Emil Subers, the “Georgia Sunflower,” whose rich Southern dialect has delighted thousands, began life as a ballad singer in an amateur minstrel show in Macon, Ga., in 1897, after which for three seasons he was a member of the well-known repertoire company of Peruchini-Beldini.
A couple of weeks with Harry Ward’s Minstrels in 1900, and then he joined Al. G. Field’s Company same year. In 1902 he became a member of Quinlan and Wall’s Minstrels, remaining two seasons.
On Christmas Day, 1904, he joined Geo. Primrose’s Minstrels in Springfield, Mass., and continued with them until 1907.
Mr. Subers subsequently entered vaudeville, and in 1909 formed an alliance with those clever black-face entertainers, Coakley and McBride.
Emil Subers was born in Sparta, Ga., January 7, 1877.
Artie Hall, in private life Mrs. Robert Fulgora, gives one of the most faithful portrayals of the Tennessee and Georgia negro ever seen on the vaudeville stage. Commencing March 18, 1901, Miss Hall gave a series of splendid performances of Topsy in “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” at the Academy of Music in New York City.
James Gorman, one of the most prolific producers in the annals of minstrelsy, was the first to write a burlesque on the “Mikado” when that opera had such a vogue here many years ago. Mr. Gorman showed it with Haverly’s Minstrels in San Francisco in 1885. “The Princess of Madagascar,” one of the most pretentious offerings ever shown with a black-face organization, also emanated from the fertile brain of Mr. Gorman; and there were others.
Joseph Gorton, Jr., was the son of the prominent manager of that name, and a musician and composer of extraordinary ability; no less than three operas, as well as several songs, have come from his prolific pen.