The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-04-19
SWEATNAM A STAR
Wayne County Visitor
Makes EN- Laugh
BLACK FACE COMEDIAN IN "EX-
CUSE ME" ADDS TO THE JOY
OF THE COUNTRY.

|
Step lively now if you want to split
| few laughs with Mr.. Willis Sweat
nam, head porter on the Excuse Me-
express, and long recognized as head
quarters for an original brand oi
| burnt cork comedy.
For almost fifty years the Sweat
nam face has had its daily dip in
! burnt cork, and the rugged health
| of it's owner makes it fairly sure of q
brunette bath for many years tC
come, fact which will please thous-
ands who have been amused by the
ebony entertainer. During that per-
| iod he has joked his way around the
world, his high pitched voice and
hesitating delivery having made au.
( dienees laugh in many countries. Old
timers will recall him best as one OF
the funniest end men that ever inter
rogated an interlocutor about the
chicken, but the present generation
knows him as the delineator of a
number of darky characters in plays
OF the last decade.
"Wo-wo-wowhat you want with
me, MANI" asked Mr.. Sweatnam
throwing on his suffering dialect to
the last speed. "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha
A done anything wrong!
Assured that every little thing was
all right and that there was no need
of being alarmed, he reached down to
his ankles and drew up sigh of re-
lief. Then he went on with the work
of destroying his identity. Half a
dozen moves with the sooty hands
and the Sweatnam smile was buried
, under an inky blanket.
Doesn't your face ever protest
against such treatment?"
1T knows better 1t wouldn't get
anything to eat if j didn't black up. ."
You've been blacking up a few
years now?"
About fifty. What are you laugh
ing at? You're like all the rest OF
my friends They think I'm twice
fifty. Every once in a while | meet
an admirer who insists that | must
be at least two hundred and ten years
old. That's because | started so
young. / began when / was seven
and | was fifty-seven last month.
When you've been before the public
fifty years you can find lots of per-
sons who remember seeing you fifty
years before you started. And they'll
tell their friends that you were an
old man then"
Have you ever tried white face?''
Several times, but not for very
long. ! always felt half undressed
when | reached the footlights. You
know how you feel when you forget
to put on your undershirt. Well, just
like that l don't mind it any more
It's got to be second nature. My face
could black itself without any as
sistance now. The habit is so strong
that | have to wear handouts to keep
from backing up during the vacation
period"
Has Had Shady Past.
You've had a shady past?"
And | hope the future is just as
dark" laughed the comedian. Il
know it's a shame to deprive the
matinee girls of the chance to rave
over my beauty, but it cannot be
helped. Nature intended that
should go through life under a
cloud, and that's all there is to it,"
And now for the little school
house stuff"
Meaning where was little Willie
born.
Exactly"
Then prepare yourself for the
worst. GAINESVILLE, Ohio. l inter-
rupted the proceedings there one
bright morning fifty-seven years ago.
When all the children began acquir-
ing crooked mouths from trying to
say GAINESVILLE my father decided ii
was time to move to Cincinnati.
was five years old at the time and
did not have vote in family matters
If l had l would have been for New
York on the first ballot. l made my
first appearance in Cincinnati as a
member of a juvenile dramatic COM
pany. l was seven years old at the
time"
What was the name of the
piece?"
81 can't recall just now, but !
had the leading comedy role. My
sister Sally had the principal SOU
brette part. We travelled all
through Ohio and did fine business
! Juvenile companies were in great
demand at that time. l don't re-
member what wages l got, but
can't recall that it placed any great
strain on my trousers. My mother
went with the troupe to look after
u.s."
when did you begin your min
strel career?"
mot till several years later.
While | was with the dramatic COM
pany l put in all my spare moments
Continued on Page Eight.)