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
He was born in Buffalo, N. Y., 1836; he died in New York, January 17,
1882.
E. N. SLOCUM was one of the best interlocutors and actors in
minstrelsy. His first appearance was with an amateur company in Warren,
O., in 1849.
About 1855 he played on the Steamer “Banjo” with Ned Davis’ Minstrels;
subsequently he was with Hooley, in Brooklyn, N. Y., Duprez and
Green’s; Skiff and Gaylord’s and Carncross and Dixey’s Minstrels in
Philadelphia, where he remained several years. August 29, 1870, he
opened with Simmons and Slocum’s Minstrels at their own theatre in
Philadelphia, where he continued until 1877, when he joined Carncross’
Minstrels in the same city, and remained several seasons.
About 1887 he joined Dockstader’s Minstrels in New York; this was his
last professional engagement, after which he entered the mercantile
business.
E. N. Slocum was born in Columbus, O., April 26, 1836; he died in
Philadelphia, October 17, 1895.
CHARLES O. WHITE, the great theatrical manager, who had at various
times theatres in Washington, Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans, Brooklyn
and Detroit, began his professional career in 1852 in Washington, D.
C., as a member of the Cosmopolitan Minstrels; later he was with the
famous Euterpians, and Sweeney and Parrow’s Minstrels.
Mr. White was born in Alexandria, Va., December 25, 1836; he died in
Detroit, Mich., January 2, 1889.
“EUGENE” (Eugene D’ Ameli) was one of the most wonderful artists in his
line that minstrelsy ever knew; his delineations of female characters
were so finished, so true to life, that the Germans in Berlin during an
engagement there in April, 1862, were emphatic in their declarations
that he was a woman.
“Eugene’s” debut was made with Wood’s Minstrels in New York, May 16,
1853; five months later, George Christy joined the company, which was
known as Wood and Christy’s Minstrels until May, 1858. Eugene continued
as a member all during this period.
Early in May, 1858, he went to California with George Christy, and
several others; they opened in San Francisco, June 7, under the
management of Tom Maguire. In January, 1859, he left there, under the
management of R. M. Hooley and George Christy; returning to New York,
he opened May 23, and continued until July, when he went on tour with
the company; they subsequently returned to New York, where on January
28, 1860, they disbanded.
On February 6, Mr. Eugene opened with Hooley and Campbell’s Minstrels
in Boston, at their inaugural performance there; with this company
he met James Unsworth, and the two formed a business alliance that
continued until the death of the latter, just fifteen years later.
Early in 1861, Eugene, Unsworth and J. B. Donniker organized Unsworth’s
Minstrels; they disbanded at Ogdensburg, N. Y., in the Spring; shortly
after, Eugene and Unsworth sailed for Europe. On August 5, 1861,
they opened with Rumsey and Newcomb’s Minstrels in Liverpool, Eng.;
subsequently they played through the provinces and Germany.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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