Eunice Wilson - Queen of Song and Dance

Eunice Wilson was one of the top entertainers of the 1930's of classic Black Entertainment. She was a contributor and one of the reasons why Harlem became “The Great Black Way,” a name as important as Broadway, the main place to see exciting, breathtaking Black entertainment and the place where the best became stars and last. She was called the best, simply. An exceptional song and dance girl she was, her dancing reminds you of Michael Jackson. She was an example of what hot/swing/smooth dancing was all about added with class. She was a dancer if there ever was one; she was the example of a dancer, because she just danced. She told a story with her dancing, she let the music in her and dictate her movements. She used her whole flexible body in her dancing. She had never taken dancing lessons but like many blacks back than, dancing just came natural.

She was the definition of what a performer must be; she had talent, looks, spark, personality, magnetism and a love and respect for her abilities, and not just on stage and screen to show off her talents, being an entertainer was more important than being a star to Eunice …those were the ingredients that won her fame quickly and won her respect from her contemporaries and admirers in the U.S. and Europe and made her one of the main attractions in the most popular nightclubs and theaters.

Eunice really loved what she was doing and it showed, Eunice was a "make you feel good" type of performer and it sure brought a smile on audiences faces. Eunice was a new type of Black female performer, she wasn't the sad, bluesy type of performer, Eunice was of the new generation of performers, energetic, vivacious, sexy, proud, full of song and dance and love, of course, there were many song and dance ladies but Eunice had a certain spark that really put a song and dance over big. Eunice rose above many who could rival her and had been in the business longer than her but because she had an innate, immense talent of songs and dance and a charming presence that was enticing that put her in a class of her own.

Eunice was a rare female dancer because her dancing could top any men; she was much more than a hip shaking, shimmy dancer like most women. Though feminine, she had an almost masculine approach to performing, she differed because on stage she was much more than a pretty girl, shaking, wearing sexy costumes to show off her figure. She took her talents that she displayed before people seriously and was always brushing up on her talents and as an artist she bettered performance after performance. In 1936, Eunice joined the show of the famous Lew Leslie's Blackbirds of 1936 that opened in Europe, there was plenty of great talents but Eunice stood out, she won favorable reviews and pleasing compliments from royalty and left a memorable presence on the Europeans.

Eunice was in 3 movies that are available that feature her excellent dancing and singing and in 2 films she was a pleasant actress as well. Her first was a musical short called, "An All Colored Vaudeville Show" featuring Adelaide Hall and The Nicholas Brothers, Eunice performance was last but not least and stood out more so than the more known Hall and Nicholas Brothers. Also, in 1935 she appeared in legendary black film maker Oscar Micheaux's "Murder in Harlem." Eunice played the role of a tough-talking, spunky, sexy call girl and she also performed the “Harlem Rhythm Dance,” she was entertaining and fun as always. 13 years later in 1948, Eunice starred in "No Time for Romance," one of the best of Black Cinema and the first black film in color. She was a bit heavier and older but classier and glamorous and she still had the talent of singing a song to the heart that couldn't be resist. She played the role of Cynda Drake, a singing star who discovered an unknown genius while vacationing on a ranch and makes him a star but the jealousy of a has-been will try to ruin the fame and fortune of Cynda and her new star. Eunice sings a beautiful song "A Lovely Day" that befitting to her lovely, soft voice.

Eunice was an interesting woman on and off stage. Eunice Wilson is and always will be the personification of what made Harlem and Black entertainers of the 1930's and 1940's greats. To this day, her performances in movies are still wowing people. She is truly irresistible! If Eunice was around today, she'd be a superstar but because of partiality to black performers in her time there were limits to how many could be superstars but Eunice star shined for many years. Eunice more than any set the standard of what a female performer, a Black female performer should be and to this day many female performers possess that but lack Eunice professionalism, charm, real meaning of song and dance and vivacious but not blatantly sexual. Anyone who wants to be a performer should watch Eunice Wilson, they'd be doing themselves a big advantage!

Lew Leslie always told blacks in his shows don’t act white be themselves, be black, be in tune with your culture and talents and gifts you inherit from your race because that’s what always wowed people… Eunice signified that!