Nina Mae McKinney (1912-1967)

 Nina Mae McKinney: The Black Garbo

Nannie Mayme McKinney was born June 12th, 1912 in Lancaster, South Carolina to Georgia Crawford and Hal Napoleon McKinney.

Nannie Mayme's birthplace

Shortly after her birth, her mother, separated from her abusive, alcoholic husband and often would hide in the house of Colonel Leroy Springs (of Springs Industries), whom she worked for as a domestic. 

By 1920, Georgia relocated to Savannah, Georgia, working as a cook for Mrs. Cynthia Withers, her daughter Irene and the rest of the white lodgers. Nannie Mayme remained in Lancaster's Gills Creek neighborhood at her 70-year old paternal grandmother, Mary A. McKinney's home on Gay Street. Her father, Hal supported the family as a delivery man for local drugstore. Later that year, Nannie's mother migrated north to New York, Georgia McKinney, while still in Savannah, remarried to James Edwin Maynor and the couple migrated north to New York. eight-year old Nannie followed them shortly afterwards. However, Nannie's trip north was short lived, and she was sent back down south to stay with her Uncle Curtis and his family in Gills Creek as her father had landed in prison. In 1923, her alcoholic father, serving a prison sentence, escaped from his chain gang, never to be seen in South Carolina again. 

From 1920-1922, Nannie was shifted from relative to relative. After the death of her grandmother, Nannie Mayme was sent to the home of her Great- Aunt Carrie Sanders, who also worked as a maid and a cook for Colonel and Mrs. Leroy Springs, and lived in a small dwelling at the rear of their home.

In 1923, Nannie was sent to live with Col. Springs as a live-in domestic. Her duties were to deliver and collect parcels from the local post office. To entertain herself as she made the trips, she did stunts on her bicycle. She also began performing in small school productions at the Lancaster Training School.

14-year old Nannie Mayme (1926)

Around 1925, 13-year old Nannie Mayme relocated back to Manhattan to stay with her mother and step-father. By the summer of 1927, having decided to give up school completely, Nannie began dancing and singing around Harlem speakeasies. She eventually became close with Bessie Smith's pianist, Porter Grainger, who wrote for Nannie, two rather mature songs for a teenage girl, "Dyin' Crap Shooter's Blues" and "The Band'll Play (Who'd A-Thought It?)". Nannie recorded the two songs at Brunswick Studios at 799 7th Avenue on June 24th. Unfortunately, the songs were only used as tests and never released. 

Ten months later, on April 20th, 1928, a determined Nannie, accompanied by pianist J. C. Johnson, Nannie recorded two Blues numbers with Gennett Records, "Do What You Did Last Night" and "There's Been Some Changes Made". Most likely because of her contract with Brunswick, she recorded under the name, Alice Clinton. 

Blackbirds of 1928 Program

Since January 4th, 1928, Lew Leslie's "Blackbirds Revue" had playing at the Les Ambassadeurs Club. However, by May 9th, the show was renamed "Blackbirds of 1928" and moved over to the Liberty Theatre, where it ran for a successful 518 performances. Nannie probably didn't join the revue until after her 16th birthday, and probably was brought in as last minute replacement for another chorus girl. 

Nannie was now apart of the Blackbirds Beauty Chorus Girls, as Nina Mae McKinney. 

Hallelujah cast members in Memphis (1928)

Early October 1928, during Blackbird's last weeks at the Liberty Theatre, director, King Vidor had arrived in New York searching for actors for his upcoming all-Black soundie, "Hallelujah!". Actor Daniel L. Haynes and dancer, Honey Brown from Club Highland were to be stars of the film. Throughout October, during the film casting in Harlem, Nina made it a daily task to walk back and forth in front of the building in order to catch the attentions of King Vidor. In no time, she landed a minor role in the film.

On October 15th, "Blackbirds" moved over to the Eltinge Theatre for two weeks. Afterwards, the show packed up and moved to Boston for 21 days, however Nina never followed the show to Boston. Instead, along with her mother, she boarded a train west to Memphis, joining the cast of Hallelujah to begin filming. After two weeks spent filming exterior shots in Tennessee and Arkansas, on November 17th, the cast arrived in Culver City, California, to begin filming interior shots at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios.

On December 5th, after Honey Brown was injured, it was announced the Nina was to replace her as the new star of the film. During the filming, Nina paired with 39-year old Daniel Haynes ad together they performed in local establishments such as the Mayfair Club and Hotel Somerville. Around this time, Nina returned to the recording studio to record two numbers from the film, "Swanee Shuffle" and "If You Want My Love, You Gotta Do More Than That". Unfortunately, the second was cut from the film and never released. 

On March 20th, 1929 Nina, Daniel Haynes and Victoria Spivey appeared on Radio-KHJ at 9pm. Nina performed numbers from Blackbirds, "I Must Have That Man" and "Diga Diga Doo". 

On May 20th, 1929, it was announced the 17-year old Nina Mae was engaged to James Marshall, director of Harlem's Lafayette Theatre. This event coincided with Nina signing a five-year contract with MGM, making her the first African-American major Hollywood film star.

