The San Francisco call., 1908-04-12


Heath could pass you dozen
times on the street without in
- spring in your mind the faintest
suspicion that they are the two
most successful and probably the clev-
crest negro impersonators on this days
stage; that they are indeed minstrel
men OF the long ago. and that behind
them are the traditions and memories
Of 90 odd years of mutual association in
the land of the burnt cork
Thoughts of minstrelsy conjure
visions OF very different personages
than the externals Of Mcintyre and
Heath disclose. You naturally expect
70 see q minstrel man in raiment of
many hues. vocal in fact; you reas-
onsbly suppose q minstrel man TO be
accompanied by the dazzling illumina-
ton Of large sparks so extensive in
size and number as TO be doubtful in
origin: red scarf. hamboyant and ag-
gressive, comes TO your mind and a
vest that looks as if a roulette layout
had inspired It's design OF red and black
and green. is part OF the wardrobe
which your ina gination assigns the
professor OF the brunette art; but Nc
Intyre and Heath will disappoint you if
your Ideals are firmly fixed IN favor OF
the traditional minstrel. The former
resembles careful, prudent and sue
cessful merchant from out the suburb
an somewhere. and Heath might be a
prosperous contractor. They give
themselves no airs at all. IN spite of the
fact that one has q Is acre farm on
Long island and the other has proper
ties spread up and down the Atlantic
coast
They are not even genteel. in the be-
HttIing sense OF the word: nor do they
impress you as being particularly
wise: but don't let that fact fool
you. They have the wisdom which is
made from experience and the under
standing which comes from hard work
at the bottom OF the ladder. Their
sentility is friendliness and optimism,
and they have crowned their life with
material success. They prove what
some philosopher has said. or should
have said. that patience and tenacity
of purpose are worth more than dou-
bic their weight of cleverness."
I'm proud to say" said Mcintyre,
that our success is the result Of hard
work"
That's right" echoed Heath; hard
work; that's what done it."
and unmede many minstrel man who,
80 years ago. was their peer, are not
claimed by Mcintyre and Heath. who
by no means must therefore be under
stood TO beIittle their own achieve
ments They take their work very
and they have studied It, they say.
F.. They have travelled over the road which
once was so smooth for such men as
Billy Emerson, Billy Manning. Birch
and other Of the dark lanterns Of the
old time minstrel stage
There was only one Billy Emerson.
remsmber that" says Heath.
And only one Manning" says McIn-
tyre
I often sit on my porch. after din
nsr, and light a big fat cigar" said
:. Mcintyre. Then I think of the old
days. There was Manping, for in
stance He was a deep one. He was
one Of those real wits. II was just nat
ursI with him say he was one of the
greatest actors that ever appeared on
- Anarf~an stage Ha and E-r,n~
son had been partners in Chicago, but
they couldn't get along, and so they
separated. Manning took out a min
strsi show and 80 did Emerson. Emer-
son met with success. Manning didn't.
During Meanings wanderings he met
Gaylord with another minstrel show
ana found that they were to play the
same town on different nights. Man
ming was a night ahead OF Gaylord.
Well, Gaylord says 70 Manning. Now.
if you viii announce my show after
your performance, III do as much for
you some day Manning said he would.
II was a cold, dreary night when Man
ming reached the town The hall was
freezing, too. and an audience of
about six stalwarts was on hand Next
morning. just as Manning's company
vas de5ectedly leaving town. Gaylord
and his crowd came IN. says Gaylord.
Did you announce my show to the
audience last night. Billy No. says
Billy was Just goIpg TO when he
went out.