Arthur Deming is one of the most entertaining black-face performers before the public to-day. He has made St. Louis, Mo., his home for many years, and it was there he made his first professional appearance at McKinley’s Museum, October 7, 1888, in a black-face monologue. A short time afterwards he formed a partnership with Eddie Powers, together they joined Geo. De Haven’s Circus as clowns, also working in the concerts.
In the Fall of 1889 his regular minstrel career began with the Vreeland Company, remaining two seasons. The next two years was Arthur Deming’s Minstrels, allied with Edwin De Coursey’s “A Stranger” Company. In 1893 he joined Cleveland’s Minstrels, closing with that company; he made his first appearance with Hi Henry’s Minstrels, Christmas, 1893, at Carbondale, Pa.; he remained with the Henry Company until the end of the season of 1895-96. Arthur Deming’s Minstrels took the road season 1896-97, and 1897-98 he was with the Haverly’s Minstrels. Vogel and Deming’s Minstrels, 1898-1900; “Don’t Tell My Wife” Company, 1900-01; a return to Hi Henry, 1901-02; a tour of vaudeville, 1902-03, and once again with Hi Henry, 1903-04; Geo. Primrose’s Minstrels claimed him for their own from 1904 until 1906; and vaudeville ever since, where he has met with universal success. Mr. Deming is now playing with much success the black-face comedy part in “Lower Berth, 13,” in Chicago, at the Whitney Theatre.
Arthur Deming was born in Green Bay, Wis., May 20, 1866.
Richard Carle, the famous elongated comedian, author and producer, says he appeared several times as an amateur in minstrel shows, recalling one in particular at the Winthrop Yacht Club in Winthrop Beach, Mass., in the Summer of 1889. Mr. Carle did a capital “end” on this auspicious occasion.
Harry Bulger, famous for his comedy creations in many Broadway productions, was one of the original members of the Al. G. Field’s Minstrels, whose initial performance was given at Marion, Ohio, October 6, 1886; he was of the team of Bulger and Jenkins.
Subsequently Mr. Bulger joined forces with Sherrie Matthews, doing a black face act.
Emil Heusel, of the German comedy team of Heusel and Walsh, played many black-face parts with Harrigan and Hart in the 70’s and 80’s, and was also a song and dance man with Barlow, Wilson and Rankin’s Minstrels in 1885. He was born in New York, April 17, 1866.
Al. Hart, famous for his impersonation of Wang, in the opera of that name, as well as other prominent companies, came to the United States about 1880, and made his first appearance with Tuck’s Minstrels in Buffalo, N. Y., shortly after.
In 1884 he was with Lester and Allen’s Minstrels as interlocutor. About February, 1885, he became a member of the famous Clipper Quartette, with whom he appeared for eight years, mostly in black-face. Mr. Hart was born in Liverpool, England, December, 1866.
Greg. Patti (Gregory Patti) is widely known in social circles in New York, Philadelphia and their environs as the “Little Comedian.”