 1989, 1989, a. William McKinley Covan March 4 1898 May 7 1989 was an American tap dancer actor vaudeville performer best known for being a member of the tap quartet The Four Covans and a choreographer for Metro Goldwyn Mayer Willie CovanBorn 1898 03 04 March 4 1898 1 Atlanta GeorgiaDiedMay 7 1989 1989 05 07 aged 91 Los Angeles CaliforniaOccupation s Dancer actor choreographerYears active1904 1978Spouse s Anna Lee Hampton m 1918 1923 or later 2 1 Florence Byers m 1929 died 1978 3 4 Willie Covan was born on March 4 1898 in Atlanta Georgia Shortly after his family moved to Chicago By 1903 Willie was already tapping to the rhythms of the city When was six years old he began a six year career as a pickaninny in the numerous vaudeville shows around the city There he watched dancers and began to pick up technique from miming them By age 12 he was tired of pick tapping and started out to make a name for himself in the vaudeville circuit 5 Covan got his first big break winning an amateur tap contest around 1910 From that he was taken under the wings of legendary tap dancers Slow Kid Thompson and Leonard Ruffin 5 In 1927 he formed the tap quartet The Four Covans 6 7 They became an instant sensation in the United States and in Europe 5 In the early 1930s Covan moved to Hollywood where he began working with screen stars such as Shirley Temple Jeanette MacDonald Mae West Mickey Rooney Gregory Peck Kirk Douglas and Ann Miller It was at Eleanor Powell s insistence that Covan had his own bungalow on the MGM lot 8 Among the handful of films in which he himself appeared the one that best showcased Covan s talents is The Duke Is Tops 9 While at MGM he opened his own dance studio in Los Angeles The Willie Covan Dance Studio where he and his wife Florence taught for 35 years Later in life he was seen in films such as The Big Fix and Finian s Rainbow Covan is most credited for creating many classic tap dance steps including the Rhythm Waltz Clog and Around the World Covan died on May 7 1989 in his home in Los Angeles and is interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery 10 Filmography EditYear Title Role Notes1929 Fox Movietone Follies of 1929 Specialty Tap Dancers Uncredited 11 1938 The Duke Is Tops Specialty Tap Dancer1940 Gang War Dance Specialty Uncredited1968 Finian s Rainbow Sharecropper Uncredited1978 The Big Fix Elderly Servant final film role References Edit a b William McKinley Covan U S Passport Applications 1795 1925 FamilySearch William McKinley Covan Indiana Marriages 1780 1992 FamilySearch William Mckinley Covan Illinois Cook County Marriages 1871 1968 FamilySearch Covan Dancer Dies at Home Los Angeles Sentinel August 17 1978 Page A1 a b c Frank Rusty E 1994 The Greatest Tap Dance Stars and Their Stories 1900 1955 New York Da Capo Press pp 24 27 ISBN 0 306 80635 5 Calvin s Weekly Diary of the New York Show World The Pittsburgh Courier October 16 1926 Page 10 Covan and Ruffin who have just completed an eight month tour over the Keith time have split and Louis Keene who is now with Ethel Waters will take Ruffin s place an Willie s Partner Retrieved 2021 03 02 Bohemian Night History Maker in New York The Vaudeville News and New York Star January 22 1927 Page 7 Retrieved 2021 03 02 Obituaries Willie Covan Variety May 17 23 1989 Willie Covan IMDb Retrieved 2016 03 04 BOYER EDWARD J 1989 05 11 Stylish Performer Taught Stars to Do His Steps Willie Covan 92 Veteran Tap Dancer Los Angeles Times ISSN 0458 3035 Retrieved 2016 03 04 The Most Intimate Follies Ever Seen Or Heard The Akron Beacon Journal June 6 1929 Page 33 Retrieved 2021 03 02 External links EditWillie Covan at IMDb Willie Covan at the Internet Broadway Database Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Willie Covan amp oldid 1078531858, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
