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
AMOS D. ARNOLD began as a black-face performer with his brother Billy,
singing “Sally Come Up” at the age of ten; most of his career was in
conjunction with his two brothers.
He was born in Louisville, Ky., February 28, 1855; died at San
Francisco, Cal., March 16, 1886.
FRANK ARNOLD (Francisco Virello Fortinetti Arnold) could dance from the
time he reached his seventh year. His first professional appearance
in conjunction with his two brothers was made at Mortimer’s Varieties
(the present National Theatre), Philadelphia, in “The Old Man’s Drunk
Again,” a well-known vehicle for many prominent black-face performers;
this was in 1873, and with his brothers they likewise met with great
success. In 1875 the three brothers played an engagement of seven
months at 585 Broadway, New York City.
Frank Arnold was born in Louisville, Ky., June 28, 1858; he died at
Denver, Colo., January 22, 1892.
LEWIS H. DAVIS made his first appearance about 1867 with the late
Richard Golden, doing black-face songs and dances; they were billed
as Masters Lew and Dick. Their first engagement was with Wheeler’s
International Circus, following this they were with Smith, Davenport
and Golden’s Variety Company. Early in 1868 Allie’s Mexican Knife
Throwers Company claimed their services, and part of the season of
1869-70 they played an engagement with Sam Sharpley’s Minstrels. Later
with Golden he joined and did songs and dances with Bob Birdue.
After this and until his untimely death, which occurred in the
dressing-room just prior to the performance, he was associated with
Billy Chace, and as Chace and Davis they played the principal variety
houses of the country, also an engagement with Sweet and Thornton’s
Lady Minstrels, in the Spring of 1875.
Lewis H. Davis was born in Bangor, Me.; he died (suicide) at St. Johns,
N. B., August 3, 1878.
BILLY BARRY, one of the funniest Irish comedians our stage has ever
known, did black-face business for many years before “McKenna’s
Flirtation” with Mary Ellen Ryan.
He was with Haverly’s Minstrels in 1868, leaving that organization on
December 8, that year.
September 12, 1870, he opened with Welch, Hughes and White’s Minstrels
in Brooklyn, N. Y., being billed as the “Great Western Comedian,”
subsequently he played an engagement with Simmons and Slocum’s
Minstrels in Philadelphia. And for several seasons at Pastor’s Theatre
in New York City, he played black-face parts in the stock.
Mr. Barry was married to Miss Fanny Fordham, and at the time of his
death was survived by seven children--Lydia, Emma, Clara, Robert,
Frank, Charles and William J.
Billy Barry was born in Ireland; he died in Brooklyn, N. Y., April 15,
1898; age 48 years.
BILLY DIAMOND (Bates), a good general performer, was connected with
several of the older minstrel organizations, notably the Morris
Brothers, with whom he made his first appearance in his native city at
the age of 10.
In 1881 he married Minnie Blaich, at Newark, N. J.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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