Nina returned to New York early-May to spend time with her parents and new fiancé. During this time, she also working as a domestic for Col. Leroy Springs, who also had a residence in New York, caring for his ailing wife. Nina remained in New York to appear at the Embassy Theatre on August 20th for the premiere of "Hallelujah!", which was an immense success and secured Nina place as America's latest star. The following day, it was also quietly announced that Nina had wed James Marshall. However there was no more mention of the shortly lived marriage and Nina returned to California in September, moving into the Hotel Dunbar and travelling daily to Culver City to film, "The Bugle Sounds", "Manhattan Serenade" and "They Learned About Women". In between filming, she performed at the Club Apex and Club Montmartre and carried on affairs with actress, Pepi Lederer and Jagatjit Singh, Maharajah of Kapurthala. Nina also returned briefly to South Carolina to attend her Great-Aunt Carrie Saunders' funeral. 

On December 30th, 1929, the cabaret revue "Harlem Scandals" opened at the Lincoln Theatre, with Nina as the star, performing her signature number at the time, "I Must Have That Man" (from Blackbirds). She was replaced by Carolynn Snowden after a week.

"They Learned About Women" (1930)

By late-January 1930, Nina had grown tired of MGM. She had already begun failing to show up for promotional appearances, especially if her name wasn't in lights above the marquee. 

That spring, her new manager, Al Munro, sports writer of the Chicago Whip, arranged a tour of the Mid-West for Nina. She was to appear in Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, Kansas City, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. In late-March, she left for Chicago to appear in a vaudeville show, "Circus" at the 35th Regiment Armory. The following month, she moved on to the Metropolitan Theatre for two weeks. During this engagement, on April 9th, Nina appeared on two  of Reverend A. W. Nix's Black Diamond Train to Hell sermons (Part 5 and 6), which was recorded at the Brunswick Recording Library. Horrible reviews followed Nina, who declared her a money-hungry, star struck girl who had grown to despise her own race. 

Returning to Los Angeles on June 4th, Nina and her mother moved back into the Dunbar Hotel, where throughout the summer, Nina performed at series of private parties and mingled with Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. Also during this time, she married 23-year old NBA Middleweight boxer named, William "Gorilla" Landon Jones, who bought Nina a $6,000 Lincoln Convertible Coupe as wedding present. This marriage was short-lived.

From September to November 1930, there's no account of Nina Mae McKinney, even her mother roamed around Los Angeles searching for her daughter. Nina surfaced in Crown Point, Indiana on October 23rd, to marry Douglas S. Daniels, another short-lived marriage that ended on November 20th.

Nina in front of the Theatre Les Miracles (December 1930)

On December 5th, Nina boarded the SS Bremen, sailing from New York to Cherbourg, France. After eight days at sea, while disembarking from the ship, Nina had a sudden spell of sea-sickness and in the excitement dropped her purse containing $200 was lost in the sea. Her new manager, William Morris Jr. failed to meet her at the port, but luckily a French gentleman paid her train fare and escorted her to Paris. For the next four months, Nina and the cast of Hallelujah embarked on a European tour to promote their successful film. On December 13th, a stage revue "Allelujah!" opened at the Theatre Les Miracles, where it remained for the next three weeks with immense success. After performing all afternoon at the Theatre Les Miracles, she spent evenings singing at the Monseigneur Club on 94, rue d'Amsterdam.

Attending a "Presseball" in Berlin (Feb.2, 1931)

The first two weeks of January 1931, the revue appeared in Cannes and Monte Carlo. On January 16th, the revue opened at Berlin's Kabarett Der Komiker, where it appeared until later February. On February 23rd, the arrived in Belgrade for a weeks appearance at the Corso Theatre. The Hallelujah revue returned to France, early March, where it remained until March 11th, when the troupe boarded the SS Lafayette back to the United States. 

Throughout the spring of 1931, she performed in theatres around Harlem, Astoria and Brooklyn. By May, she was broadcasting from Connie's Inn. In June 1931, she returned to Los Angeles, moving back into the Hotel Dunbar and began filming for the next four months, "Safe In Hell" in the role of the hostel-owner, Leonie.

That fall, Nina returned to New York to appear in a stage play, "Prancing Nigger". However due to the mass disapproval of the African-American community, she turned down the role and the play never materialized. On November 25th, she escaped to Portsmouth, Virginia with her latest lover, 24-year old musician, James Norman Monroe, and got married. This would become her fourth husband. Like her previous husbands, many considered Jimmy Monroe to be an extremely bad influence on Nina, even going as far as introducing the young star to drugs (possibly opium and heroin).

Scene from "Pie, Pie Blackbird"

Nina opened 1932 has the headliner of the "Dear Old Southland" revue, which ran for a week at the Lafayette Theatre starting January 16th. 

The following month, she and Jimmy Monroe left for a tour of the East Coast and Mid-West, appearing in New Jersey, Ohio and Washington DC for the next five months. In-between touring, Nina found the time to film two short soundies with Vitaphone, "Pie, Pie Blackbird" (with the Nicholas Brothers and Noble Sissle's Orchestra) and "Passing The Buck". 

Ballyhoo of 1932

Returning to New York in July, Nina went straight into rehearsals for Max Rudnick's latest production, "Folies Bergere" at the Liberty Theatre. After a brief run in Brooklyn, the revue opened early September at the Sam H. Harris Theatre.

