The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-02-05
LEONARD QUIT
BLACKJACK TO
SPARE SPOUSE
Didn't Want PIaygOeTs to Get
Idea That Wife Is A
MuIdttO
Famous Minstrel Man Tells
Reasons Leading Up to
His Discarding of
Burnt Cork

Eddie Leonard, famous as min
strel man and personally known to
many Bridgeporters, is renewing ac-
quaintances in this city during his
engagement this week at Po1is Mn.
Leonard is appearing with his wife,
Mabel Russell. in white face for the
first time in his stage career. His
friends here wouldn't care how he
Was made up if he continues to sing
about 'Edsa-ah-aih-ah'' and Them Ro-
hohohoholy Bo-ho-ho-ho-Iy Eyes, as
only he can do it.
theatrical career have wondered why
Eddie changed from black-face to
white face. This is how he explain
ed it to a Farmer reporter and other
friends at an informal little gather
ing last night:
when Mabel and I got married, we
decided that our union should be
real one : Not only should our home
life by one, but SO should our stage
life. We felt that If we cared enough
for each other to be married we would
err.
II was "a blackface comedian while
she was 8. singing, talking and dane
ing eomedienne. and a clever one
Now, for us to do an act together
and for me TO coutE 1e as a bfackface
comedian, it was necessary for her to
AS you know she did not black UP,
but she did put on grease paint to
make her look like a nnulstto No
pretty young woman looks as well with
that sort of Rreaaei paint on her face
as she does without 1t.
Right from the first day that saw
her 50 made UP felt 1t was not fair.
Then as we played began 20 hear
remarks being made. For years had
heard of people who did not know me
asserting that was colored man.
people clearly indicated that they be-
lieved me TO be one Of them A man
may take those things as a jokes but
when a pretty young woman has q
similar experience tits exceedingly an
moving.
.iYou know performers have rather
acute ears. That is, I mean perform
ers interested in their work They
will be distracted by conversations or
talk and while going right along With Wit
versations of people in the front rows.
Many time Mabel has heard the re-
mark:
Didn't you hear them say they're
married. and you know he's a colored
man
II made i1p my mind that an fnjus-
be stopped. OF course she could not
work in whiteface with me blacked
my dances and wear my original
clothes just the same, but to throw
away the burnt cork.
ct felt it might detra1ct from the IN
terest in my work little bit, but I
felt that In the additional Interest
that would be taken in Mabel the act
would really be bettered. What in
dividua1 effect it would have on me /
never for a moment considered. T.
did it for her. But there comes the
finest part Of 1t all. The change to
whitehace turned out to be- a. bigger
help to me than it was to Mabel Ms
tees were written about. me- reports
came in about me OF a complimentary
nature such as had never received
during the many years that [ appear
ed in blackface. For the first time
L was given universal credit +as an
artist.
.sYou see, before so many people
would insist that I might be a col
ored man, and blackface comedian
body knows for a. certainty that he is
a white man. How can they know
whether YOU are white man or not
with cork ON your face? True, you
and remove your gloves, but there is
many a coIored man with straight
hair and hands that nearly white.
Therefore this remark, would often be
heard:
g What is the difference if he does
those things well? Why shouldn't
he He's not acting. He's not artis-
tic. He's just behaving natural.
Don't you know he's colorep man?'
To-day with me in w11iteface ann
being praised as an artist and receiv-
ing credit, which means a great deal
IN getting bookings. In several towns
face will admit attracted little at
tention. I've gone to those same towns
in whiteface and have created a. gu
rore this season. And isn't it great
TO look back ana think THAT I've ac-
eon1plished all this for myself merely
by starting out to do something felt
that I should do for. nay wifeP'