Minstrel reminiscences

              BILLY ARLINGTON Old-Time Minstrel
MINSTREL REMINISCENCES

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Laugh and the World Laughs With You

INTRODUCTORY BILLY ARLINGTON
THERE is probably no entertainer before the public today better known than the famous old-time minstrel, Billy Arlington, who has made thousands laugh at his comicalities, depicting the old-time plantation darkies of ante-bellum days.  His great fund of wit, humor, information, and anecdote, gleaned from years of travel in every State in the Union, peculiarly qualifies him as an extremely interesting as well as clever entertainer.  He has been constantly before the public for more than a quarter of a century, and has employed in his various minstrel companies such well-known men as Francis Wilson, the present comic-opera star, Billy Emerson, Bobby Newcomb, Cool Burgess, Frank Dumont, Billy Rice, and many other noted performers.  In 1863, Mr. Arlington organized Arlington, Leon, Kelley & Doniker's Minstrels, located in Chicago.  This company did a phenomenal business, and finally built the Academy of Music, on Washington Street, in Chicago, and conducted it for several years.  After the great Chicago fire, in 1871, Mr. Arlington and Samuel Myers organized Arlington, Cotton & Kemble's Minstrels, and erected the well-known Myers Opera House in Chicago.  Later Mr. Arlington filled numerous star engagements, playing in all parts of the country.  For several years Billy Arlington has been on the lecture platform, and, as an entertainer, has but few peers and is seldom equaled.



SPECIMEN PROGRAMME
The Original, Unique, and Humorous
Monologue
MINSTREL REMINISCENCES

Interpreted by the
Grand Vizier of Momus
BILLY ARLINGTON


1
Mr. Arlington's Premier Presentation of his Protean Characterizations, entitled
THE RAILROAD MEETING
Characters Impersonated


The President



Mr. Snipe



Mr. Fairplay



Mrs. Fidgett



Mr. Blunt
MR. ARLINGTON


Mr. Perkins



Mr. Snapshot



Mr. Snivel



Mr. Smallback



Place, The Town Hall
Object of the Meeting, The Suppression of Newspapers and Railroads

2
DEACON BRADSHAW'S SERMON.—Text, Old Mother Hubbard.
3
BURLESQUE LECTURE.—Female Suffrage (Impersonating Susan B. Anthony).
4
A BIT OF PATHOS.—A God After All.
5
BANJO SONG.—Burlesque, Home, Sweet Home.
6
MINSTREL JOKES.
7
SONG.—Old Uncle Ned, old and new versions.
8
A TOUCH OF NATURE.—A Tribute to Mother.
9
STORY.—My Brother.
10
BANJO SONG.—The Dear Old Rooster.  (With exact imitations of all kinds of crowing roosters.)
11
MINSTREL JOKES.
12
STORY.—The Englishman, Irishman, and Scotchman.
13
TOPICAL SPEECH.—Labor versus Capital.
14
BANJO SONG.—The Pumpkin Pies My Mother Used to Make.
15
MINSTREL JOKES.
16
ALPHABET STORY.—The Spanish-American War.
17
A BIT OF HUMOR.—How to Travel Without Paying Railroad Fare.
18
PLANTATION PLEASANTRY.—Uncle Ephraim Lectures 'Rastus on the Watermilyun Question.
19
JUVENILE RECITATION.—Seein' Things, by Eugene Field.
20
A TRIBUTE TO ODDFELLOWSHIP
21
SONG.—Mary's Gone Wid a Coon.  (An imitation of an old plantation darkey.)
22
POEM.—Only a Dog.

Programme subject to change without notice





Personal   ENDORSEMENTS   Press
Autograph Letter from L. L. McKINLEY, Grand Master of Illinois, I.O.O.F.

Ottawa, 111., July 13, 1900.

It gives me great pleasure to recommend to the consideration of all Odd Fellow Lodges in the State of Illinois that may wish to give entertainments for the benifit of our two Homes, Bro. Billy Arlington, who I think cannot be surpassed in his unique and humorous entertainment, Minstrel Reminiscences.

Any subordinate or Rebekah Lodge that may wish to secure him for an entertainment has my full permission to do so.