Shortly afterwards, Nina moved over to the 44th Street Theatre, where she appeared in the Broadway production of, "Ballyhoo of 1932", performing "Love, Nuts and Noodles". Opening September 6th, Nina remained with the revue for the next three months. Beginning October 4th, she also began doubling at the brand new Hollywood Restaurant, headlining in a floorshow revue, "Hollywood Revels of 1933". 

After performing for an evening at the Harlem Opera House, on November 28th, Mr. and Mrs. Monroe and the pianist, Garland Wilson sailed to Europe arriving on the French coast early December. On December 8th, Nina opened in Paris at Chez Florence, where she played throughout the month. Afterhours, she doubled at the La Habanera Cabaret. Also at some point during this engagement, Nina found the time to record two songs, "Minnie The Moocher's Wedding Day" and "Rhapsody In Love" with French Brunswick Records.

In January 1933, Nina returned to the Theatre Les Miracles to broadcast on Radio-Poste Parisien before departing for a nightclub engagement in Cannes.

The following month, she flew north to London for a four-month's engagement in the revue, "Chocolate & Cream" at the Leicester Square Theatre, which opened February 13th. Nina was an immense success amongst the British public. A week after the opening, on February 17th, she participated on John Logie Baird's experimental television at the London Broadcasting House, performing a song-and-dance routine from her revue at the Leicester, making her the first Black woman to ever appear on television. By March 7th, Nina was also doubling at London's famous Ciro's Restaurant.

London - Garland Wilson & Nina (Apr.27, 1933)

While still going strong at Leicester Square, on April 4th, Nina began appearing over at the Trocadero Cabaret as the star of Charles Cochran's latest revue, "Revels In Rhythm". Cochran also brought in a film crew to film the cabaret spectacle, to be shown in newsreels across Britain.

Soon however, the director/impresario found his popular headliner becoming extremely moody and temperamental. Nina began failing to show up at the cabaret and even randomly demanding large sums of money. She had grown extremely dependent on drugs and alcohol to cope with her extremely grueling work schedule and with Jimmy Monroe's affairs with his new English mistress. It's even evident in the filmed version of "Revels In Rhythm" that she is unwell when breaks into a coughing fit in the middle of her dance routine. During the summer of 1933, Nina began appearing frequently on BBC Radio and making appearances at Holburn Empire, Hackney Empire and Shepherd's Bush Theatre.

After "Chocolate & Cream" closed late-June, Nina and Garland departed for a three-month provincial tour. On July 25th, Nina was briefly hospitalized with the mumps. Two months later, on September 26th, five minutes before her appearance at Cardiff's New Theatre, Nina collapsed in her dressing room. Carried to her car by her manager, Stanley C. Mills, she was taken to the Royal Infirmary, where it was declared to the press that the American star was suffering from dysentery. Most likely, she may have been suffering from withdrawals from her growing drug addiction.

On November 21st, Nina arrived at Croydon Airport for a flight back to Paris, to care for her ailing husband, who was recuperating from an unknown illness at their Parisian apartment. Eight days later, on November 30th, Nina began a month's engagement at Chez Florence.

In January 1934, Garland Wilson and Nina departed for a tour of the Cote d'Azur, beginning in the city of Nice. This marked the beginning of a successful five month European tour. The following month, the duo enjoyed a success filled month in Prague. On March 2nd, Nina arrived in Budapest, appearing at the Parisian Grill-Bar for another month. In the first week of April, Nina arrived in Athens, Greece to open on the 7th at the Femina Cinema, where she was billed as the Black Garbo (prior to this, she had been referred to only as the Black Clara Bow). As Greek engagement ended around May 6th, Nina, who was preparing to sail for Egypt, received a telegram that her mother was unwell back in America. The Egyptian engagement was likely cancelled and Nina flew back home to London.

Scene from Kentucky Minstrels (1934)

For some strange reason, Nina never returned to America to check upon her mother. Instead, on July 15th, she opened at London's Alhambra Theatre, where she remained for the next two weeks. In the meantime, she also appeared in "Kentucky Minstrels", her first British film, alongside Scott & Whaley and Debroy Somer's Orchestra. This was followed by her appearance on a popular radio show called, Music Hall, where she sang, Dinah.

In-between filming, Bosambo (1934)

During the summer of 1934, alongside Paul Robeson, Nina began filming, Zoltan Korda's "Bosambo" (later known as Sanders of the River) at the Korda Brother's film studios in Denham. During the filming, she carried on an brief affair with Robeson to cope with her adulterous husband. 

Nina resumed working at the Alhambra in October. During this time, her usual moody attitude returned. After being invited to a private reception, hosted by the royal family, Nina arrived extremely late and stayed barely fifteen minutes before departing. She moved over to the Chiswick Empire the following month. During this time, she and Robeson were in rehearsals to appear in a stage production, "Stevedore", which never seems to have opened. In the meantime, Nina's affair with Robeson had ended and she had turned her attentions to Ananias Berry, husband to Valaida Snow, who was visiting England with "Blackbirds of 1934".

After two successful years abroad, on December 18th, Nina returned to America aboard the SS Ile de France, arriving on Christmas Day.

