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
Frank Moran was born in Ireland, September 15, 1827; he died in
Philadelphia, December 14, 1898.
“NICK” BOWERS (Edward Bowers), one of the ablest and most efficient
middle men and stage directors of minstrelsy, made his first appearance
at Charley White’s in New York, in the early 50’s; subsequent
engagements were with Ordway’s Aeolians, Morris Bros., Pell and
Trowbridge and Wood and Christy’s Minstrels.
In 1858, in conjunction with Billy Birch and Charley Fox, they
presented Birch, Bowers and Fox’s Minstrels, and in 1864, with Tom
Prendergast, launched a company that had a brief existence. For some
time he played star engagements with John Mulligan.
His last appearance was in New York City, February 11, 1865.
Nick Bowers died in Brooklyn, N. Y., February 27, 1865; age 38 years.
PAUL BERGER was one of the greatest bass singers in minstrelsy, and at
the requests of Presidents Tyler and Van Buren, he sang before those
chief executives.
He was with Matt. Peel’s Minstrels in 1858; with Sanford’s Minstrels
in Philadelphia, and later with Carncross and Dixey’s Co. in the
same city. Mr. Berger was business manager for Fox’s Theatre in
Philadelphia, in 1876.
Paul Berger died in Philadelphia, October 8, 1894; age 67 years.
JOHN MULLIGAN was an altitudinous comedian, and in the old nigger
acts with performers of immature stature, in the ludicrous make-up he
invariably affected, he was screamingly funny. His first professional
appearance was with Raymond and Waring’s Circus; his first minstrel
engagement was with the Perham Company more than fifty years ago. Mr.
Mulligan appeared for several seasons in the various variety houses
controlled by George Lea.
In June, 1866, he commenced an engagement at Hooley’s Minstrels in
Brooklyn, remaining fifteen months; subsequently he was with the San
Franciscos in New York.
January 2, 1871, when Hooley invaded Chicago, Mr. Mulligan was with his
company.
Mr. Mulligan was most happily married, and his domestic life was an
ideal one.
John Mulligan was born in New York City, 1827, where he died July 28,
1873.
CHARLES CHRISTIE, who had various companies bearing his name, notably
one in England about 1866, died in Kansas City, Mo., February 12, 1897;
age 69 years.
FRED WILSON. The distinction of being the oldest living minstrel
undoubtedly belongs to the subject of this sketch, who made his first
appearance about 1843, and for four or five years allied himself with
many of the various minstrel companies that sprang up after the success
of the parent organization.
In 1848 he joined “Bije” Thayer’s Minstrels, a prominent Boston Company.
While Mr. Wilson was not the first to do clog dancing in this country,
he was undoubtedly the first to do so in a minstrel company.
In the Fall of 1858 he joined Bryant’s Minstrels in New York, and about
December 1, that year, made his first appearance in Boston with the
Morris Bros., Pell and Trowbridge’s Minstrels, where he made a lengthy
stay.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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