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Leon James & Willa Mae Ricker (legendary Life Magazine photo 1943)

Stage Name

Birth Name

Leon James

Leon James

Poke (of Moke and Poke, Coke and Poke)  

    Leon was one of the main Swing dancers with the Whitey's Lindy Hoppers in the 1930's and also danced with the Shorty Snowden Trio. Danced at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem and Harvest Moon Ball contests in New York winning first place with Ricker.

   He can be seen in the movie 'Cabin in the Sky' (as Poke) as well as in the 1961 Dupont Show of the Week (remade as 'Chicago and All That Jazz') with Al Minns doing Charleston, Lindy Hop etc.

   In trying to keep the Lindy Hop dance alive, Leon and Al Minns developed a novelty act in which they danced together. Leon and Willa Mae Ricker are featured in the legendary photo on the left in the 1943 Life Magazine.

   Leon toured with the Ink Spots in the mid 1940s as Moke and "Poke" and Coke and "Poke." in the issue of The Providence Journal, (September, 12&14, 1945) addresses the Moke and Poke / Coke and Poke question.

[Photo: 1943 Life Magazine]

Listings for this team have varied during the year (c.1945.) Apparently, Poke became ill in Dec/44 and Moke (Fletcher Rivers) took on a new partner and continued with the same name. Poke (Leon James) was left "out in the cold" until he took on Harold Cromer and started performing as Coke & Poke but many continued to confuse the new name with the old Moke & Poke.

Leon died of a Cardiac-Arrest in NYC in 1970.

Birth Place

Birth Date

Spouse

Offspring

New Jersey, USA 4/1913 - 11/1970 Hazel James (2nd wife) Nina Cecily James
      Susan James
      (6 Children in Total)
 

Dance Types

Dance Partners

Music Titles

Air Steps!(Adagio, Tricks etc.) Al Minns n/a
Big Apple Whitey's Lindy Hoppers      
Black Bottom Wila Mae Ricker      
Charleston            
Jitterbug            
Lindy Hop            
Ostrich Walk            
Shim Sham            
 

Night Clubs

Theaters

Stage

Savoy Ballroom Metropolitan (Providence) Hot Mikado?
            1935 Harvest Moon Ball Championships
                 
 

Films

Television

Publications

1937 - The Big Apple (Jittering Jitterbugs, Minns) 1954 - Jazz Dance 8/23/1943 - Life Magazine
1937 - Day at the Races 1960 - Am Musical Special 9/12&14/1945 - Providence Journal
1938 - Paramount News: Savoy Contest 1961 - Dupont Show*      
1938 - Prisoner of Swing 1964 - Playboy Club(w/ Minns)      
1940 - Cootie William's & His Orchestra has a good Swing dance scene!
$ Cabin In The Sky
Swingin' At The Savoy by Norma Miller
$ Swingin' at the Savoy
1943 - Cabin In The Sky
1944 - Lindy Hoppers
1946 - Midnight Menace
1950 - The Spirit Moves
1954 - Jazz Dance (w/ Minns)
1961 - Chicago and all That Jazz* (Dupont)
1964 - Twelfth Street Rag (w/Minns)
     
NOTE: Thanks to Leon's daughters ... Nina and Susan for information on Leon. Also, it was reported to me by a grand daughter that Leon was born in West Indies - St. Croix. However, that is deemed as incorrect by the daughters.
February 5, 2010
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