Scene from Reckless (1935)

Shortly after arriving back in the States, Nina and Jimmy Monroe flew to Los Angeles, moving into the Clark Hotel. Although her contract with MGM had expired in 1933, Nina returned to Hollywood in January 1935 to appear in her final film with them, "Reckless", alongside Jean Harlow. She even managed to get Jimmy Monroe a small part in the film. The couple returned to New York in late-March, shortly after filming ended, for the premiere of Sanders of the River on April 4th. Nina announced that she'd never film in Hollywood again, nor would she ever accept maid roles.

On May 26th, Nina opened at Harlem's Lafayette Theatre as the star of Somerset Maugham's "Rain", a stage play set on a Pacific island: a missionary's determination to reform a prostitute leads to tragedy. In late-June, Nina began rehearsals for a new floorshow at the famous Cotton Club, where she remained for the next seven months.

On July 5th, for a week, she appeared for a week at the Apollo Theatre, alongside Gladys Bentley, Earl Tucker and Erskine Hawkins Orchestra. Nina finally opened at the Cotton Club on July 18th, for the 26th edition "Cotton Club Parade of 1936" alongside Butterbeans & Susie, Miller & Mantan and the Claude Hopkins Orchestra. In-between performing at the Cotton Club, she also found the time to appear in the short film, "The Black Network" once again alongside the Nicholas Brothers.

Scene from The Black Network (1936)

In February 1936, Nina left New York for a brief tour of Texas with the Blue Rhythm Show.

Returning to Harlem the following month, after a brief hospitalization, Nina sailed back to Europe aboard the SS Caledonia, arriving just in time open at Glasgow's Royal Theatre on March 30th. Instead of Garland Wilson, she was now accompanied by the pianist team, Rudy Smith & Kirby Walker. For the next ten months, she busied herself with a hectic British tour, doing four shows a day. That summer, she was set to appear once again alongside Paul Robeson in his latest film, "Song Of Freedom". However, due to her temperamental behavior, she was promptly replaced by Elisabeth Welsh. In October 1936, Nina and Jimmy Monroe began contemplating on filing for British citizenship, at the same time, the couple were preparing to adopt a young Afro-British girl, whom Nina had named, Brenda Mae. 

The bliss of finally having a family of her own in her new adopted country ended in early-November, when while performing at Dublin's Royal Theatre, she collapsed onstage. After convalescing for a few days at the Duchess Nursing Home, Nina returned home to discover Jimmy Monroe had fled to Paris with his English girlfriend. He had drained $10,000 from their bank account and opened a nightclub, Au Harlem Cabaret on 58, rue de Notre Dame de Lorette with Freddy Taylor's Orchestra. 

After completing her British tour, Nina returned to London on February 16th to open at the Paramount Theatre. Upon returning from her tour, she had replaced Rudy Smith with the Jamaican pianist, Yorke de Souza. Around this time, she announced her engagement with Jackie Evans (member of the Four Bobs) and began preparations for her latest film, "Unannounced", created especially for her by independent producer, William Newman. Filming never began, nor did her wedding with Jackie Evans.

Rehearsals for "Dark Laughter" (June 1937)

On February 27th, she appeared at Alexandria Palace alongside Afro-American dancer, Johnny Nit, in the televised revue, "Ebony", where she performed the Blues number, "Poppa Tree Top Tall". Over the next three months, she returned on the road for another hectic British tour. By May, she announced her plans to depart for a brief South American tour, which never materialized. On June 5th, Nina and her troupe returned to Alexandria Palace to appear on the televised revue, "Dark Laughter", where she appeared alongside Jamaican trumpeter, Leslie Thompson. 

Having burned bridges with nearly every British theatrical agent and exhausted by non-stop tours across Britain, on July 23rd, Nina and her troupe boarded the SS Mooltan to Australia with a six-month contract. After a month at sea, and passing through Morocco, Egypt, India and Ceylon, Nina finally disembarked at Fremantle on August 24th. From there she traveled to Melbourne, where she opened on September 7th at the Tivoli Theatre in her latest revue, "Hello Harlem!". After a successful month onstage and a brief radio appearance, the revue departed for Sydney's Tivoli Theatre, opening on October 14th for another month. As usual, on November 3rd, Nina collapsed onstage and she recovered at St. Luke's Hospital and her residence at the King's Lynn Apartments. On November 29th, her New Zealand appearance at Auckland's Her Majesty's Theatre was cancelled.

For the next three months, Nina lived quietly in Sydney at her new residence at the Mount Stewart Flats with an Australian woman whom she had been carrying on an affair with. The only media coverage, was a small debt she had to settle with the owner of the King's Lynn Apartments.

On February 17th, 1938, Nina boarded the SS Niagara back to the United States with a contract to appear in Ralph Cooper's latest film, "The Duke Is Tops". However, by the time she arrived on March 12th, filming had already begun and Nina was replaced by the young Lena Horne. She was still asked to appear in Los Angeles on April 1st, to sign with Million Dollar Productions. Afterwards, while finalizing her divorce from Jimmy Monroe (who was still in Paris with a new nightclub), Nina vacationed for the next six months with her parents in Harlem. 

On September 3rd, Nina arrived in Los Angeles to begin filming, "Gang Smashers". Once filming was complete, early-October, she traveled south to Ensenada, Mexico with fellow actor Joel Fluellen, where the two hastily married. However, within weeks, Joel quickly denied any knowledge of the marriage, declaring it was simply publicity for the upcoming film.  Nina promptly left for a engagements in Chicago and Pittsburgh before returning to her Seventh Avenue apartment in Harlem.

