Tom Patricola

Tom Patricola (January 22, 1891 – January 1, 1950) was an American actor, comic and dancer who starred in vaudeville and motion pictures. Born in New Orleans, Patricola established his fame as a hoofer, becoming a leading interpreter of the Black Bottom dance.

Besides excelling at eccentric dances, Patricola also sang and played the ukulele.[1] Marketing himself as a novelty act, Patricola was described as a "mop gone crazy" as he danced while simultaneously singing and playing the ukulele. He was also a noted clog dancer.[2]

Career
Tom Patricola & Ann Pennington do the Black Bottom as George White looks on (circa 1926)

His fame as a song and dance man was assured by five seasons as a headliner with George White's Scandals, a Broadway musical revue, from 1923 to 1926 and 1928. He was noted for dancing the Black Bottom with Ann Pennington in the 1926 version of Scandals.[3] While employed by George White, Patricola was coached by the African American choreographer Buddy Bradley.[2]

With the advent of the talkies, Fox Film Corp. signed Patricola on as a contract player. He made his movie debut in the comic musical Words and Music (1929), which was the first credited screen appearance of John Wayne (billed as "Duke Morrison"), but unlike The Duke, he never became a star, let alone a cinematic legend. From 1929 to 1931, he appeared in feature-length musicals and several Spanish-language versions of English-language pictures. After mid-1931, he began appearing in comic shorts made by the Educational Film Corp. of America that were released by Fox.

Patricola made his last short for Educational in 1938. Thereafter, he only made two confirmed appearances in the movies, in uncredited bit parts. He made one final appearance on Broadway in the musical-comedy Hold Your Horses, which ran for 88 performances in 1933. He reportedly appeared in George White's 1932 Broadway revue Music Hall Varieties.[1]

Death

Patricola died on New Year's Day, 1950 in Pasadena, California, after undergoing brain surgery. His sister, Isabella, had a successful career in vaudeville as a singer and violinist. She recorded the song "Somebody Loves Me" in 1924.[3]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1929Words and MusicHannibal
1929Happy DaysMinstrel Show Performer #3
1929Married in HollywoodMahai
1929Frozen JusticeDancer
1929South Sea RoseWillie Gump
1930The Three SistersTony
1930One Mad KissPaco
1930El precio de un besoPaco
1930Anybody's WomanEddie Calcio
1931Children of DreamsGus Schultz
1941Louisiana PurchaseCab DriverUncredited
1942Secrets of a Co-EdMinor RoleUncredited
1945Rhapsody in BlueTomUncredited, (final film role)

References
  1. S.D., Trav. "Stars of Vaudeville # 577: Tom Patricola". Travalanche. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  2. Cullen, Frank; et al. (2006). Vaudeville, Old and New: An Encyclopedia of Variety Performers in America. Florence, KY: Routeledge. p. 870. ISBN 978-0415938532.
  3. "Tom Patricola". Sonny Watson's Street Swing. StreetSwing.com. Retrieved 21 December 2014.


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