The Evening dispatch. [volume] (Provo, City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1895-05-13
EARLY MINSTRELSY.
GEORGE CHRlSTY, ONE OF THE oRlGl-
MAJORS OF THE SHOW.

Interesting Scrapbook Left by the CeIe
brated Burnt Cork Artist-A Friend o.
Edwin Forrest and Talented Comedian
Negro Minstrelsy In Great Britain.
Mrs. Edwina Forrest Fair, daugh-
ter of the famous George Christy, who
established negro minstrelsy in New
York in 1S47, chatted with me the 9TH
er day very entertainingly regarding her
fathers career. She gave me- his old
scrapbook to refer to and several excel
lent photographs and some old fashioned
engravings
1t seems so long since the days of the
Christy minstrels that 1 rather expected
to see an older looking woman than
George Christy' daughter appears to be.
She is an enthusiast over her fathers
memory. She has another sister living,
and also brother, George Harrington,
! who, instead of perpetuating the family
trademark, has been known chiefly
through his ''beefsteak dinners at the
old Morgue club.
my father, known in private life as
George N. Harrington, was young
man when he died." said Mrs. Fair
''He was only 40. He had fine consti-
tuition, it was thought, but he wore his
heart on his sleeve and put year into
every day. Being jovial, hearty and
generous with every one, even his most
humble employee, he was persistently
sought by well known persons, and his
nature could not resist the compliment
he felt their companionship to be.
Zone of his very particular friends
was Edwin Forrest. A few days before
Twas born my father declared he would
name his child for him. What if it's
grip asked my mother Then we'll
call her Edwina, replied my father. So
you see l was named beforehand. An
other friend of his, my brother tells NE,
was Theodore Thomas, who used to
black up and do niger business.
"And why not? Didn't Edwin Booth
try it? 1t was pity that my father did
not live to make great name as an
actor in white, for he was considered
remarkable low comedian. In burlesque
he used to sustain from one to half a
dozen characters in piece and exhibit
wonderful versatility He made a great
hit with his Topsy in a burletta on
Uncle Tom s Cabin. He had singu-
larly sweet singing voice, and as
dancer he had few equals, He was also
a contortionist and seemed blessed with
every physical possibility.
81 was IS years old when last saw
him, and that's most impressionable
age for a girl 1 think Billy Birch copied |
a few Of his characteristics, and George
Thatcher has given some good imita-
tions of him, but they and such other
men as Schoolcraft and Sweatnam are
different in general style.
Although l think it is generally IN
derstood that the Christy minstrels were
the originators of that sort of entertain
ment, individual negro delineation was
done as far back as 1899, at the Federal
Street theater, in Boston.
The first idea of minstrelsy in its
present shape, or before Mr.; Haverly in
troduced his ''Mastodons, came forth
in the spring of 1871, for one night
only, at the Chatham theater. The COM
pany was called the Virginia min
strels'' and was made up by Dan En-
met, Frank Brewer, Billy Whitlock
and Dick Pelham. The entertainment
met with astonishing success. 1t was
subsequently at the Bowery
and at the Park Fearing
quick opposition here, the company,
with G. B. Woodbridge at its head,
went to England.
In London it performed for six weeks
at the Adelphi in connection with Pro-
lessor Anderson, then known as "the
wizard of the north. " A misunderstood
ing arising, a second company was Or
ganized by Pelham and Whitlock in
connection with Joe Sweeney, and it
travelled through Ireland and Scotland
with success.
Another company, called the tRing
and Parker minstrels from Boston"
low came along, and while in Liverpool
one of the members introduced the char
loter Lucy Long, which became imme-
lately popular.
simultaneously minstrel companies
we're being organized in nearly all the
American Cities and on the return home
# these two organizations they not only
ound plenty Of rivalry, but much i'm
on their plan.
Now followed in notable favor the
kentucky minstrels," the Congo
nelodists" and Buckley serenaders. :"
Then was organized the famous Chris
US, consisting of E. P. Christy, George
I. Christy, L. Durand and T. Vaughn.
George, who afterward became the
eader and was the joyous spirit of the s
how, had previously appeared at the
Id Eagle Street theater, in Buffalo, in
$50, and in 1912 the company started
n its existence in the same city in a
all on Water street. George Christy
7as Clones" and Lansing Durand was
'tambo." 1t is asserted that George
7as the original Lucy Long, the first {
D do the 'weneh business. - He also
made hit as Caohuca.
The first appearance of the company
i New York was at the Palma Opera 1
louise, in Chambers street. After vari-
US visits to other localities it finally
ettled at 472 Broadway, in 1847, where :
remained II years. George finally
from the care of his foster ia
1er, E. P. Christy, and with Harry
Wood opened another hall at 444 Broad
'ay, and year later the original party
'ent to California, and George became
faster of the situation.
After several years of great success
Iessrs. Wood and Christy opened the
fifth Avenue Opera House, ia Twenty
'urth street. Christy's last appearance
] the stage was with Hooley's min