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
Mr. Norcross was with “Our Goblins” for four seasons, appearing in
white-face. For the past few years he has intermittently appeared in
vaudeville with a unique tabloid minstrel show of his own design.
Mr. Norcross married Miss Mamie Wambold at Newark, N. J., March 17,
1878.
Jos. M. Norcross was born in New York City July 5, 1841.
HUBERT W. EAGAN is one of the few old-time black-face performers whose
active career began over half a century ago.
Mr. Eagan’s professional life began in Buffalo, N. Y., in 1857; three
years later he sat on the end for the first time in Baltimore, Md., at
the Melodeon, the present site of the Monumental Theatre.
He played many variety engagements before he went with LaRue’s
Minstrels in 1866.
Mr. Eagan joined James Edwards in the middle 60’s, and as Eagan and
Edwards were highly popular in the variety houses.
In 1863 he married Miss Jennie Williams, and after playing numerous
variety and circus engagements, he retired about 1898.
Hubert W. Eagan was born in Castleragh, Ireland, December 18, 1841.
LEW BRIMMER (Leslie Chase Brimmer) was not only a great banjoist, but a
clever comedian as well.
In July, 1864, he was with Sanderson’s Minstrels; the same year he
joined Hooley in Brooklyn, N. Y.; December 5, 1865, at Binghamton, N.
Y., was given the first performance of Brimmer, Whiting, Gaynor and
Clark’s Minstrels.
He was with Emerson and Manning’s Minstrels in 1869, and the following
year with Emerson’s Minstrels; in the Summer of 1871 he had out
Lew Brimmer’s Banjo Minstrels, and in September, 1872, he began an
engagement with Moran and Dixey’s Minstrels in Philadelphia.
He was also with the San Francisco Minstrels in New York, and with
Wood’s Company in the same city. His last engagement was at Sandy
Spencer’s, in New York City.
Lew Brimmer was born in Cooperstown, N. Y.; he died in Fonda, N. Y.,
September 15, 1883; age 42 years.
GEORGE GRAY, a well-known minstrel singer of the 60’s and 70’s, was
identified with the companies of Hooley, Fox and Sharpley; Campbell’s
and many others.
About 1880 he played Uncle Tom, and continued in that character until
his death.
He was the first husband of Minnie Oscar Gray.
He was born in New York, September 25, 1841; he died in Minneapolis,
Minn., March 13, 1882.
TIM. HAYES was one of the foremost clog dancers of minstrelsy. His
first professional appearance was with Wild’s theatrical show under
canvas in 1851.
In 1860 he came to the United States, and made his debut at the
Melodeon in New York. After that he joined Hooley and Campbell’s
Minstrels, and subsequently appeared with Unsworth’s; Carncross and
Dixey’s, in Philadelphia; George Christy’s, and M. C. Campbell’s
Minstrels.
Tim Hayes was born in Dublin, Ire., September 22, 1841; he died in
Washington, D. C., May 12, 1877.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account