George E. "Mello" and Neva Satterlee McNally Vaudeville Collection
name: label: Collector
content: McNally, George E.
label: Donor
content: LaClair, Beatrice M.
label: Collector
content: McNally, Neva Satterlee, -1909
label: Names
content: Browning, Frances H. "Peaches", 1910-1956
label: Names
content: Tovell, Albert
topic: label: Topic
content: Blackface entertainers
label: Topic
content: Female impersonators
label: Topic
content: Minstrel shows -- 1900-1960
label: Topic
content: Musicians
label: Topic
content: Vaudeville
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Collection donated to the Archives Center by the granddaughter of the McNallys, Beatrice M. LaClair, in 2000.
creator: label: Collector
content: McNally, George E.
label: Donor
content: LaClair, Beatrice M.
label: Collector
content: McNally, Neva Satterlee, -1909
setName: label: See more items in
content: George E. "Mello" and Neva Satterlee McNally Vaudeville Collection
abstract: label: Summary
content: Collection consists of photographs, commercially published sheet music, and original music manuscripts from the McNallys' vaudeville careers. Materials include minstrel show and blackface material; photo of Albert Tovell, once the master of ceremonies for Frances H. "Peaches" Browning; and a photograph of "Gov. Jordan," a blackface female impersonator.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: According to family history, Neva Satterlee at the age of seventeen formed an orchestra and was its leader for many years.  At one time she was under contract with Charles Hoyt Productions, probably the same Hoyt of Morgan & Hoyt's who boasted a Ladies Band and Imperial Singing Orchestra on their bill.  She was an accomplished musician and actress.  Neva married George McNally and they took the stage surname of Mello.  Neva did all the musical arrangements as she was the only one of the pair who could read music.  Their home base was the town of Fulton, New York.  The couple remained on the vaudeville circuit as entertainers until Neva's death during child birth in 1909.  The couple had at least one child, Angeline McNally.  George continued to work in vaudeville.  The act was under the direction of George Mello and Eddie Shaw.  The act, titled Hokem is Hokem, was a minstrel, musical revue style show and apparently consisted of at least five musical selections; the opening Hot-Time, followed by He's Goin' to Hab a Hot Time Bye an' Bye termed (the greatest coon song ever published), Tall Girl (arranged by Neva Satterlee Mello), Snaps, and The Man Behind the Plow.  The act's band consisted of a piano, violin, cornet, trombone, drums, clarinet, and flute but may have  included other instruments.  According to family tradition, Mello ceased his vaudeville career by 1928.  

The vaudeville tradition began in the aftermath of the Civil War when numerous minstrel companies began touring the country in minstrel shows presenting songs and comedy in an easily accessible format.  Vaudeville became the staple American family entertainment during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  Tony Pastor gave the first big time vaudeville show in New York City in 1881 and by 1919 there were reportedly 900 vaudeville theatres in the country.  Featuring a collection of sketches, short plays, popular songs, and simple comedy routines, the show often featured minstrel-type acts presented by actors in blackface.  With the influx of immigrants in the latter 19th century, the tradition continued but was changed by European and ethnic influences.  Booking agents operated in the major cities of New York, Chicago and San Francisco promoting and developing their own Vaudeville Acircuits.  Booking agents booked small troupes of actors, specialty acts and musical performers  to tour the circuit traveling from one town's vaudeville house to the next.  (Encarta Encyclopedia, IATSE)
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1 Cubic foot (1 box)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1889-2000, undated
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.0760
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Manuscripts
label: Type
content: Sheet music
label: Type
content: Photographs
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: Collection is divided into four series.

Series 1: Original Sheet Music

Series 2: Commercial Sheet Music

Series 3: Photographs

Series 4: Memorabilia
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection processed by Franklin Robinson, 2002.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Manuscripts
label: Genre/Form
content: Sheet music -- Manuscripts -- 19th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Sheet music
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs -- 1890-1900
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs -- 1900-1950
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs -- Black-and-white photoprints -- 1910-1930
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Series 1: Original Music Manuscripts/Arrangements contains original manuscripts used in the Hokem is Hokem act orchestrated by Neva Satterlee Mello.  There are parts scores for five musical instruments and various instruments have additional music scores as well for individual selections. The series is arranged alphabetically.  

Series 2: Commercial Sheet Music contains commercially printed sheet music, mostly from the vaudeville era with a few exceptions such as Hello Dolly and others.  The series contains some well worn sheet music selections, some of which were presumably used by Neva's orchestra or the Hokem is Hokem troupe.  One piece, Lily of the Valley, has been sewn along its spine by a sewing machine to help keep it together.  The series is arranged alphabetically.  

Series 3: Photographs contains photographs of George Mello and some of the Mello's/McNally's vaudeville contemporaries.  Of special interest is one photograph of a man dressed in drag and blackface and a photograph of Albert Tovell, one time master of ceremonies for the somewhat infamous Frances H. Browning aka Peaches Browning (1910-1956).  There is also another photograph of two men dressed in blackface.  

Series 4: Memorabilia contains the music covers for the Hokem is Hokem act and one publication.