Topic: Comedians

George Burns and Gracie Allen: Vaudeville’s Greatest Comic Duo by David Soren

George Burns (born New York January 20, 1896-died Beverly Hills, March 9, 1996) and Gracie Allen (July 26, 1906 – August 27, 1964) were the most popular comic duo of the 20th century in vaudeville and in the movies as well as on radio and television. Before they found each other neither had had tremendous…Continue Reading George Burns and Gracie Allen: Vaudeville’s Greatest Comic Duo by David Soren

Carlo Sells Keith: Early Vaudevillian- Library Entry

This series comprises contracts, photographs, handwritten scores, notes and clippings for stage “gags” and dialogues, and stage scripts by Keith and others. The photographs are mostly of Keith and his partner and companion, Maude Parker. There is a scrapbook of script notes and collected clippings of jokes, and several notebooks with script notes. The few…Continue Reading Carlo Sells Keith: Early Vaudevillian- Library Entry

Butterbeans and Susie: Racy Comedy Trendsetters by David Soren

One of the most important and yet forgotten acts in vaudeville was the comedy team of Butterbeans and Susie, who were really Jodie Edwards (July 19, 1893 – October 28, 1967) and Susie Edwards (born Susie Hawthorne, December, 1894 – died December 5th, 1963). The couple began with independent careers, he as a singer and…Continue Reading Butterbeans and Susie: Racy Comedy Trendsetters by David Soren

Burns and Allen: America’s Favorite Comedy Duo- by Frank Cullen

George Burns (1896­­–1996) & Gracie Allen (c.1896­–1964) Flirtation acts were big in 1920s vaudeville, and some remained big into decades of television sitcoms. Burns & Allen became the best known of them because of their years of popularity in network radio, in movies and on television. Among their better contemporaries—and good friends—were Jesse Block (1900–1983)…Continue Reading Burns and Allen: America’s Favorite Comedy Duo- by Frank Cullen

Bert Williams: Vaudeville’s Biggest Black Superstar by David Soren

Bert Williams (New Providence, Nassau, British West Indies, November 12, 1874 – New York, March 4, 1922) was arguably the most important black star of early vaudeville and was the first to cross the color line and the first to work openly with white performers in a major Broadway venue. He was a Mason and…Continue Reading Bert Williams: Vaudeville’s Biggest Black Superstar by David Soren

Arthur McWatters and Grace Tyson: Singing Vaudeville Comedians by David Soren

Grace Tyson ca. 1910  Arthur McWatters (1871-1963) grew up in Saginaw, Michigan, and returned there throughout his life to hunt and fish in the area. He taught piano and organ there as a young man, and advertised himself as a “tenor balladist” already with several compositions to his name. In the mid-1890s he and three…Continue Reading Arthur McWatters and Grace Tyson: Singing Vaudeville Comedians by David Soren