Título: Bert Williams
Seção: Solo career
Background: Williams was born in Nassau, The Bahamas, on November 12, 1874, to Frederick Williams Jr. and his wife Julia. At the age of 11, Bert permanently emigrated with his parents, moving to Florida. The family later moved to Riverside, California, where he graduated from Riverside High School. In 1893, while still a teenager, he joined different West Coast minstrel shows, including Martin and Selig's Mastodon Minstrels, where he first met his future professional partner, George Walker.

Conteúdo: Walker was in ill health by this point due to syphilis, which was then incurable. In January 1909 he suffered a stroke onstage while singing, and was forced to drop out of Bandanna Land the following month. The famous pair never performed in public again, and Walker died less than two years later. Walker had been the businessman and public spokesman for the duo. His absence left Williams professionally adrift.  After 16 years as half of a duo, Williams needed to reestablish himself as a solo act. In May 1909 he returned to Hammerstein's Victoria Theater and the high-class vaudeville circuit. His new act consisted of several songs, comic monologues in dialect, and a concluding dance. He received top billing and a high salary, but "the White Rats," an organization of vaudevillians opposed to encroachments from blacks and women, intimidated the theater managers into reducing Williams' billing. The brash Walker would have resisted such an insult to his star status, but the more reserved Williams did not protest. Allies were few; big-time vaudeville managers were fearful of attracting a disproportionate number of black audience members and thus allowed only one black act per bill. Due to his skin, Williams typically travelled, ate and lodged separately from the rest of his fellow performers, increasing his sense of isolation following the loss of Walker.  Williams next starred as Mr. Lode of Koal, a farce about a kidnapped king that was well received by critics as a star vehicle t

user: Why did he start a solo career?

assistant: Walker was in ill health by this point due to syphilis, which was then incurable.

user: Did Walker die?

assistant: Walker died less than two years later.

user: How did that effect Bert?

assistant: Walker had been the businessman and public spokesman for the duo. His absence left Williams professionally adrift.

user: What did Williams do after his death?

assistant: In May 1909 he returned to Hammerstein's Victoria Theater and the high-class vaudeville circuit.

user: Did he sing there?

assistant: His new act consisted of several songs, comic monologues in dialect, and a concluding dance.

user: How were his performances recieved?

assistant: "the White Rats," an organization of vaudevillians opposed to encroachments from blacks and women, intimidated the theater managers

user: Why?

assistant: big-time vaudeville managers were fearful of attracting a disproportionate number of black audience members

user: How did that turn out?

assistant: Williams typically travelled, ate and lodged separately from the rest of his fellow performers, increasing his sense of isolation following the loss of Walker.