He had been several years with Gorton’s Minstrels, and for about ten seasons he did a musical act with Sam Lee, as Gorton and Lee.
Jos. Gorton, Jr., was born in Friendship, N. Y., May 30, 1877; he died there December 10, 1908.
Harry W. Smith, the pleasing young bass vocalist and interlocutor, has a brief, but none the less meritorious professional career.
It began in 1904, doing concert work; subsequently he was with Richard Carle’s and other musical extravaganzas. July 31, 1909, he became a member of Eddie Leonard’s Minstrels at their initial performance in Union Hill, N. J. In the Summer of 1910 Mr. Smith and Fred P. Russell launched Russell and Smith’s Tabloid Minstrels on the vaudeville sea, Mr. Smith acting as interlocutor, the duties of which he performs admirably.
Harry W. Smith was born in Albia, Ia., November 3, 1878.
Geo. M. Cohan. It will not surprise many to know that this famous young author-actor-manager-producer, etc., ever appeared in black-face; the year is said to be 1891, when he played Banty Bob in his father’s production of “The Molly Maguires”; nor must it be overlooked that he was co-proprietor and part producer of Cohan and Harris’ Minstrels, the first performance of which was at the Apollo Theatre, Atlantic City, N. J., July 27, 1908.
George M. Cohan was born in Providence, R. I., July 4, 1878.
Stanley Forde, whose ponderous bass voice has been heard to such excellent advantage in the “Geisha”; the “Talk of New York”; “The Man Who Owns Broadway,” and other popular successes, joined Primrose and Dockstader’s Minstrels at the Victoria Theatre, New York City, about March 1, 1902; singing a ballad in black-face. He finished the season with that organization, and the following one he toured with George Primrose’s Minstrels. Then Mr. Forde said, “Never Again”; but that’s what they all say.
Mr. Forde was born at Buffalo, N. Y., February 9, 1878.
Frank Leighton began his career as a black-face performer with a medicine show, June 1, 1897, at London, O.; joined Burt Sheppard’s Minstrels March 1, 1898, remaining until company disbanded at Waterloo, Wis., April 10, same year. With this company he formed a partnership with Ed. Elliott, doing a talking and dancing act; the partnership was dissolved January 15, 1899; Mr. Leighton shortly after became a member of the Vogel and Deming Minstrels, joining his brother Bert, with whom he has since been associated.