The famous “little church around the corner” gained its name and fame through the death of this great old actor.
George Holland was born near London, England, December 6, 1791; he died in New York City, December 20, 1870.
Edwin Forrest, America’s first great actor, at the Globe Theatre, Cincinnati, Ohio, July 17, 1823, played Cuff, a Kentucky negro, in the “Tailor in Distress.”
In this play Mr. Forrest imitated the black man in dress, accent, gait, dialect and manner; and was said to be the first actor to do so.
Edwin Forrest was born in Philadelphia, March 9, 1806; he died there December 12, 1872.
“Ole Bull” Myers (J. Richard Myers) was one of the earliest and best violinists in minstrelsy.
He entered the profession in 1835, and was with numerous black-face companies, notably the Virginia Serenaders in 1843; this organization, a photograph of which will be found [elsewhere], played an engagement at the Chatham Theatre, New York, January 24, 1844.
“Ole Bull” Myers was born in Baltimore, Md., May 9, 1909; he died in Philadelphia, September 10, 1874.
P. T. Barnum, the great circus man, in the fall of 1836 while traveling with a small show of his own, had the misfortune to lose the services of Jim Sandford, one of his principal “cards,” who was doing “nigger” business; but rather than disappoint his audience, Barnum “blacked up” and sang “Such a Gittin Up Stairs,” and other songs that were popular that day.
P. T. Barnum was born in Bethel, Conn., July 5, 1810; he died at Bridgeport, Conn., April 7, 1891.