LOS ANGELES — Arthur Duncan, who kept tap dancing visible and relevant across the country on television when most had relegated it to the past and who also broke ground as a Black entertainer, has died at 97.
Duncan was best known for his 18-year run on "The Lawrence Welk Show" as the only Black cast member, and is widely regarded as a trailblazer for a mainstream television variety show. His varied career included appearances on other television shows, in film and in top theater venues around the world.
Duncan died Jan. 4 at a care center near his home in Moreno Valley. It took several days for word of his death — from complications related to a stroke and pneumonia — to get out.
