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
MASTER JUBA (William H. Lane) was a colored man, and as a jig dancer it
is said that the world never saw his equal.
He played the tambourine with the Georgia Champions Minstrels in 1843,
and several engagements with Charley White’s Minstrels in New York.
He went to Europe about 1848, and in the Spring of the following year
played an engagement with Pell’s Serenaders at the Surrey Theatre in
London. He was lionized in Europe, and took the Britishers by storm. He
married a white woman there.
“Master” Juba died in London, England, about 1852; he was born in the
United States about 1825.
GILBERT W. PELL was a brother of Dick Pelham, one of the original
minstrels of 1843.
As a member of the Ethiopian Serenaders, he went to England in 1846.
The success of the company was so great in London that morning
performances had to be given, and in addition they appeared at private
residences of the rich. Mr. Pell, who played the bone end, and the
company, whose portraits adorn another page, played an engagement at
Palmo’s Opera House, New York, September 15, 1845.
In 1849 he was in England with his brother’s company, known as Pell’s
Serenaders. Subsequently he returned to the United States, but early in
1859 he again went to Europe, where he remained until his death.
Gilbert W. Pell was born in New York City; he died in Lancashire,
England, December 21, 1872, aged 47 years.
JNO. H. CARLE, famous for the singing of “The Lively Old Flea,”
accompanied by the banjo, was one of the early prominent proprietors of
a minstrel show. In the 50’s he was associated with J. G. H. Shorey and
Chas. Duprez; on July 4, 1856, he withdrew from the partnership, and
for many years played minstrel and variety engagements.
About 1876 he went to fill a two weeks’ engagement at Flood’s New Park
Theatre, Curtis Bay, Md. He remained there until the time of his death,
nearly a quarter of a century, and he had the distinction at that time
of being the oldest active banjoist and vocalist before the public,
retaining his vivacity all the while.
John H. Carle was born at Portland, Me.; he died at Curtis Bay, Md.,
September 20, 1900; age 75 years.
“PUNCH” COLLINS (W. Pearson Collins), the well-known comedian of the
early minstrel days, first appeared prominently with Sam Sanford’s
Minstrels April 1, 1850, at the Astor Place Opera House, New York
City, and was at the opening of the first theatre ever built expressly
for minstrelsy, also by Sanford, August 1, 1853; subsequently he was
with Earl Pierce’s Minstrels in New York in 1855; on August 3, 1857,
he opened in London, England, with Raynor and Pierce’s “Christy”
Minstrels. This was the first minstrel organization that ever played in
England under the title of “Christy.”
After the death of Earl Pierce Mr. Collins occupied the end chair
formerly occupied by Pierce.
[Illustration:
EDWIN BOOTH
JAS. A. HERNE
P. S. GILMORE
EDWIN FORREST
BARNEY WILLIAMS
JOS. JEFFERSON
WM. CASTLE
TONY PASTOR
DAN. DALY
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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