Pete Detzel was born in Erie, Pa., November 25, 1875.
Bert Williams. This truly great colored performer made his first appearance with Lew Johnson’s Minstrels twenty odd years ago; the remuneration was $12.00 per week and “cakes” with an occasional chunk of pie. His next minstrel engagement was with Martin and Selick’s Mastodons—salary no object.
Mr. Williams decided on having a partner after this, and while in San Francisco met George Walker; the rest is fairly well known.
Mr. Williams starred successfully in “Sons of Ham,” “Bandanna Land” and “Mr. Lode, of Koal.” The partnership terminated about 1909.
Mr. Williams subsequently has played vaudeville, where he has been one of the most pronounced hits of years. Always working with corked features, he sings a song in a way that you always remember, especially is this true of “Nobody,” which will always be associated with his name.
Mr. Williams is a truly unctuous comedian, and worthy and deserving of the distinction of having received by far the highest salary ever paid to any performer of his race.
In New York in the Summer of 1910, he was highly successful in the “Follies of 1910.”
Bert Williams was born on the Island of Nassau, British West Indies, November 12, 1874.
The Bowman Bros. are frequently spoken of as the “brilliant brothers Bowman,” and justly, too, for no duo of vaudeville performers to-day give greater promise than these two boys, whose versatility is a matter of much comment among artists of more lengthy experience.
They have appeared in burlesque, drama, farce and minstrelsy, and in each have scored unqualified successes.