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
Brooklyn, N. Y., also saw the first performance of Allen, Pettengill,
Delehanty and Hengler’s Minstrels, September 22, 1869; a few months
later it was Johnny Allen’s Minstrels. Mr. Allen next branched out as
a German comedian in the play of “Schneider.” He continued alternately
with this and minstrel engagements until the early 80’s; the first
performance of “Schneider” was on March, 24, 1871. April 6, 1874, he
opened with Hart and Ryman’s Minstrels and a few weeks later Johnny
Allen’s Cosmopolitan Minstrels toured briefly. When Dan. Bryant died,
April 10, 1875, Mr. Allen sat in the latter’s chair in New York, and
when May 3, following, Neil Bryant’s Minstrels were organized, Johnny
Allen was with them. September 18, 1876, he re-appeared with Kelly and
Leon’s Minstrels in New York. Johnny Allen was born in Newark, N. J.,
April 20, 1844; he died there January 16, 1885.
CHARLEY SUTTON (Leman). This well-known performer of the past was
a member of the “Young Campbell’s Minstrels,” a famous amateur
organization of Boston, about 1860.
Mr. Sutton was a comedian of unquestionable ability, and had been with
most of the prominent minstrel organizations of his time, notably
Emerson’s Minstrels in San Francisco, later going to Australia with
that company, opening at Melbourne, August 2, 1873. He was with Charley
Morris’ Minstrels in 1877, and afterwards with Hooley’s.
He sailed for Europe April 24, 1880, and joined Moore and Burgess’
Minstrels, in London, and remained there for some time. About 1885 he
became one of the team of Bunth and Rudd, doing a grotesque act in
white-face; he was thereafter known as Hugo Bunth.
Charles Sutton was born in Boston, Mass., in 1844; he died in Moscow,
Russia, January 27, 1904.
BILLY WILD, the old-time black-face performer, made his first
professional appearance at the Bella Union Theatre, San Francisco,
about 1866, doing a black-face song and dance. In 1871 he was with
Unsworth’s Minstrels. Later he formed a partnership with Charley
Armstrong; they played an engagement with Simmons and Slocum’s
Minstrels about 1873, in Philadelphia.
Mr. Wild’s last black face appearance was at the Howard Athenæum, in
Boston, in 1886. Billy Wild was born in New York, January 21, 1844.
NEIL ROGERS, a capable and clever comedian, and a brother of Stevie
Rogers, had a comparatively brief career as a minstrel.
His last appearance was at Pastor’s Theatre in New York. He was born in
Elmira, and died in New York, February 28, 1873.
HARRY BLOODGOOD (Carlos Moran) was one of the most accomplished and
versatile performers that ever blacked his face; good in everything he
undertook; he could sing, dance and act.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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