He earned his living for a few years as a singer and tap dancer .
His mother wanted him to be a dentist , so Perry was adopted by a quack dentist , for whom he blacked boots before running away at age twelve to join a carnival .
Perry earned Perry 's living for a few years as a singer and tap dancer .
His mother wanted him to be a dentist , so Perry was adopted by a quack dentist , for whom he blacked boots before running away at age twelve to join a carnival .