On February 23rd, Nina returned to the Apollo Theatre, once again appearing in a production of Somerset Maugham's "Rain" with Tiny Bradshaw's Orchestra. The following month, she left for D.C.'s Howard Theatre. In the spring, she returned to Los Angeles to film, "Straight To Heaven", another Million Dollar Productions picture. From August 17th until the 29th, Nina and other actors employed by Million Dollar Productions travelled to Jamaica to film "Pocomania" (later The Devil's Daughter). While sailing back to the United States, World War II broke out. If Nina had any plans of returning to Europe, those plans were immediately squashed.

On September 19th, in Newark, Nina married 20-year old Apollo Theatre errand boy, Robert "Charleston" Montgomery (making him husband number six), seemingly following the same formula of marrying younger husbands like Valaida Snow. After the wedding, Nina signed a two-year contract with the William Morris Agency and went back on the road. The marriage was already announced to have fell apart by November.

In November 1939, Nina took over Pancho Digg's 13-piece orchestra and left for a two month tour of the South and Mid-West. Beginning on December 28th, Nina Mae McKinney and her orchestra traversed across South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana in a series of one-nighters. One incident on January 7th, 1940, while travelling from Jacksonville (Jimmy Monroe's hometown) to New Orleans, Nina was attacked by white shop owner. Abandoning the orchestra at the end of January, Nina returned north in March to fulfill an engagements in Massachusetts, Indiana and New York with Tommy Tucker's Orchestra. That summer she was back in Harlem organizing for a new orchestra, which never materialized.

Instead, on October 14th, Nina opened at the West End Theatre in her latest revue, "The Queen of Harlem" with Edgar Hayes Orchestra and 36 chorus girls. The revue ran for a week before closing.

On January 20th, 1941, Irvin C. Miller's "Tan Manhattan" opened for two weeks at Washington D.C.'s Howard Theatre, featuring Nina as one of its headliners. The revue was supposed to go to Broadway the following month at the Shubert Theatre, but, apparently racial barriers are still high and strongly held; they won’t allow African Americans to attest their contribution to the USA. The revue moved over to Harlem's Apollo. Success is enormous, and in order to give 4 performances per day, the show is reduced to 90 minutes instead of the original 2 hours and 30 minutes. Critics were still concerned, saying that even as it assembles so many talents, the show lacks vigor, story and scenario. 

For the last week of February, Nina remained at the Apollo in the next revue, "Up Harlem Way" which also featured 25-year old singer, Billie Holiday, who was Jimmy Monroe's latest girlfriend. Nina made it a frequent habit of hers to terrorize Billie's mother, Sadie Fagan on the phone. Jimmy hastily scared Nina out of town, who went on tour that summer of the Mid-West with the "Tan Town Topics" revue. 

That fall, as Jimmy and Billie married and relocated to California, Nina returned to the East Coast to join the cast of, "The Good Neighbor", a play that toured Connecticut, Maryland and New York. In the meantime, she had quietly become engaged to a slick, ladies-man named Melvin Woolfork.

The years 1942-1944 were extremely slow for the former, Black Garbo. She was finally in her decline. Most of that year was spent in small nightclubs around Harlem, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Montreal and Baltimore. At some point during this period, she finally married her 7th husband, Melvin Woolfork.

A destitute and desperate, Nina returned to Hollywood in July 1944 with a minor role in Rex Ingram's "Dark Waters". That fall, she was also cast to appear in "The Power of the Whistler" and "Together Again".

By 1945, she found employment entertaining in nightclubs around San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles.

In the spring of 1946, Nina left with Saunders King's Orchestra and the "Hollywood Cavalcade Revue" for tour of the South before she left for a solo engagement at Washington D.C.'s Club Bali.

From 1947 to 1948, Nina disappears again for over two years. There's no mention of her whereabouts except for her appearance in the film, "Danger Street".

On January 23rd, 1949, Nina was back in New York performing at the Audubon Theatre. Two months later, on March 8th, shortly after having been casted in the film, "Pinky", Nina's step-father, James Maynor passed away.

On March 22nd, Nina arrived in Los Angeles, promptly moving into the Watkins Hotel. A few days later, Nina gave an interview with various newspapers, discussing her plans to return to France once filming was over. For the remainder of March, Nina filmed her few scenes in Pinky, before returning to New York to visit her mother.

On April 17th, Nina returned to Hollywood with her new husband, Frank B. Mickey (musician and engineer) and a role in her final film, "Copper Canyon". The couple remained in California, residing at 122 1-2 West 53rd Street until mid-May, when they returned to New York.

On September 5th, Nina was in Indianapolis in the "Stars On Parade" revue at the Walker Casino alongside, Duke Ellington, Louis Jordan, Lena Horne, Louis Armstrong and her former rival, Billie Holiday. A few weeks later, as Pinky was being released, Nina sued Ebony Magazine for $70,000 before retiring from the stage altogether and living quietly in her Harlem apartment.

In the summer of 1950, Nina announced that she was expecting her first baby. However, no baby ever arrived.

On April 4th, 1951, Nina and Frank Mickey finally received a marriage license. Most likely, the couple weren't legally married until 1951, as she was probably still married to Woolfork.

