Charles "Charlie" White

Charles T. "Charlie" or "Charley" White (1821–1891), was an early blackface minstrel entertainer.

For other people named Charles White, see Charles White (disambiguation).
For the entertainer "Cool White", see John Hodges (minstrel).
Charles White

Born June 4, 1821 in Newark, New York, White moved with his family at the age of two to New York City, where, before he launched his career as an entertainer, he worked in racing stables, for a druggist, in a chair factory and in city government positions. He first came to public attention in 1843 as an accordion player at the Thalian Hall at 42 Grand Street. That summer, he joined the "Kentucky Minstrels" troupe at the Vauxhall Garden Theatre on Fourth Avenue.[1]

After Daddy Rice popularized blackface with his Jim Crow character White first incorporated some "negro act" with his accordion playing and then founded White's Kitchen Minstrels in New York in the early 1840s, opening at the Melodeon on the Bowery.[2] Whilst there he seems to have employed the famous dancer Master Juba,[3] who apparently toured with his minstrel troupe.

In addition to the Melodeon on the Bowery,[4] White managed other theaters. In June of 1866, he opened a Music Hall for one season in Mechanic's Hall at 472 Broadway, a venue that had previously housed Bryant's Minstrels and would later host Robert Butler's American Theatre before burning down in 1868.[5] In 1869 he ran the Theatre Comique at 514 Broadway for a season.[6] In 1871, he took over management of Hooley's Opera House, a variety theatre in downtown Brooklyn, renaming it the Brooklyn Globe Theatre.[7] The following year, he was running White's Athenaeum on the Bowery.[8]

In 1877, he was the victim of an attempted mugging. Described as "Charles White, the minstrel" and as living at No. 250 Hudson Street, he was attacked while drunk by two young men who tried to make off with his watch and pocketbook, but the theft was prevented by a police officer.[9]

He was largely retired from the stage[10] by 1887, although his obituary in the New York Times says that he had also been engaged to play the role of an elderly black woman in the popular 1890 Broadway musical Reilly and the 400, and that since retirement he had devoted himself to writing reminiscences of his career.

He died of pleuro-pneumonia in New York at his residence, 266 West 36th Street, on January 4, 1891.[11]

References
  1. Charles Edward Ellis, An Authentic History of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Chicago, 1910, BROWN, Col. T. Allson, Early History of Negro Minstrelsy Archived 2010-09-20 at the Wayback Machine
  2. New York Times, May 19, 1907:- 'The Lay of the Last of the Old Minstrels: Interesting Reminiscences of Isaac Odell, Who Was A Burnt Cork Artist Sixty Years Ago':“While we were drawing big crowds to the Palmer House on Chambers Street Charley White was making a great hit playing an accordion in Thalia Hall on Grand Street. In those days accordions were the real attraction to the public. Charley White did a negro act in connection with his accordion playing, but he decided finally to open up with a minstrel troupe, too, so he opened at the Melodeum’’ (sic)’’ on the Bowery with White’s Kitchen Minstrels. The money was flowing in fast to us "(i.e.Christy’s Minstrels) "so we did not mind opposition."
  3. New York Times, July 10, 1887, 'Drop-Curtain Monographs':"Dick Carroll, (originally Master Marks, a jig dancer who succeeded the negro boy Juba at Charlie White's Melodeon, Bowery, this city..."
  4. "Drop Curtain Monographs," New York Times, July 10, 1887
  5. New York Clipper, July 7, 1866. New York Times, April 8, 1868.
  6. John Charles Franceschina, David Braham: The American Offenbach, Psychology Press: 2003, p. 42.
  7. Brooklyn Eagle, May 1, 1871
  8. Armond Fields, Tony Pastor, Father of VaudevilleMcFarland, 2007, p. 72
  9. New York Times, December 21, 1877: 'AN ATTEMPT TO ROB "CHARLIE" WHITE'
  10. New York Times, July 10, 1887, 'Drop-Curtain Monographs':"Charlie White and Bernard long ago shook themselves clear of professional harness..."
  11. New York Times, 5 January 1891: "Death of an old Minstrel"
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