JOHN D. GILBERT (Donohue) formed a partnership with Billy Courtright about 1871, in an original black-face act called “Big and Little”; they subsequently had many imitators. Courtright and Gilbert made their first New York appearance at Charley White’s, 585 Broadway, October 12, 1872. Mr. Gilbert later eschewed burnt cork, and subsequently with Henry V. Donnelly and Eddie Girard starred in “Natural Gas.” Mr. Gilbert’s time is now mostly devoted to authoring theatrical sketches. John D. Gilbert was born in Dublin, Ireland, September 3, 1857. WM. J. SULLY (Sullivan) formed a partnership with Patsy Howard in 1873, doing a black-face act; they remained together one season. In 1876 he joined Billy Williams, and as Williams and Sully were well known on the variety stage, where they played for eleven years. Mr. Sully afterwards married Nellie Germon, and as Sully and Germon did sketches, also in the variety theatres. In 1884 Williams, Sully and Germon’s “Three Sunflowers” Company toured. Of late Mr. Sully has been doing a single specialty in vaudeville. Mr. Sully was born in Boston, Mass., June 23, 1858. ALF GIBSON, the well-known comedian, made his first appearance at Columbus, Ohio, as a clog dancer, during the festivities that attended the Goss-Allen fight. In 1875 he was with William Lawrence Allen’s Statue Company; after this Gilmore and Gibson did a song and dance with Mons. De Rea Circus. Several years were spent in stock at the Bella Union and Adelphi Theatres in San Francisco. Subsequently he went to Carncross’ Minstrels in Philadelphia and remained four years. A trip to England, and on the return he played an engagement with Haverly in Chicago, in 1893. Mr. Gibson was twelve years at Dumont’s Minstrels in Philadelphia; two seasons with George Primrose’s Minstrels, and one season with Cohan and Harris’ Minstrels (1908). Mr. Gibson formed a partnership with John Murphy that existed twelve years. He married a Miss Davis October 27, 1880, and as Gibson and Davis they played several seasons. For the past ten years he has been associated with the company known as Murphy and Gibson’s Minstrels at Atlantic City, N. J., during the Summer. Alf. Gibson was born at Ashland, Ohio, September 11, 1858. “MASTER” MARTIN has been “Master” Martin for forty odd years, or ever since his first professional appearance at the Old Bowery Theatre in 1867; N. B. Clarke was the stage manager, and ’twas he that gave him the sobriquet. “Master” Martin essayed many roles before he played his first minstrel engagement with Bryant’s company in New York, early in 1875. February 12, 1877, he opened with Kelly and Leon’s Minstrels also in New York. Other minstrel engagements were with Moore and Burgess in London, England, where he remained two and a half years. In August, 1877, he became a member of the Big Four; Smith, Waldron, Morton and Martin; Mr. Martin continued a member of the Big Four through its many changes, for nearly a quarter of a century.