San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-07-31
OLD-TlME MINISTRIES.
WHERE THE OLD BURNT CORK
ARTISTS ARE.
Old Dan Bryant Said to Have Been
One of the First BlaCk-face Per-
"Reminiscences.

ing News appeared Iile IoIlo"lhS
interesting "reminiscences of IA
nous minstrel lights, some of
whom have Joined the great ma
iority, and some are still in the
business, while others have de-
serted burnt-cOrk aggregatiOns
for white-face consultations. One
of the first black-face perform
ers was Dan Bryant, among whose
relatives are J. y. Bryant 4 Sons,
the we'll known bakers OF San An
tonic. The News says:
''The appearance here OF the
Dockstader Minstrels calls to mind
the fact that visits of minstrel
companies to st. Louis are now few
and far between, compared to the
frequent coming of the burnt cork
ers a few years ago. Indeed, from
1885, the decline of minStrelSy be-
gan, and today there are probably
less than half a dozen Organiza-
tions that may be rated first class,
and the largest of them number
only from twenty to thirty men,
bers. To Col. Jack Haverly, now the
director of the Casino, at Chicago,
belongs by right the title of The
Master Mind of Minstrelsy,' and ID.
Bryant, who was born in Troy, \.
V, May 9, 1888, was one of the first
black-face performers. For years
those who watch closely the for
tunes of stage amusements have
often heard of 'Old Dan Bryant
but very little of his life or career
is known or ever has been pub
lished. He made his first appear
ance on the stage as dancer in
1915, at NauXhall garden, New
York. In 1S49 he travelled through
the southern and western states as
a member of the sable humOrists.
In 1850 he joined Charley Whites
MelOdeOn minstrels, one of the ear
liest minstrel organizations, and in
1857 he and his two brothers, Jerry
and Neil Bryant, organized band
of 'COrkonlans' and opened at the
old Mechanics hall on Broadway.
After a trip to Europe he appeared
in 1868 at the Winter Garden the
acter of Handy-Andy. He then
travelled as a star in Irish charac-
tiers until 1868, appearing in all the
principal theatres of England and
the United States. After that he
organized Bryant's Ministries in
Twenty-third street, New York,
where he and his admirable COM
pany played until he died in 1876.
NEARLY all of the Old-time favor
lite Ministries are now upon the
farce-cOmedy stage. All that can
do so get there, as it gives them
good salary and if they have any
ability as an actor it affords them
a better opportunity to display it.
"The City Directory that is now
at Chicago is presented by COM
pany largely made up of Old-time
minstrel favOrites. The role of
John Smith, the janitor, imper-
s0nated by Luke SchoOlcraft, one
of the most popular per-
formers of the old regime of
black-face comedy. Schoolcraft
was born in New Orleans some
thing like fOrty-twO years ago, and
before becoming a minstrel used
to appear in Dutch and Irish char
acters in variety theaters. About
the spring of 70 he met George
Goes, also very clever performer,
and for twelve years they went
through the country doing several
little acts that became Immensely
popular and gained for them much
distinction. One of their most
popular sketches was called Miss
Didimus Party ISchOolcraft is
now dead, having died but recent
ly of heart failure.
"SchOOlcraft in the early days
was a member of the Boston How
ard Ath9num Speciality company.
He was also one of the earliest ne
gro minstrel favorites in Chicago,
appearing for a long time as a
member Of the old Dearborn Street
Ministries, located in the old Dear
born Street Opera house, along
abaut the years 1870 and 1871. He
sat on the opposite end of the 'cir.
cle' to Billy Manning, who
was claimed to be the greatest
negro comedian that ever lived
Other ebony-faced bright lights
in that organization were Ben
Cotton and John Kimble
SchOolcraft went under HOOley's
management when that manager
formed what he called The Grear
Manathnrian Snncialtu com M N W