ON THE STAGE
Charles L. Gilpin

The sun first drowned the night from day,
As it came from depths to light the way;
And Charles S. Gilpin did first bob up
To damp race feelings in banquet’s cup.

To-day on Thespian mount he stands
One black with nine white in these lands;
And his Broadway light has lit the ways
For more of his Race in serious plays.
—Harrison.

Bert Williams

Second to none as a natural-born actor,
Bert Williams to-day is a leading factor,
When on the stage in humorous moods
Feeding Broadway with amusement foods.
—Harrison.

REINOLD Wolf, (white) one of the leading stage critics of today, wrote of Bert Williams as being “The greatest comedian on the American Stage.” Years back this noted actor was a partner in the famous “Abyssinia” Williams & Walker Company. For several years he has been a star actor in The Zeigfield Follies, a leading white high-class Vaudeville Company. The instant that Williams appears before the footlights, whether he moves, stands still or doesn’t do either, he captures his audience, and when with a word-speaking look, a suggestive motion and a life-pictured song he is always able to bring down a most dignified house in uproarious laughter; it is no wonder that he has been titled the Harry Lauder of the Negro race. For years the Columbia Phonograph Co., has been reproducing Mr. Williams’ songs on their records that are in great demand, especially his ever-popular songhit “Parson Eatmore”.

Aida Overton Walker, at the time of her death, was mentioned by some of the New York papers as having been the Lillian Russell of the Negro race. Appearing first as a chorus dancer in “Isham’s Octoroons” she through untiring and ceaseless work improved her acting until she reached her highest dancing feature in the interpretation of “Salome”, which acting was said to have been of a Mary Garden standard. In their primes and times, Aida and her talented husband, George Walker were the dancing Castles of that period, and no couple, Colored or white, before or since, have been able to excel them in their world-famed “Cake Walks” that they executed by invitation before most of the kings and queens in Europe. Her singing of “Why Adam Sinned”, “It’s Hard to Love Somebody When Somebody Don’t Love You”, and “If You Ain’t Got No Money, Well, You Needn’t Come Around”, had not been equaled by any singer in that line until our present and famous Mamie Smith first daintly tripped forth and with those hypnotizing smiles of hers caused the audience to quiver and tremble from the crown of its head to the sole of its feet while listening to her life-action singings of “That Thing Called Love”, “You Can’t Keep a Good Man Down” and “It’s Right Here For You.”

George Walker, the one-time partner of Bert Williams and the late husband of Aida Walker, was the real “Bon Bon Buddy” singer and starred with Williams in “Sons of Ham”, “Bandanna Land”, “In Dahomey” etc. “Bob” Cole, as leader of the renowned Cole and Johnson Company, won a great deal of his stage glory in the presentation of “The Red Moon”. As well as an actor he was a composer of note and among his best productions that attracted wide attention and afforded much amusement for the theatre goers were “A Shoo Fly Regiment”, “Katydid” and “I Must Have Been A Dreaming.”

Before going any further mention ought to be made of the world-famed Ira Aldridge, who was born in Bel Air, Maryland in 1810 and therefore can be rightly classed as an American product, although he spent most of his years and died in Europe. Even today he is considered as one of the greatest actors the Negro race has ever had. Going to Europe when young and studying at Glasgow University, Scotland, he excelled in composition work and won many prizes. Winning one success after another, he finally reached his zenith in the playing of Othello, the Moor. From that time until his death he was without a peer in portraying that character, and few have equaled him since. His acting was infused with so much intelligence, personality, naturalness and composure that he was always assured of over-crowded theatres and was constantly entertained and awarded gold medals of honor by the crowned rulers of England, Prussia, Austria, Russia and many other important countries in Europe. As Mr. Aldridge made his home in London, his widow and two talented daughters, Luranah A. Aldridge, a contralto singer of European fame, and Amanda Aldridge, a celebrated composer known by her professional works as “Montague Ring”, continue to reside in that city.

(Ref.: Work’s Negro Year Book, 1918-1919 edition, pgs. 335).