Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-24
DONE in PHILADELPHIA

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w remarkable that we have had our old
friends the mlnstrels with us for more than
so years, They have weathere devery inno-
walton in theatricals the decline and fall of
the stock ventures; the advent Of the travel
ing companies, comic opera, vaudeville and
now even moving pictures And they are
going ON, but not telling the same old jokes,
night after night.
All my efforts to run down to its dark
origin the libel that minstrel jokes are ven
cradle resulted in failure. Some Of the best
jokes recall we're first passed over the foot
lights by minstrel company Only after
they became public property did they find
their way into periodicals.
IJAvING become venerable institution
llmany years ago, there naturally arose
a dispute as to the place where negro min
strelsy had its BIRTH Probably not so many
cities as claimed Homer for their own con-
tended, but certainly Philadelphia and New
York had their advocates.
am willing to admit prejudice in favor
of this city, and as no other place on the
globe ever supported minstrelsy for so long
time we seem to have something of pro-
prietary right in this form of entertainment
The beginning was very modest. Before
the word had been heard in connection with
such entertainment there were black-faced
acts on the American stage. One of the
first big hits was made by Thomas B. Rice
in his Jim Crow" which has got into the
vocabulary of the language. No one could
call that nondescript act minstrelsy as we
have known it, yet 1t had it's influence.
THEN came black faced banjo acts such
L as Billy Whitock used to do; others SINH
George Was
Coon" and still minstres did not appear on
the scene. All of these acts were familiar to
Philadelphia theatre goers in the 30s and
early 4Os. Dixon resided here for time
and during the epidemic of cholera in 1882
published a weekly Cholera Gazette" He
sang Zip Coon" at the Tivoli Garden, on
Market street west Of Thirteenth, and every
boy in the city was whistlins the refrain.
Billy Whitlock in his autobiography gives
version of his connection with the organi-
cation Of the minstrel show. During the
winter of 1910 he and his partner Master
John Diamond, whose real name was Frank
Lynch were playing at the Walnut Street
Theatre, and when the night for their benefit
approached Whitlock conceived the idea of
introducing a novelty.
Whitlock asked Dick Myers, a violinist, IL
he would play the violin with them and form
on that occasion, for the first time in public
Whitlock said banjoists were accompanied
on the stage by a violinist. And even that
does not look like a minstrel show, does it?
Yet 1t was from this germ that the big, sable
semicircle which we recall with pleasure
grew into the minstrels
TN its early form minstrelsy was essential
l. ly musical. The first band of mnstrels
that Travelled around the country had Master
Ole Bull as one Of it's members There were
Virginia Serenaders and New Orleans Ser
enaders, and while all the acts were done in
blackface, they were of a musical character.
They gave some clever travesties on the
Italian opera, which was then attracting the
attention of the musically Inclined and from
all accounts these burlesques were not only
bright and witty, but were admirably set, so
far musical numbers went.
One of the first minstrel troupes which
performed in this city the New Orleans
Serenaders. They were here in R849 and
probably earlier. and they gave perform
ance in old Musical Fund Hail. In the COM
pany was Nelson Kneass, a song writer and
musical composer, whose songs were sung all
over the country at the time. There may still
be persons who recall the strains of It Hear
the Hoofs." Go Way Black Man" Rosa
Glare" and Nelly Was Lady" I feel con-
ndent that the last named at least will ba
remembered. for it was sung in the days of
Carncross' Minstrels. in the little Eleventh
Street Opera House.
THERE also in the company Max
i Zorer, George Swane, Thomas Burke,
Master Ole Bull, ]. II. Collins. Sam Sanford
and ]. C. Rainer. Sanford, whose real name
was Lindsay took his stage name from
other performer Jim Sanford. His uncle,
William Lindsay, also in the business.
Sanford may be said TO have been respon-
sible for the vogue negro minstrelsy has had
in Philadelphia He opened Sanford's Opera
House, at Twelfth and Chestnut streets, in
1853. When the place was burned he took
the old church building on Eleventh street,
which had already been transformed into
playhouse by Cartee. This the begin
ming OF the history of the Eleventh Street
Opera House. where mnstrelsy was pre-
served for more than half century
TN SANFORD'S company at the time was
i Julien, as he appeared on the bills. but the
singer subsequently revealed himself Ira
D. Sankey when he engaged in eyangelistic
work with Dwight L. Moody.
The last time | saw Sam Sanford was al
most 90 years ago, when he danced Bob Rid
ley at the Walnut Street Theatre with Prim-
rose and Vests Minstrels. lie was then a
very old man, but very nimble on his feet,
GRANVILLE.
The Female of the Species
! From the Ohio State Journal
II takes man long time TO get back into
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