The Miami Times

June 27, 1953

Bill Robinson Owed $60,000 Most In Taxes

NEW YORK (CNS) A final accounting this week revealed that Bill– “Bojangles” Robinson, who probably made between $3,000,000 and $5,000,000 in his life time owed more than $60,000 when he died November 25, 1949.

The accounting was filed in Surrogate&aspos;s Court by Henry H. Sternberg, attorney for Bojangles' widow—Elaine Robinson, who has recently remarried. The bulk of the indebtness for taxes. He owed the federal government $51,133.34 for the years of 1946, '47 and '48. California claimed $5,427 in unpaid State income taxes.

To private individuals Robinson owed approximately $4,000 and they read like a who's who among Broadway people. To Winthrop Rockefeller was noted an unpaid loan of $800. The rest of his creditors were as follows: Gene Buck, the song writer, $750; Toots Shor, restauranteur, $450; Leon Leonidoff, Radio City director, $250; Lou Siegel, restauranteur, $1,700; columnist Ed Sullivan $800; Frank Schiffman, owner of the Apollo Theater $250.

As to Robinson’s funeral expenses of $3,292, friends advanced this sum but his young widow has assumed responsibility for repaying this sum. She has been working quite a while as a dancer.

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Bill Robinson Owed $60,000 Most In Taxes, The Miami Times, June 27, 1953.