Fraternally yours,
L.L. McKinley

Grand Master.

MIDDLEPORT, N. Y., July 22, 1899.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

This is to certify that the famous Billy Arlington gave his monologue, Minstrel Reminiscences for the benefit of St. Stephen's Church.  It was a success and it was a delightful and enjoyable evening's entertainment.  We cheerfully recommend him to our friends.

St. Stephen's R. C. Church.

Rev. THOMAS B. MILDE.

THE HAVEN, 286 West Adams Street, CHICAGO, ILL., Oct. 16, 1901.

DEAR MR. ARLINGTON:

In regard to your entertainment, I am free to say It was great.  While Chicago has everything in the way of amusements, including the very best, many left yours saying they had never laughed so much in their lives.  You certainly have the happy faculty of bringing smiles from young and old.  The fact, too, that it netted us something over eight hundred dollars ($800.00) leaves a pleasant memory, for we needed the money.  I would be glad to answer any enquiries about you or your entertainment.

Sincerely yours,
GEORGE C. ALDRICH, Treasurer The Haven.

THE SHOEMAKER-CLARK SCHOOL, 109 South Main Street, FALL RIVER, MASS., March 28, 1903.


HIS LECTURE ON FEMALE SUFFRAGE


MR. BILLY ARLINGTON, Boston, Mass.:

Wishing to give an entertainment to our students and friends on the occasion of the closing of our night sessions, March 26, we obtained from a Boston Bureau, Geo. W. Britt, Manager, names, prices, and programs of several entertainers, yours among the number.


AS HE APPEARED IN HIS OWN MINSTRELS


Although your price was a little higher than that of others, we felt that from your long experience in the minstrel business you would be able to give us a good entertainment.  Therefore we secured your services.

Now that the entertainment is over, we wish to say to you that we are glad that we decided to have you favor us on that occasion.  The entertainment you gave was highly satisfactory in every respect.  Our rooms were crowded, and every one whom we have heard speak of the evening's entertainment since that date has spoken of it as being the best of anything of that kind that they had ever attended.  All your numbers were well received, and, considering the fact that you gave the entire programme yourself, the best feature of it was that it was not monotonous.

We are pleased to say to any one that we doubt if there is any single individual who could give as varied and pleasant an evening's entertainment as that you gave for us.

Trusting that we may meet you again in the same capacity some time in the future, we remain,

Very truly yours,
THE SHOEMAKER-CLARK SCHOOL, per F. S. STONE.


Never has an audience expressed more general or better satisfaction than did that which attended the entertainment by Billy Arlington, the ex-minstrel, in the Congregation House last night.  He was there under the auspices of the Men's Sunday Evening Club of the Congregational Church, and the auditorium was filled with people.  Mr. Arlington gives a delightful and refined entertainment.  His experience as a minstrel served him well, and he knows how to act and act well.  His conception of what pleases is perfect, and his versatility as a monologuist is remarkable.  The fun begins from the time he appears, and it never lags.  The only stops are when he is interrupted by roars of laughter or applause.  Mr. Arlington's program is varied and complete, and when it ends he has won the best appreciation of his audience.—
Adams Transcript, May 13, 1903.


Billy Arlington gave his interesting monologue, Minstrel Reminiscences, at Mozart Hall last night for the benefit of the Harriet Bishop Free Day Nursery and the Free Public Baths.  The house was crowded from parquet to balcony wall, and standing room in the rear aisle was occupied.  In his program Mr. Arlington included many standard minstrel selections which met with instant recognition.  His rendition of Uncle Ephraim Lectures 'Rastus on the Watermilyon Question, was exceptionally good.  All the selections were well charged with humor.—
Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.




WHO HAS NOT HEARD
BILLY ARLINGTON
THE FAMOUS OLD-TIME MINSTREL

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BILLY WITH HIS BANJO AND HIS JOKES CAN MAKE YOU FORGET ALL YOUR TROUBLES

MANAGEMENT OF THE
Mutual Lyceum Bureau,
WOODLAWN, CHICAGO.

HEAR HIM AGAIN IN HIS UNIQUE
AND HUMOROUS MONOLOGUE
Minstrel Reminiscences