Wilson spent years working for idols Bob Fosse and Sammy Davis Jr before heading to Europe (at the suggestion of no less than Josephine Baker!) for stardom on several TV specials in the Netherlands, France, and Germany. His large afro and gorgeous smile made him exotic to an audience who saw him on some of the top shows at the time, which resulted in a record number of covers.
Lester Wilson was one of the most revered choreographers of the 1970s and 1980s who never quite achieved the level of fame he deserved, as his most significant work was 1977’s Saturday Night Fever. The John Badham directed film with the Bee Gees soundtrack and starred a 23-year-old John Travolta, who was about to rise to superstardom after starring in a hit sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter.
A clip of Wilson singing Twenty-Five Miles:
Before signing for Saturday Night Fever, he regularly worked for Liza Minelli, Ben Vereen, Redd Fox, and Lola Falana. In the clip below, you will see his work on one of Falana’s specials, which has the theme “Money.” The dancer in the center is Michael Peters, who would go on to work with Michael Jackson, claiming it was HIS choreography. Eventually, Wilson and Peters made up over this slight. Both are sadly no longer with us.
More to come soon!
