| Born Laybourne Horsey on
3 Sep 1904 in Chester PA Horsey was a dancer
who started as a “pick” for Gussie Francis and later
Belle Davis. He was traveling to London to work for Davis in 1919
when this passport portrait was shot. Later he formed the Legomania
Tap dance group, “The Three
Eddies”. This group enjoyed a great deal
of success in America and in Europe. They performed part of their
routine in the 1930 British musical revue film, “Elstree
Calling” (directed by Alfred Hitchcock!)
In 1927, in London, Horsey was performing
in the all-black show, Blackbirds of
1927, which starred Florence Mills. Horsey, in a disagreement
over dating white women, stabbed fellow dancer Johnny
Hudgins. The managers of the revue went to great pains
to conceal the incident from the public, fearing that public antagonism
towards the foreign black performers would force to show to close.
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Ballrooms