Five months later, on August 8th,Nina revived the stage production of, "Rain" for a week at the Apollo Theatre. The show then spent two weeks on the road in Brooklyn and Washington DC. The producers hoped that the show would take an extended tour across the United States, but instead the show closed at the end of August and Nina returned to semi-retirement in Harlem.

HUE Magazine (February 1953)

In February 1953, Nina decided to a make a comeback, spending over $1, 000 on new gowns for Manhattan Paul's revue at Small's Paradise. Her latest accompanist was former guitarist for Count Basie, Jimmy McLin. Two months later, the duo traveled down to Delair, New Jersey for an engagement at the New Town Tavern.

That winter, Nina reunited with her former husband, Melvin Woolfork, who had recently opened a Las Vegas nightclub called, Mel's Inn. Together the couple flew to London, where Nina began preparing for her return to Europe. Back in Los Angeles by Christmas week of 1953, Nina was seen in and out of various agencies searching for film and television work.

By February of 1954, no longer accompanied by McLin, Nina had learned to perform the guitar herself and was preparing leave the United States again for a USO tour of Japan.

Afterwards, from 1954-1959, Nina disappears from the America completely. Her husband, was noted in American newspapers, as making frequent trips to Monaco and the Far East (possibly to visit Nina, who was rumored to have resettled in Greece). She isn't mentioned again until July 1960, after she checked into a Harlem hospital for some unknown ailment.

She disappears again until her sudden death on May 3rd, 1967 of a heart attack at the age of 54 at the Metropolitan Hospital in Manhattan.

Buster Dunson (1904-1963)

Thomas Clifford Dunson (October 5, 1904-March 8, 1963)

Known as Cliff Dunson, La Buster, Buster Dunson

Dancer, Singer, Choreographer & Female Impersonator

Born Thomas Clifford Dunson on October 5th, 1904, in Brentwood, Texas to Hattie Woodard and William Dunson. There's hardly any information about his childhood in Texas. At some point during his teenage years, Dunson travelled west to California, possibly living with his cousin, June Bennett.

By May 1923, at age 19, Dunson had established himself in Southern California, as a popular female impersonator, "La Buster" performing the Charleston and toe dances. In early-1925, he was a member of the Alexander Fulton Revue. However, by that summer, he was touring around California with the Dixie Syncopators Revue, a talented African-American minstrel troupe of 12-16 members, which included the famous Bismark Ferris & his Family Band.

RMS Tahiti

By February 1926, after 19 months, the Ferris Family Band had separated from the Dixie Revue and returned to Los Angeles, accompanied by Dunson. The following month, Ferris announced his upcoming six-month tour of New Zealand and Australia. On September 8th, at 12:00pm the Ferris Jazzland Revue boarded the RMS Tahiti at San Francisco in the direction towards New Zealand. During their 20-day trip across the Pacific Ocean, the luxury liner briefly stopped in Papeete, Tahiti, where the revue gave a small performance, which ended in the natives showering the stage with thousands of Tahitian Centimes (which later proved to be worthless once they landed in Wellington).

Arriving on September 27th, the revue was met by theatrical impresario Alfred Linley of the Wellington Amusement Syndicate Company, who arranged the entire New Zealand tour. On October 1st, the revue opened at Wellington's Paramount Theatre, where it played for a successful twelve days. The 2-part show consisted 14-sketches, the first act began with a massive minstrel-style cakewalk before transforming into modern Charleston dance. The second act was 13-sketches of non-stop dancing, singing and comedy before it closed with the Kentucky Derby finale (another cakewalk). Dunson particularly appeared first in "Essence", the third sketch of the second act, where he performed alongside Comedian Jokey Murray, while pianist Leona Everly played. He later reappears in the ninth sketch, "Solo Dance", performing his eccentric toe and step dancing. Throughout the entire spectacle, Dunson was presented as a fashionably dressed woman, only pulling off his wig towards the end of the show.

On October 13th, the revue departed for a 12-week provincial tour, appearing in Masterton, Stratford, Waverley, Opunake, Palmerston, Nelson, Christchurch, Poverty Bay, Gisborne and Waihi. On December 7th, towards the end of tour, comedian Robert 'Jokey' Murray died suddenly of heart failure caused by Peritonitis at the Napier Public Hospital. On December 26th, the revue opened at Auckland's Town Hall for a week, with a revised version of the show.

On January 1st, 1927, the last performance was given in the Onehunga suburb before the revue packed and three days later boarded the RMS Makura back to America. The additional three-month Australian engagement had been cancelled due to the sudden death of Jokey Murray. Dunson and Louis Godfrey (comedian, tenor singer and end man), quietly signed a three-month contract with the Wellington Amusement Syndicate Company and remained in the country after the revue departed. On January 17th, Godfrey and Dunson opened at the Hippodrome Theatre, where they performed for a week, introducing the Charleston and the Savannah Shuffle to packed houses, before moving on to the Empress Theatre. In February, after an apparent week tour in the provinces, the duo had returned to Auckland, appearing at the Princess Theatre for two weeks before disappearing from the city again.

