Bert Williams

Born

1874 Nassau, Bahamas

Famous Quote

“One of the great comedians in the world”

First black person to…

play a role in a Broadway show

When did he move to the U.S.

age 3, and settled in California

Got his start in…

medicine shows

After Walker passed, Williams…

git asked to headline the Olympia theatre and there were white supremacists who didn’t want him to headline

In 1910 Williams…

performed in his first Ziegfeld Follies (signed a contract but material wasn’t good enough so he took a break)

What did Williams do during prohibition?

performed with the midnight frolics and sang songs about alcohol

What happened to Williams in 1921?

performed “Under the Bamboo Tree” while touring in Detroit and collapsed on stage

When did he die?

age 47 despite going back to NYC

What is a medicine show?

Elements of vaudeville-getting rid of wrinkles, drinks/elixirs, getting rid of stains, etc.

What is a minstrel show?

Comic skits, variety shows, dancing/musical performances that depict black people (badly) mostly performed by white performers in black face (some black performers)

Who is George Walker?

Williams’s partner whom he met in 1896 in “The Gold Bug” the musical, they headlined Vaudeville after the success of “The Gold Bug”, in a new show in 1908 George M. Cohan wanted them to perform at a charity event, Walker couldn’t perform and got syphilis and passed after 2 years later

What did Williams do after Walker’s death?

established himself as a solo act

What is In Dahomey?

Musical: February 1903 at the New York Theatre (Olympia Theatre) This was the first full length musical written and performed by Black artists. Music: Will Marion Cook, Lyrics: Paul Laurence Dunbar, Book: Jesse A. Shipp

What is Abyssinia?

Music: Will Marion Cook and Bert Williams, Lyrics: Alex Rodgers and Jesse A. Shipp. Popular song: “Nobody” from the show became a huge hit. Williams recorded it a number of times. “Nobody” is similar to “Mister Cellophane” from Chicago. Both melodic lines pull from Vaudeville roots

What is Lime Kiln Field Day?

Silent film, recorded an hour of footage, producers Klaw and Erlanger didn’t want to go ahead and finish the film, Later, someone found the archival footage (It’s the only silent film to survive its original production footage of an entire black cast)