Monarchs of minstrelsy, from "Daddy" Rice to dateRice, Edw. Le Roy (Edward Le Roy)
History
Monarchs of minstrelsy, from "Daddy" Rice to date
Rice, Edw. Le Roy (Edward Le Roy)
Actors -- United States; Minstrel shows
D. C. LARUE, a well-known minstrel manager, who had his own companies
in the 60’s, and during the same period was associated in minstrel
ventures with J. B. Donniker, Tom Prendergast, Archie Hughes and Cool
Burgess, died in Charleston, S. C., March 15, 1875; age about 40 years.
“HANK” GOODMAN, the old-time comedian, was a member of Gorton’s New
Orleans Minstrels for many years.
In 1887 he retired, and later assumed the management of Goodman’s Opera
House in Friendship, N. Y., continuing there until his death, which
occurred in that city May 14, 1908.
NELSE SEYMOUR (Thos. Nelson Sanderson), made his first appearance
in his native city as a clown in a circus. His initial black-face
appearance was in the same city in 1861 as a member of Kunkel’s
“Nightingales,” a prominent minstrel organization, with whom he
remained the season.
The following year he joined Bryant’s Minstrels in New York; January
26 following he opened with Wood’s Minstrels, same city. He rejoined
Bryant’s in 1863, and continued with them until the Fall of 1866, when
he became a member of Kelly and Leon’s Minstrels, also in New York; he
remained until May, 1868.
That same month he again joined Bryant’s, and a few weeks later went to
England, where he opened with Moore and Crocker’s Minstrels. November
23, 1870, found him back to Bryant’s, where he continued until his
death.
Mr. Seymour was exceedingly tall, and correspondingly slender, and in
the various acts in which he worked with Dan Bryant he was very funny.
He was equally at home, sitting on the end or in the middle on the
first part.
Nelse Seymour was born in Baltimore, Md., June 5, 1835; he died in New
York, February 2, 1875.
MATT THOMPSON, a good general performer and “Essence” dancer, who was
with Mrs. Matt. Peel’s Minstrels in 1861; died in New Orleans, La.,
August 21, 1867; age 32 years.
M. T. SKIFF was a well-known and prominent manager of minstrel
companies. He organized a company bearing his name September 26, 1863,
at Alexandria, Va. In November the following year, with Low Gaylord, he
formed Skiff and Gaylord’s Minstrels, and as such traveled for several
seasons.
Mr. Skiff formed a partnership with Eph. Horn and Walter Bray in
August, 1869, and gave minstrel performances for a brief period. In
1871 Mr. Skiff called his company the “Albinos.” He later deserted the
minstrel field, and for several years traveled in an executive capacity
with legitimate attractions.
M. T. Skiff was born in New Bedford, Mass.; he died in Baltimore, Md.,
June 13, 1890; age 55 years.
THE FAMOUSLY FUNNY LEE DINNER, as told by the late W. J. Florence to
_Seen and Heard_; Philadelphia:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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