Complex sentence: William Weldon "Billy" Higgins (June 9,1888--April 19,1937) was an American vaudeville entertainer, comedian, singer and songwriter who was critically acclaimed, and is historically chronicled, as one of the most popular stage comedians of the 1920s.
Split into simpler sentences: William Weldon "Billy" Higgins (June 9,1888--April 19,1937) was an American vaudeville entertainer, comedian, singer and songwriter who was popular between the 1910s and 1930s. Higgins was critically acclaimed, and is historically chronicled, as one of the most popular stage comedians of the 1920s.