In March the duo suddenly separated. Soon Dunson and Godfrey were in a dispute with the Wellington Amusement Syndicate, mainly pertaining to on their contractual right to have their return fares covered (including rail from San Francisco to Los Angeles). Due to this dispute, suddenly both performers were unemployed and stranded in Auckland. 38-year old Godfrey, placed numerous ads in local newspapers seeking theatrical work and was able to resume performing around Auckland and Wellington, although in various brief engagements. Meanwhile, 22-year old Dunson was left wandering around Auckland, spending the last of his money sending a telegram to relatives in California. On April 10th, at 4:30am Constable Dunn discovered Dunson asleep in a doorway on Auckland's Grey Street and placed him into the care of the local Salvation Army. Although the American Embassy could offer no help, Senior Sargent Edwards of the local Police Court was able to secure Dunson's ticket back to America (including passage from San Francisco to L.A.). On April 16th, Dunson boarded the RMS Makura, which took 19 days to make its way back to the United States, briefly stopping in Hawaii along the way. Unfortunately, Godfrey wasn't able to return to the States until July.

On May 13th, 1927, upon returning, Dunson discovered that the Jazzland Revue had quickly dissolved and the entire cast had completely went its separate ways. For the next fifteen months, Dunson fades away from the spotlight, likely performing in various nightclubs around California.

In mid-July 1928, American impresario, Richard Wilbur returned to the United States after a extensive fourteen-month tour of the Far East with plans of bringing an African-American revue overseas. For several weeks, he traveled around San Francisco and Los Angeles, assembling a 18-member revue. On August 4th, Harry Bell, Wilbur's personal representative based in Shanghai immediately began preparing for the arrival of Wilbur's creation. Dunson, determined to return to the Far East again, joined in as a member of Wilbur's Blackbirds Revue (whose name was capitalizing of the success of Lew Leslie's similar production).

Blackbirds Revue aboard the Shimyo Maro (1928)

On August 15th, the Blackbirds company boarded the S.S. Shimyo Maro from San Francisco to Maui, where they arrived after a week. The revue debuted at Honolulu's State Theater on the 24th, where it played successfully for 10 days. The show was nearly a replica of the old Ferris Jazzland Revue, offering plantation melodies, Negro spirituals and modern Jazz

On September 4th, the company (except for Wilbur and his wife) boarded the S.S. Siberia Maru for Hong Kong. For the next couple of months, the show appeared in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Yokohama, Japan. Early November was possibly spent in the Philippines. On November 17th, the company arrived in Batavia, capital of the Dutch East Indies on the island of Java, where it opened at the Concordia Theatre, appearing for nine days before leaving for Semarang, where the revue performed for two days at the Pathe Theatre and later two more days back in Batavia at the Stadsshouwburg. On December 3rd, the company boarded the S.S. Plancius from Batavia to Singapore. That same night, the company opened at Singapore's Victoria Theatre, where for a week the production received poor reviews by the unimpressed audiences, although Buddy Deloach's performance of 'Hello Bluebird' did receive positive reviews. From Singapore, the company sailed to Burma, appearing in Rangoon and Mandalay. By Christmas of 1928, the Blackbirds revue had opened in Madras on the first stage of their month-long tour of British India.

Throughout January 1929, the company found itself performing in the exotic destinations of Calcutta, Lucknow and Bombay. The first week of February was likely spent in Colombo, Ceylon. On February 7th, the company arrived in Kuala Lumpur, for an appearance at the Town Hall. Unfortunately before the performance could begin that night, 29-year old Marie Lewis, one of the leading girls, suddenly of pneumonia at the General Hospital. That nights engagement was cancelled and Ms. Lewis was buried at the Cheras Road Cemetery the following day. On February 27th, the entire company boarded the S.S. Shimyo Maru from Kobe, Japan on its return back to America after six-months in the Far East. However, almost like a complete replay of his time with the Ferris Revue, Dunson remained abroad, possibly sailing for the Philippines shortly after the funeral of Marie Brown.

Manila (1930s)

In March 1929, Dunson was performing in various cinemas and theatres around Manila, performing with a clumsy Filipino partner according to journalist John Maynard. By October, Dunson was one of the leading stars of the Philippine stages. He had become one of the main headliners at the Cine Savoy, often choreographing magnificent American, French and Spanish-styled productions in which he was the star. Philippine audiences were constantly raving about his extravagant costumes, and soon the majority of the performers in Manila were wearing his latest creations. Another of his ventures was the recruitment of the Garcia sisters. Florencia and Modesta Garcia (both 12 and 13-years old) were both dancers in John C. Cowper's Savoy Nifties, a troupe of young chorus girls that performed in revues at the Cine Savoy. After witnessing the in several of his revues at the Savoy, Dunson took the sisters under his wing and trained to them into one of the most popular dance team in the South Pacific.

In the summer of 1930, Dunson and the Garcia sisters left Manila for a nine-month tour of Java. In August, the trio were performing in Semarang at the Wijziging Dancing, a cabaret located within the Pasar Malem market. The following month, they appeared in Jogja at the Schouwburgzaal. October was spent back in Surabaya at the La Gaite cabaret. On December 1st, the trio opened at the New Monico cabaret, where they remained successfully for four-and-a-half months before eventually returning to the Philippines. From 1931-1932, Dunson was starring once again at the Cine Savoy and the brand new Metropolitan Theatre.

