Returning to his native heath he next appeared at the Bella Union Theatre in San Francisco, subsequently playing, an engagement with Haverly’s Minstrels in the same municipality; the latter being the high-brow term for the word city.
Later, Mr. Morrell appeared with success with several burlesque and farcical attractions, and at various times was of the vaudeville teams of Morrell and Evans, and Morrell and Deely.
After a five-year tour of England and Africa, he returned to the United States, and in 1906 formed one of the original members of “That Quartette,” and continued with them until 1908, when, Cohan and Harris seeking for the best vocal talent obtainable, cabled to Mr. Morrell, who was in England, an offer that he just simply couldn’t refuse. His success with this organization is a matter of theatrical history.
In 1909 this clever young man made one of the most astonishing moves ever recorded; it was no more nor no less than making the jump from ballad singer to singing comedian, doing a black-face monologue that has given him already an eminent position in his new field of endeavor.
Frank Morrell was born in San Diego, Cal., October 10, 1875.
Dana H. Claudius, the well-known young banjoist, is now of the team of Claudius and Scarlet, but it was not always thus, for away back in the days of 1900, and until the month of February, 1902, Claudius and one Edmond Gilmore Corbin were members of the Primrose and Dockstader’s Minstrels, doing their classic act in black-face; after the last named date they worked in white-face. See [James H. Decker] for particulars.
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| CHARLEY FOX | CHARLEY HOWARD |
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| CHARLEY PETTENGILL | CHARLEY REYNOLDS |
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| CHARLEY SUTTON | CHARLEY REED |
| THEY WERE THE “CHEERFUL CHARLEYS” OF MINSTRELSY. | |
Dana H. Claudius was born in Canandaigua, N. Y., June 1, 1875; and has been “hopping” ever since.
“Minstrel” Billy Clark (Wm. E. Clark) began his professional career in a theatre, and has been around theatres ever since; and this is how it happened.
He entered his thirteenth year and the Powers’ Opera House in his home city at the same time, at the latter place he was usher; he ushered so well that he was promoted—he became scenic artist at the Grand—in Grand Rapids; this is not a joke.