Bert Marion was born in Paterson, N. J., August 7, 1867.
Harry “Scamp” Montgomery, well and favorably known as a capable delineator of black-face characters, with his brother Dave, now of Montgomery and Stone, appeared as one of the Montgomery Bros., the “Pullman Porters,” about 1888; a short time previous he had been with Forepaugh’s Circus. In 1889 he was with Beach and Bowers’ Minstrels, and subsequently with Crawford Bros. (Topeka, Kan.) Minstrels.
Several years ago he joined Tony Pearl in a musical act, and as Montgomery and Pearl they played all the first-class vaudeville houses, as well as many high-class combinations.
Mr. Montgomery created the negro part of Eaton Ham, in George M. Cohan’s “Geo. Washington, Jr.,” and played such other black-face character parts as Low Down Smith, in “Cape Cod Folks,” and Sylvester Q. Nightingale, in “Mary’s Lamb.” For brief periods he was “Sheppard,” of Wood and Sheppard, likewise “Bogert,” of Bogert and O’Brien; now Neil O’Brien, the great black-face comedian.
During the World’s Fair in Chicago, he was the drummer in Sousa’s Band.
The present season of 1910, Mr. Montgomery was especially engaged by Geo. M. Cohan to create the part of Abe. Gunther, in Mr. Cohan’s latest play, “Get Rich Quick Wallingford.” Needless to say, Mr. Montgomery made a decided hit—and in white face.
“Scamp” Montgomery was born in St. Joseph, Mo., April 2, 1867.
Rees Prosser sings a ballad in a manner that is entirely his own, and thereby hangs a tale; it’s a simple enough story; the answer being “He’s always engaged.”
His first appearance was in his native state, in the city of Terre Haute, as a member of the Wabash Minstrels twenty years ago. Beach and Bowers was the first professional minstrel engagement; others were Al. G. Field’s, nine years; Cleveland’s, and Dockstader’s.
June 1, 1910, “Rees Prosser” was murdered; some place in the far west. We ’uns in New York thought it was our Rees Prosser; Mr. Prosser indignantly denied that he was ever shot; north, east, south or west; and his reputation for veracity is so good that argument was unnecessary.