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
Beginning in 1898, and continuing until the Spring of 1903, Mr.
Primrose and Lew Dockstader joined forces, and Primrose and
Dockstader’s company was the premier minstrel organization until the
Spring of 1903.
Since that period Mr. Primrose has headed his own organization, with an
occasional season in vaudeville.
On August 2, 1879, Mr. Primrose married Miss Emma Catlin, at Buffalo,
N. Y. The first Mrs. Primrose died some years ago. On April 24, 1904,
he married Miss Esther Nerney, at Mount Vernon, N. Y.
George H. Primrose was born in London, Canada, November 12, 1852.
J. MARCUS DOYLE, the accomplished dancer, producer and comedian, made
his first appearance at a concert hall in Buffalo, N. Y., as boy, in
the middle 60’s, subsequently joining a circus, and later forming one
of the team of Baker and Doyle.
[Illustration:
BILLY EMERSON
WM. HENRY RICE
(1870)
BILLY MANNING
SHINING LIGHTS OF MINSTRELSY.]
His best work was done in minstrelsy, and he was identified with such
organizations as Barlow, Wilson, Primrose and West’s; Hi Henry’s;
Cleveland’s and Barlow Brothers.
About 1896 he joined the May Russell Burlesque Company.
J. Marcus Doyle was born in Elyria, Ohio; he died in Buffalo, N. Y.,
December 23, 1899; age 47 years.
HARRY WOODSON (John Archer Shields), considered by many as the greatest
delineator of the “aged darky” that the stage ever knew, began his
professional career as an amateur in his native city. His first
professional engagement was with the Buckley and Morris Minstrels
singing in character “Old Black Joe.”
September 2, 1878, he began an engagement at Carncross’ Minstrels in
Philadelphia, and in the Spring of 1881 he played another engagement
in the same city with Thatcher & Ryman’s Minstrels. Commencing in 1880
he was one of the proprietors of Woodson and Allen’s Minstrels, which
made tours off and on until October 28, 1883, when the last performance
was given at Cynthiana, Ky. Season of 1886-87 he created the part of
“Rufus,” the old negro in “Held by the Enemy.”
He married Miss Laura Bennett, a well-known star of the old variety
days; they had one daughter.
Mr. Woodson’s singing of “That Old Gray Mule of Mine” was a classic.
His last engagement was with Cleveland’s Minstrels in 1891.
Harry Woodson was born in Richmond, Va., January 15, 1852; he died at
Amityville, Long Island, N. Y., August 30, 1898.
W. S. BELKNAP, prominent as a bass singer with Haverly’s Mastodon
Minstrels; Barlow, Wilson, Primrose and West’s and other minstrel
organizations, died at Louisville, Ky., February 15, 1900; age 48 years.
BILLY O’DAY (Geo. F. Day), who excelled as a “rough wench,” commenced
“acting up” late in 1871 at Frank Wild’s Varieties in Buffalo, N. Y.;
remained one year at $12 per -- not $12.00 per year; but perhaps you
have guessed it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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