Born in New Orleans, Patricola established his fame as a hoofer, becoming a leading interpreter of the Black Bottom dance.

[1] Marketing himself as a novelty act, Patricola was described as a "mop gone crazy" as he danced while simultaneously singing and playing the ukulele.

[2] His fame as a song and dance man was assured by five seasons as a headliner with George White's Scandals, a Broadway musical revue, from 1923 to 1926 and 1928.

After mid-1931, he began appearing in comic shorts made by the Educational Film Corp. of America that were released by Fox.

[1] Patricola died on New Year's Day, 1950 in Pasadena, three weeks before his 59th birthday, after undergoing brain surgery.