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
Mr. Guy’s principal engagements were with Christy’s, and Kelly and
Leon’s Minstrels. About 1874 he organized the Guy Brothers Minstrels as
a permanent institution, and as such it has continued ever since.
[Illustration:
SAM. DEVERE
SAM. SANFORD
BILLY CARTER
SAM. SWAIN
SAM. SHARPLEY
BILLY CARTER SURROUNDED BY SOME CELEBRATED “SAMS.”]
Mr. Guy married Amelia Evans in London, England, in 1851.
George Guy, Sr., was born in London, England, January 20, 1822; he died
in Springfield, Mass., February 23, 1895.
R. M. HOOLEY was associated with all that was best in minstrelsy.
He came to America in 1844, and on August 17, the following year, he
played his first engagement in Buffalo, N. Y., as “leader” of E. P.
Christy’s Minstrels; he remained with Christy for two years.
About 1851 he organized his own company, and took same to Europe, where
he played Paris, Boulogne, Brussels and other Continental cities.
During the 50’s he was associated in the management of Maguire’s
Minstrels in California, and in 1858 was proprietor with Maguire of
George Christy’s Minstrels in San Francisco.
Returning to New York in 1859, he soon separated from Christy, and
on February 6, 1860, in co-partnership with Sher. Campbell and G. W.
H. Griffin, organized Hooley and Campbell’s Minstrels; this company
disbanded in July, 1861, and the following year Mr. Hooley opened his
famous minstrel hall in Brooklyn, where he continued for several years.
During the above period Hooley had a company in Philadelphia at the old
Seventh Street Theatre, from September 7 to October 17, 1868.
October 19, 1868, he opened another minstrel show in Brooklyn, at the
Odeon, the present site of the Novelty Theatre.
The home of the original Hooley Company was destroyed by fire May 12,
1865, and that same month the energetic manager opened at 201 Bowery,
New York, the present site of the People’s Theatre. January 2, 1871,
Mr. Hooley opened Bryan Hall, the present Grand Opera House in Chicago,
and remained several months.
The big fire of October, 1871, having destroyed his theatre, Mr. Hooley
thereupon built what is now known as Power’s Theatre, Chicago, which he
opened with his company in 1872, and flourished about three years, when
he returned to his old love in Brooklyn, and began an engagement in
1875.
In the Spring of 1876 in conjunction with Billy Rice, he formed Rice
and Hooley’s Minstrels for a road tour; December, 1876, they opened
at Hooley’s old Opera House in Brooklyn for a limited engagement. Mr.
Hooley again went to Chicago, and on March 1, 1880, opened with a
minstrel company at the Novelty Theatre.
In September, 1882 he associated with Rice; and Billy Rice and Hooley’s
Minstrels opened in Joliet, Ill., but disbanded after a few months.
Mr. Hooley married Miss Rosina Cramer of New York, in San Francisco,
about 1856, after a brief but romantic courtship.
R. M. Hooley was born in Ballina, Ireland, April 13, 1822; he died in
Chicago, Ill., September 8, 1893.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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