Early 1933, Dunson travelled to Shanghai, headlining at the Little Club, a popular Jazz cabaret located at 60 Bubbling Wells Road. African-American artists, Nora Holt and Lottie Gee were also appearing at the cabaret during Dunson's brief sojourn there. In July 1933, Dunson and his troupe returned back to Manila, where he was headlining for the next five-months at the Palace Theatre alongside popular Filipino entertainer, Katy de la Cruz. Christmas of '33, was spent at Tom's Dixie Kitchen, one of the leading restaurants in Manila since 1916. The establishment was owned by Tom Pritchard, an African-American businessman who had settled in the Philippines before 1910.

In 1934, Dunson was appearing in the Midnight Revue at the Santa Ana Cabaret, located on H. Santos Street across from the Manila Race Tracks. Located on the outskirts of town, the Santa Ana was owned by the Italian-American businessman, John Canson (Giovani Canzona), and was advertised as the "Largest Cabaret in the World". In May, during a going-away party held at the Santa Ana for Tom Pritchard (Tom and his family were vacationing in California), Dunson engaged in a physical altercation with Tamara Weems, possibly the dancer 'Miss Tamara', that had appeared with him at the Palace the previous year. Four months later, after the revue came to a close, Judge Delfin Jaranilla sentenced Dunson to a brief three day jail sentence. In early-December, Dunson and his troupe departed for a two-month engagement in Cebu.

On February 3rd, 1935, Dunson and his troupe sailed back from Cebu aboard the S.S. Corregidor back to Manila. The spring and summer of 1935, was spent at Cine Astor and later the Bellevue Theatre.

Dunson and the Garcia Sisters opened the year of 1936, performing at Shanghai's Casanova Ballroom, where they were engaged successfully for four months before departing for Tokyo. However, with the rising strain between China and Japan, the trio returned to Manila.

July 1938

December 1938

Beginning in January 1938, Dunson and Flo Garcia appeared for three months at Singapore's famous Raffles Hotel and at the Happy Cabaret, an establishment located within the Happy World Amusement Park. That summer, Dunson rented a building at 74-4 Bras Basah Road (near the Raffles Hotel), which he converted into his Studio de Danse, which was inaugurated June 26th, 1938. From 10am-8pm, he offered tap dancing and New York Ballroom step lessons, throughout the summer. In December, he returned to the Happy Cabaret alone. Dunson was photographed by the Malaya Tribune, who mentioned he was performing in charity events around Singapore, raising money for the China Relief Fund.

Singapore (April 1940)

Despite the crisis of the Sino-Japanese War becoming increasingly dangerous, Dunson continued touring, flying back-and-forth between Manila and Singapore, accompanied by partners, George D'Almeida and Anita Gonzales. Together, the trio opened on April 21st, 1940, in the Big Apple Revue at the Happy World Cabaret. During the day, Dunson and D'Almeida ran the a brand new dance studio that they operated together on the grounds of the Happy World Amusement Park. Afterhours, the trio performed together in the cabarets. In May, the St. Louis Blues Revue opened, this was followed by the Midnight Scandals Revue in June. After a break in July, Dunson returned alone to the Happy World for a couple more months before his contract ended mid-September. On December 5th, Dunson (and his latest partner Maggie) opened at the Raffles Hotel for a months engagement. They were so successful that four months later, on May 3rd, 1941, the opened back at the Raffles Hotel with a five-month contract. On October 8th, 1941, a week after his contract with the Raffles had ended, Dunson moved on to the New World Amusement Park with a partner named Galloway. 

Manila (December 1941)

Returning home to Manila in November, he found his adopted country had mobilized and beginning the process of defending the country from impending invasion.

On December 8th, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Army landed in the Philippines, beginning a month-long bloody invasion. On December 24th, a mass evacuation from Manila was initiated. By December 26th, Manila was declared an open city by General MacArthur. However, the United States military was still using the city for logistical purposes while the city was declared open and the Japanese army ignored the declaration and bombed the city.

At some point during this period, as Filipino and Foreign refugees fled into the woods, Southern regions of the Philippines and to neighboring countries, Dunson fled to the island of Java, which was still safe from the clutches of the Japanese...for the moment.

Los Angeles (1943)

For the next three months, as the Philippines and Singapore was quickly swallowed by the Japanese, Dunson settled in the city of Surabaya, where he quietly lived until the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies began on March 9th, 1942. Around March 9th, as the government of the Dutch East Indies surrendered to the Japanese, Dunson, together with hundreds of other Asian, European and American refugees boarded the S.S. Tjinegara from Surabaya to New Orleans, arriving April 19th.

Back in America after nearly 14 years abroad, the renowned cabaret star had settled in Los Angeles with his cousin June Bennett at 4920 McKinley Avenue and found employment at the Gaylord Apartment building. On June 24th, he was registered with U.S. Army, however shortly afterwards he quickly departed for Phoenix, Arizona where he was listed as staying at 1324 Washington Street on January 24th, 1943.

Dunson's life from 1943-1953 is at the moment undocumented. It's most likely, he didn't return to the Philippines after the war. In 1953, Dunson had retired from performing and settled in Los Angeles as a cook at Cecil's Café, where he remained until January 5th, 1963, when he was admitted into the General County Hospital after catching pneumonia. On March 8th, 1963, Thomas Clifford Dunson succumbed to his ailment. A week later, on March 15th, he was buried at the Roseland Cemetery.