At eighteen he made his first appearance in black-face with a local minstrel show; subsequently he played character parts, and did a monologue in white-face.
His first minstrel show was the Crawford Bros.; in 1895 he joined the Hi Henry Minstrels and continued with them for five years; then came Billy Clark’s Minstrels, followed by the season of 1902-03 with Wm. H. West’s (Ricaby’s) Minstrels.
In 1903 he made his initial bow with Al. G. Field’s Minstrels, remaining until 1905, when he became a vaudevillian for two years; he rejoined Field’s in 1907 and remained two years.
“Minstrel” Billy Clark was born in Grand Rapids, Mich., March 15, 1875.
Trixie Friganza, the popular young comedienne, celebrated the author’s birthday August 24, 1908, by blacking up and doing an end with Cohan and Harris’ Minstrels at the New York Theatre in New York City; she sang “I’m Glad I’m Married”—mind you, she only sang it.
Beverly Sitgreaves showed her versatility at the New Theatre, New York, just previous to the new year in a new character which everyone knew would be a clever portrayal; and it was.
She played the negro “mammy” in “The Nigger,” December 6, 1909.
Harry A. Ellis (Ralph A. Grande), who was one of the singing duo of Ellis and McKenna, also a member of “The Quartette,” made his first professional appearance at Rahway, N. J., March 12, 1900, with the Heywood Comedy Company, in the play of “Mamma’s Pet.” It is the author’s impression that Mr. Ellis played the title role. “Mamma’s Pet” never had a metropolitan run; in fact, no run at all—but let bygones be bygones.
April 28, same year, he joined Primrose and Dockstader’s Minstrels at their inaugural performance under canvas; this was at Newport News, Va., and Mr. Ellis sang “The Blue and the Gray,” and what’s better sang it so good that he was engaged for the regular season of the company a few months later, being the only vocalist of the “tenters” so honored. The tent season lasted about seven weeks.
He continued with Primrose and Dockstader’s until the dissolution of that company in 1903; the same year he became a member of Lew Dockstader’s Minstrels, and remained four years. Eight years of minstrelsy in black-face. Mr. Ellis has a robust tenor voice of high quality. He is again with Lew Dockstader’s Minstrels, 1910.