The brothers continued with Haverly mostly until 1883, when in conjunction with Gorton’s Minstrels, Gorman Bros.’ Royal Pantomime Company toured the country for several months.
In the Summer of 1884 they rejoined Haverly at the Drury Lane Theatre, London, England, playing there ten weeks; after which they made a tour of the provinces, and returned to the United States, opening in Cincinnati, Ohio, at Heuck’s Opera House, March 18, 1885.
They remained under the Haverly banner until they organized their own company, the Gorman Bros.’ Minstrels, giving their first performance August 24, 1887; they continued as an organization for six consecutive seasons.
In 1893 they played with Primrose and West’s “Monte Carlo” Company. The “boys” next appeared with the “Gilhooley’s Abroad,” as the vehicle for their talents; they continued with this for three seasons.
Subsequently they produced “Mr. Beane, from Boston,” which ran for two seasons.
In August, 1906, the Gorman Brother’s Minstrels again took the field, but owing to gross mismanagement, did not continue as long as the artistic merits of the organization justified it in doing. As a production, this company was an event in minstrelsy.
We are wont to speak of the Gormans as dancers; and of James, as a producer; but the versatility of these “youths” know no bounds.
John and George are comedians of high degree, as attested by their success with Marie Dressler, in “Tillie’s Nightmare” at the Herald Square Theatre, New York, during the Summer of 1910; and they have many other successes to their credit.
George Gorman is conceded to be one of the world’s greatest dancers. And John, the altitudinous one, excels as a character comedian. Such in brief, are the careers of the “Gentlemanly Gormans.”
James Gorman was born in New York City, August 23, 1852.