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
Early in 1867 Mr. Hughes and his partner joined Griffin and Christy’s
Minstrels in New York. Subsequently they appeared successfully with
Hooley’s Minstrels in Brooklyn, N. Y., and with Bryant’s, also Kelly
and Leon’s in New York. In 1869, with Mr. Hogan, he joined Buckley’s
Serenaders for the season.
In 1870 Mr. Hughes began an engagement with Manning’s Minstrels in
Chicago, where a few months later he was taken sick and finally forced
to separate from Mr. Hogan.
The death of Mr. Hughes on the threshold of manhood robbed minstrelsy
of one of its most brilliant luminaries.
Ruey Hughes was born in New York City; he died there, November 10,
1871; age 23 years.
SAGE RICHARDSON began his professional career as a member of the
famous Holman troupe in 1864, at Toronto, Canada. His first minstrel
engagement was with Cool Burgess’, later appearing with LaRue’s
Minstrels.
Subsequently he joined hands with his brother John, and they played the
variety houses until 1880, when he doubled with Charley Young, later
playing an engagement with Cal. Wagner’s Minstrels; at the end of the
season Mr. Richardson returned to California, and afterward reappeared
in variety houses with his brother.
Sage Richardson was born in New York City: he died in San Francisco,
March 8, 1883; age about 35 years.
I. W. BAIRD, who was proprietor and manager of the organization that
bore his name for several seasons, commenced his professional career as
a trick bicycle rider in 1866. In 1867 he joined Johnson’s Circus at
Galesburg, Ill., and in 1872 was part proprietor of Smith and Baird’s
Circus; in 1874 he controlled the privileges of the Great Eastern 6
Tent Shows.
In 1875 he organized the Baird-Howell Show, and the following year
the first performance of I. W. Baird’s Mammoth Minstrels was given,
and continued as an organization until 1889; Mr. Baird subsequently
engaging in the real estate business in Portland, Ore.
I. W. Baird was born in Salem, Ohio; he died in Portland, Ore., January
2, 1908.
JERRY COHAN. It will be a surprise to most of the present generation
to know that the daddy of the famous George M. Cohan ever appeared in
black-face, but he did, and as a general dancer he ranked with the
best; Mr. Cohan also could do things with the tambourine.
His first minstrel engagement was with Campbell and Huntley’s Minstrels
as late (or early) as May, 1868. He joined Kelly and Leon’s Associated
Artists in Baltimore, in the Summer of 1869; other engagements of a
“dark” nature were Sam Sharpley’s and LaRue’s.
His last offense was the California (Joe Norcross’) Minstrels, which he
joined at Springfield, Mass., December 5, 1879.
Jerry Cohan was born in Boston, Mass., January 31, 1848.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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