Today we examine Arthur Murray: Dance instructor, entrepreneur extraordinaire and…wedding crasher?

Arthur Murray taught millions of Americans to dance, through the chain of studios that bear his name nation-wide, and by his mail-order lessons. You’re listening to one of those, Arthur Murray teaches the Fox-Trot.

Turns out William Jennings Bryan had something to do with Murray’s success, as he jokingly said: “You know, I have a fine idea on how you can collect your money. Just teach ’em with the left foot and don’t tell ’em what to do with the right foot until they pay up!”

From this, Murray got the idea of teaching by paper-footprints….and the rest is mail-order history.

So how’d HE get so good? The old adage…practice, practice, practice. But he did his practicing at neighborhood weddings…whether he was invited or not.