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Creator
Skipper, William
Call number
(S) *MGZMD 185
Physical description
17 linear feet (38 boxes)
Preferred Citation

The William Skipper Papers, (S)*MGZMD 185. Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Repository
Jerome Robbins Dance Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.

William "Billy" Skipper was a dancer, choreographer and filmmaker. Skipper danced with all the greats of Broadway in the 1940s and 1950s. He choreographed for musical theater throughout the United States. Skipper produced two films, one about the famous dances of Ruth St. Denis, the other about Tallulah Bankhead. Included in the collection are photographs, manuscript drafts, correspondence and office files.

Biographical/historical information

William Skipper Jr. was born February 28, 1921 to William (Willie) Skipper and Ethel (Polly) McPherson. He was there only child. Willie and Ethel divorced and Ethel married Nick Vegliaciah in 1925.

Skipper graduated from Murphy High School in Mobile, Alabama in 1939. He then became part of Ted Shawn’s men dancers at Jacob’s Pillow. Skipper briefly danced with Jack Cole’s group before moving to Broadway. On Broadway, he danced in a number of top shows of the era including, Higher and Higher(1940) with Jack Haley and June Allyson, Panama Hattie(1940-41) with Ethel Merman and Banjo Eyes(1941-1942) with Eddie Cantor.

In 1942 Skipper joined the Coast Guard (Willie Skipper was a Lt. Commander of the Coast Guard in the Gulf Coast region). He graduated from the Coast Guard Pharmacy program at Columbia University in 1944. He soon after joined the Coast Guard’s touring show called Tars & Spars. The show traveled throughout the United States, and eventually moved to Hollywood to film a movie version of the production.

Upon his discharge from the Coast Guard, Skipper returned to Broadway, and was cast as the juvenile lead in Annie Get Your Gun(1946) starring Ethel Merman. In 1948 he performed in Lend an Ear with Carol Channing and filmed his second motion picture Up in Central Park starring Deanna Durbin, Dick Haymes and Vincent Price. Skipper’s last Broadway show in 1955 was Almost Crazy, which he choreographed. The show closed after five performances. Skipper also danced in the following shows: Ballet Theater, Star & Garterwith Gypsy Rose Lee, Billion Dollar Baby,Three to Make Ready,and Park Avenue.Skipper also appeared, directed or choreographed over 200 television productions.

From 1965-1967 he was a member of the faculty of the drama department at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. In 1967 he left Alabama to become the director of the Ruth St. Denis Foundation.

Although Skipper won a scholarship to become a part of Ted Shawn’s famous men dancers, he was a protégé of Ruth St. Denis. Skipper and St. Denis made a film together preserving for posterity the dances created by St. Denis. He was her official and unofficial booking agent. The two lived together several times over the years. Skipper and his mother Ethel moved into the St. Denis home. His mother died that winter and St. Denis died several months later in 1968.

Skipper had a varied career. He started as a dancer, performed in musical theater, choreographed a number of shows, and then became a Las Vegas showman and filmmaker/producer. He produced, directed, filmed and edited several films. The First Lady of Dance starring Ruth St. Deniswas a film in which St. Denis performed her most famous dances. At the time she was 90 years old. Tallulah & the Bankheads was another film he produced.

Skipper died in Mobile Alabama on Oct. 15, 1987.

Scope and arrangement

The William Skipper Papers span the years 1915-1988 and includes correspondence, professional papers, writings, photographs and music.

The collection is important in its documentation of Skipper’s career from performer to filmmaker. Especially interesting is his professional relationships with Ruth St. Denis and Tallulah Bankhead. The most personal material is in the correspondence between Skipper and his mother Ethel Vegliaciah, his aunt Estelle Hamilton and his mentor Ruth St. Denis.

Missing from the collection is information about Skipper’s personal life, including early childhood material and anything about personal relationships.

The William Skipper papers are arranged in five series:

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

The William Skipper Papers were donated to the Jerome Robbins Dance Division in 1995 by The University of Alabama at Mobile.

Processing information

Processed by Leslie Reyman; Machine-readable finding aid created by Leslie Reyman.

Separated material

Key to the City, Harrisburg, PA. For Tallulah Bankhead

Using the collection

Location

Jerome Robbins Dance Division
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023-7498
Third Floor

Conditions Governing Use

For permission to publish, contact the Curator, Jerome Robbins Dance Division.