Melih Nicholas was the son of Harold Nicholas, one of the famous Nicholas Brothers. He was born in Paris in 1958 and died in Los Angeles in 2003. His father was a star of tap dance, but Melih lived a much more private life.
His family had close ties to movies, music, and the stage. His mother was Elyanne Patronne. He also had a half-sister, Harolyn, whose mother was the actress Dorothy Dandridge. These names help explain why people still look up his life today.
In this article, you’ll learn about his birth in France, his famous family, his school years in California, and his marriage record. You’ll also learn when he died and how he fits into the history of the Nicholas Brothers.
Who Was Melih Nicholas?
He was born on October 29, 1958, in Paris, France. Some records give his name as Melih C. Nicholas. His father, Harold, was already known around the world for his dance work with his brother Fayard.
Unlike his father and uncle, Melih did not become a well-known dancer or film actor. His name appears most often in family stories, old photos, school material, and records from his adult years.
Those records give a clear outline of his life. They place his birth in Paris, his teen years in Los Angeles, and his death in that same California city. His place in the family is also clear.
Melih Nicholas Quick Facts
| Full name | Melih C. Nicholas |
|---|---|
| Known for | Son of tap dancer Harold Nicholas |
| Born | October 29, 1958 |
| Birthplace | Paris, France |
| Father | Harold Nicholas |
| Mother | Elyanne Patronne |
| Half-sister | Harolyn Suzanne Nicholas |
| School | Fairfax High School, Los Angeles |
| Died | November 5, 2003 |
| Age at death | 45 |
His Early Life in Paris
Melih was born while his father was spending much of his time in Europe. Harold had found steady stage work there. Paris was an important base for his music and dance career during the 1950s.
His mother, Elyanne Patronne, was Harold’s second wife. The couple had one son together. A family photo from the late 1950s shows Harold with his wife and young child.
Harold’s first marriage had already ended by then. He was once married to Dorothy Dandridge, a singer and actress who later became a major Hollywood star. That earlier marriage explains another part of Melih’s family tree.
The public record does not tell us much about his daily life as a young child in Paris. Still, his birth and parents put him in a family that was known in both the United States and Europe.
The Famous Nicholas Brothers
Harold and his older brother Fayard were known as the Nicholas Brothers. They began dancing while they were young. Over time, their act became one of the most famous in American show business.
Their tap dance was not just fast footwork. They could jump, turn, and land in full splits. They made very hard moves look smooth and easy. Crowds loved their speed and skill.
The brothers performed at the Cotton Club in New York and went on to appear in Hollywood films. One of their best-known scenes is in the 1943 movie Stormy Weather. The dance includes a long set of leaps down a staircase.
That film came out fifteen years before Melih was born. The performance belongs to Harold and Fayard, not their son and nephew. It helps explain the fame that was part of his family name.
Dorothy Dandridge and His Half-Sister Harolyn
Before Harold married Elyanne, he was married to Dorothy Dandridge. She was a singer and actress. She later earned an Oscar nomination for her lead role in Carmen Jones. Her place in film history made the Nicholas family even more widely known.
Dorothy and Harold had a daughter named Harolyn Suzanne Nicholas. She was born in 1943. When Melih arrived in 1958, Harolyn was already a teenager.
Harolyn was his older half-sister. They shared a father, but they had different mothers. Dorothy was Harolyn’s mother. Elyanne was Melih’s mother.
This is an easy detail to mix up when reading about the family. The two children came from different marriages. Their lives also followed different paths from the film and dance careers of their parents.
His School Years in Los Angeles
By his teen years, Melih was living in Los Angeles. A 1974 school yearbook photo places him at Fairfax High School. The school was on Melrose Avenue, in a part of the city long tied to the arts.
He was about 15 when the school year began in 1974. His birthday fell in late October. The yearbook gives a useful look at where he spent part of his youth.
It also shows that his life was no longer based only in France. Los Angeles had been a key city in his father’s movie work. Now it was part of the son’s own story.
Marriage and His Adult Years
A Nevada marriage index names Melih Nicholas and Janice F. Stout. It lists the marriage in Clark County, the part of Nevada that includes Las Vegas.
This gives one clear event from his adult life. It tells readers whom the record names and where the marriage was listed. It does not tell us how they met or what their life as a couple was like.
His name also appears in later California records. These help trace his adult years without linking him to his father’s movie credits or dance awards.
The Nicholas Family’s Major Honors
Harold and Fayard kept earning praise long after their early movie years. Their work had a strong effect on tap dance. New dancers studied their timing, strength, and stage style.
In 1991, the Nicholas Brothers received Kennedy Center Honors. The award marked their long career and their place in American culture.
They also earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1994. By then, Melih was an adult and his father’s name was still a major part of dance history.
These honors went to the two brothers. They are part of Melih’s family history, but they were not awards for work he had done. That difference matters in a clear family biography.
His Father’s Death and His Own Final Years
Harold Nicholas died in New York on July 3, 2000. A Los Angeles Times obituary named Melih as his surviving son. It also named Fayard and other members of the family.
Melih died in Los Angeles on November 5, 2003. He had turned 45 just one week before his death. A California death index gives that date, and family records list his birth date as October 29, 1958.
His death came a little more than three years after his father’s. This puts two key events close together in the family timeline.
His cause of death has not been confirmed in a strong public source.
Where Melih Fits in a Famous Family
Harold was his father. Fayard was his uncle. Dorothy Dandridge was once married to his father, and Harolyn was his half-sister. These ties are the main reason his name appears in film and dance history.
Each person had a different life. Harold and Fayard worked on stage and in movies. Dorothy became a major actress and singer. Melih did not have a known public career like theirs.
His own dates still tell a useful story. He was born in Paris, went to school in Los Angeles, married in Nevada, and died in California. That is the path the records show.
The family connections add meaning, but they do not need to turn him into a star he never claimed to be.
Final Thoughts
Melih Nicholas came from a family that helped shape American dance. His father and uncle were loved for moves that people still watch today.
His own life was much less public. The details that remain give us a simple view of his family, school years, marriage record, and death at 45. That is the clearest way to remember him as a person, not just as a famous dancer’s son.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were Melih Nicholas’s parents?
His father was Harold Nicholas of the Nicholas Brothers. His mother was Elyanne Patronne.
Was Dorothy Dandridge his mother?
No. Dorothy Dandridge was the mother of his half-sister Harolyn. Melih’s mother was Elyanne Patronne.
Where was Melih Nicholas born?
He was born in Paris, France, on October 29, 1958.
Did he have a dance or acting career?
There is no clear record of a public film or dance career like his father’s. He is mainly known through his family ties.
When did Melih Nicholas die?
He died in Los Angeles on November 5, 2003. He was 45.
You may also read: Harolyn Suzanne Nicholas: Dorothy Dandridge’s Only Child.
