Frank Leighton was born April 14, 1880, near Cowden, Ill.
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| LUKE SCHOOLCRAFT | GEO. H. COES |
| (SCHOOLCRAFT & COES.) | |
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| JAS. M. TIERNEY | TIM. CRONIN |
| (TIERNEY & CRONIN.) | |
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| HARRY HOGAN | GUS. HOGAN |
| (HOGAN BROS.) | |
Bert Leighton joined Barlow Bros. Minstrels (Ward, Coburn and Baldwin, owners), August 21, 1899, doing a black-face singing and dancing act with Walter Wilson, closing June 2, 1900. Leighton and Wilson opened with Vogel and Deming’s Minstrels, August 27, 1900; this partnership was dissolved later in the season owing to the ill health of Mr. Wilson. Mr. Leighton was joined by his brother Frank at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., December 8, 1900.
Bert Leighton was born in Altamont, Ill., December 29, 1878.
Leighton and Leighton’s first appearance as a team was at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., December 8, 1900, remaining the season. Other engagements were Vogel’s Minstrels; Pan-American Minstrels. September 15, 1902, they made their first appearance in white-face at the Howard in Boston. April, 1903, they joined Quinlan and Wall’s Minstrels. Considerable time was given to vaudeville before they made their appearance with Lew Dockstader’s Minstrels, July 23, 1904, ending May 8, 1905. July 14, 1905, they began their second season with this company, terminating their engagement November 17, same year, since which time they have been playing the best houses in vaudeville; their present offering “A One Night Stand in Minstrelsy” is a gem of its kind.
The Messrs. Leighton in addition to being exceptionally clever dancers, are authors of several songs that are recognized successes, among them are—“There’s A Dark Man Coming With A Bundle”; “Eb’ry Dollar Carries Trubbles Ob Its Own”; “The Message of the Old Church Bell”; “Ain’t Dat A Shame”; “Casey Jones” and others.
Joe Leighton (Le Strange), better known as “Rags,” made his first appearance with Lew Dockstader’s Minstrels, at Harrisburg, Pa., October 31, 1904, remaining until November 23, 1906; shortly after this he joined the Leighton Brothers, the alliance being known as the Three Leightons: he has been with them ever since, except for a brief period in the early part of the season of 1908, when he was with Cohan and Harris’ Minstrels.
Mr. Leighton is an eccentric dancer of uncommon ability.
Joe Leighton was born in New York City, October 7, 1887.
Billy Beard. This really clever performer who styles himself “The Party from the South,” actually is from that interesting part of the country which has produced so many capable burnt-corkers.