performers

Bert Williams, 1874-1922 "Egbert "Bert" Austin Williams was one of the greatest entertainers in America's history. Born in the Bahamas on November 12, 1874, he came to the United States permanently in 1885. "Williams met George Walker in San Francisco in 1893 and the two formed what became the most successful comedy team of their time. After appearing on Broadway in Victor Herbert's The Gold Bug (1896), Williams and Walker created pioneering vaudeville shows and full musical theater productions, including Senegambian Carnival (1897), The Policy Players (1899), The Sons of Ham (1900), their biggest hit, In Dahomey (1902)--which also played in London the following year, Abyssinia (1906), and Bandana Land (1907). "When Walker retired in 1908 due to illness, Williams starred in Mr. Load of Koal (1909)--the last black musical on Broadway for more than ten years. Unable to continue producing shows without Walker, Williams signed on with the Ziegfeld Follies in 1910--the only black performer in this famous review. He explained this controversial move saying, "... colored show business is at a low ebb just now ... it was far better to have joined a large white show than to have starred in a colored show, considering conditions." Williams stayed with the Follies through 1919, after which he appeared with Eddie Cantor in Broadway Brevities (1920) and Under the Bamboo Tree (1921-22). While on tour with the latter show, his failing health caught up with him and he contracted pneumonia. Williams died in New York City on March 4, 1922. "Williams was also one of the most prolific black performers on recordings, making around 80 recordings from 1901-22. Indeed, his first recording sessions with George Walker for the Victor Company in 1901 are considered the first recordings by black performers for a major recording company. Williams signed with Columbia in 1906 and the majority of his recordings were with that company, including what became his signature number, "Nobody," with words written by Alex Rogers." –From BIOGRAPHIES • Selected Works at the Library of Congress. This publicity still portrait was reportedly taken on January 01, 1920. There is a licensed companion photograph which appears to have been taken at the same time here. To look at some of Bert Williams' notated sheet music from the Ziegfeld Follies or to hear selected audio recordings, including his signature "Nobody", at the Library of Congress click here.

I think the Getty dates are often rough guesses.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Williams

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Alfred A. "Al" Bernard (1888-1949) was an American vaudeville singer, known as "The Boy From Dixie", who was most popular during the 1910s through early 1930s. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Bernard became a blackface singer in minstrel shows before starting his recording career around 1916.   Bernard composed and recorded more than 100 songs in the first three decades of the 20th century.   He was one of the first white singers to record blues songs.   W. C. Handy credited Bernard with helping his own career by recording a number of his songs, notably "St. Louis Blues".  Bernard recorded the song for nine different record labels, the most successful being what Handy called "the sensational Victor recording in which he sang with the Dixieland Jazz Band". For a brief period in the early 20's Bernard was teamed with Jimmy Durante and wrote the lyrics for "Papa String Bean" for Durante.  He teamed up with the ragtime composer J. Russell Robinson in a vaudeville team called the Dixie Stars and they recorded songs together for a number of famous labels.  Bernard usually sang while Robinson played the piano and added some vocals. Together they composed a number of hit songs including "Blue Eyed Sally" and "Let Me Be The First To Kiss You Good Morning".   Excerpted – [1] [2]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Bernard

Thank you both for the information, we'll add it to our records.

When fur was no problem

"WILDFLOWER" REVIVAL
Joyous Night At Theatre Royal

Joyous memories, of 14 years ago were recalled to a crowded house at the Theatre Royal last night by the revival of "Wildflower."

Marie Burke, the original star, was again in the lead, and Marie le Varre, another of the old cast, was highly popular as Lucrezia, the wife whom the lawyer could not get rid of. Melton Moore took the part of the lover who was successful in the end. George Dobbs was a "scream" as Gaston la Roche, the talkative lawyer, and Don Nicol had a hilarious time as Gabrielle, the lover who had an encounter with the donkey.

The old strains of "Bambalina" and "Wildflower" haunted the night, and Marie Burke's singing of "You Can't Blame a Girl For Dreaming" was particularly enjoyable. Another number that was loudly applauded was "The World's Worst Women," by Marie la Varre and Don Nicol. Specialty dances by Tamara Tchinarova and Valentin Zeglovsky were given in the ballroom, which had a beautiful outlook over a river.

"WILDFLOWER" REVIVAL (1939, August 23). The Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954), p. 15 (LAST RACE ALL DETAILS). Retrieved August 11, 2022, from nla.gov.au/nla.news-article231407868

This was only days before Germany invaded Poland on 1 Sept 1939, in case anyone needed reminding!