Pete Nugent

Gary "Pete" Nugent (July 16, 1909 – April 25, 1973) was an American tap dancer known as "Public Tapper, Number 1". He was also part of the class act, Pete, Peaches, and Duke.

Nugent performed all over the world including across Europe in World War II but had a focus on New York and Harlem in particular. He danced with many of the greats including Honi Coles, Bunny Briggs, Charles 'Cookie' Cook, and Peg Leg Bates.

Early life Nugent was born in Washington, D.C., July 16, 1909 while hanging around hoofer’s clubs and then ran away from home He worked as messenger at a store in Harlem, until Paul Ford offered Nugent his start as part of his production for $30/week, twice what he had been making before. These were accompanied by a great number of accessories including socks, collars, and buttons that numbered well into the hundreds. Around the same time, it was noted that the group left shows rapidly after they ended, leaving the public in confusion as to why Pete, Peaches, and Duke were not participating in the nightlife scene. As it turns out, they had been going back to their newly acquired library from Broadway columnist Mark Hellinger and reading.

After Duke's untimely death in 1937, Pete and Peaches performed a few times together, but never reformed as a tap trio and the two remaining dancers set out on their own.

Pete, Peaches, and Duke performances At the Cotton Club, October 1931 At the Howard Theatre, November 1931 As part of Irving Mills', “Harlem Scandals,” 1932 At Lafayette Theatre in Harlem, December 1932 Performed with Don Redman and his orchestra in Detroit, March 1933 In the Elida Webb Show at Harlem Opera House, July 1934 In the Battle of Revues at the Harlem Opera House, July 1934 At the Apollo Theater, September 1934 Had the finale in Shuffle Along in Providence, October 1934 Performed at the Apollo, February 1935 Performed in Fats Waller's “Song Shop Revue,” February 1934 At Connie's Inn, Spring 1935 Performed in the Mammoth Revue at Loew’s State Theater, May 1935 Played with Lou Holtz, Block and Sully and Belle Baker at Loew’s Fox in Washington, October 1935 At the Stanley Theatre, October 1935 In Chicago, January 1936 In Mexico for six weeks at the Theater Almeda, April 1936 As part of the first integrated unit in the army due to the casting that Irving Berlin wanted for his show. In 1944 he was stationed in the fifth army in Italy and was a corporal. He was honorably discharged from the army sometime between 1944 and 1946. and worked at Henry LeTang's downtown dance studio starting in November 1947. He worked at the Harlem Casino until its closing in 1939. In 1940, Nugent was hired by Chappie Willet’s Artists Enterprises. Then, in September 1950, Nugent signed with Norma Miller and her company. He was considered not only to be one of the best in her company, but also one of the best in the business. Nugent also taught boxer, Ray Robinson, three dances that he would take on tour in October 1951. This was followed by the staging and presentation of 33 debutantes at Hotel St. George in conjunction with Honi Coles in 1957.

Performances during Nugent's solo career- Performed for one week starting Monday, April 18, 1927 with Irvin C. Miller's Perfect Revue of Desires of 1927 Performed at the Knickerbocker, November 1927 Danced with Peaches in Chicago, September 1928 Danced with Peaches at the Plantation Club, March 1930 Performed in the Monster Midnight Show to benefit the Florence Mills Memorial Fund, February 18, 1930 Performed at the Apollo, September 1939 Returned to the Apollo, June 1940 Performed at the Apollo, September 1940 Performed with Ovie Alston and his band at the West End Theatre, October 25, 1940 Duke Ellington's Jump for Joy, 1941 Performed with Erskine Hawkin's Orchestra at Apollo Theater, June/July 1942 Performed with Billy Eckstine's band in which he did a soft shoe routine that went with clarinet and piano, 1944 Performed at the Club Baron, 1946 Performed at Club 845, March 1947 Performed at the Apollo, June 1947 Performed at Club 845, January 1948 Performed at Club Ebony, March–April 1948 Starred in the Harlem division of the Cancer Committee’s show, May 1948 Performed at Club 845, March 1949 Performed in the Mount Vernon Camp Fund Benefit (in Mount Vernon, for the West Side YMCA), July 1950 Performed at Club Elegante with Honi Coles, March 1941 Performed as part of the Jazz Festival in New York, 1963

After an attempted retirement in the fifties, Nugent continued to perform on and off although with less frequency. However, his being hired by The Temptations put a pause in that.

Legacy Nugent was said to have “walked with a bounce and there was a nonchalant hunch to his shoulders.” Towards the end of his life, Nugent became rather solitary and is buried in the Long Island National Cemetery.