Blondie Robinson Explained

Blondie Robinson, also sometimes written as Blondi Robinson, was an African American renowned vaudeville comedic act performer.^[1]

Biography

Details around his birth and early life are unknown but Blondie Robinson is thought to have been born in the late 19th-century in California.^[2]

He was lauded in a 1909 Indianapolis Freeman review for his skilled comedy routine.^[3] The Boston Globe described him as a comedian and described his performing role as a "man about town".^[4] His performances included various song and dance routines, costumes, contortions, and blackface.^{[5] [6]} He partnered with fellow vaudeville performers including Bisette, Henry Jines, and Billie McCarver.^[7] In 1926, he toured Australia with the minstrel-revival troupe, Ye Olde Nigger Minstrel, in which he wore blackface.

The Brown University Library has a collection of photographs of him and fellow performers of the vaudeville era.^[8]

Theater

• The Isle of Insects (1906), touring show produced by Abo Zebretis, starring Robinson and Emma Thompson.^{[9] [10]}
• Mr. Mikado (1907), a comic spoof of The Mikado, performed in Los Angeles by the Unique troupe, music by Homer Long.^[11]
• Hello (1921)^[12]
• Plantation Days (1922), a touring show by musician James P. Johnson and produced by Maury Greenwald.
• The Sepian Stars (1936)

Notes and References

1. Book: Sampson, Henry T.. Blacks in Blackface: A Sourcebook on Early Black Musical Shows. October 30, 2013. Scarecrow Press. 9780810883512. Google Books.
2. Web site: Blondie Robinson collection of African-American Minstrel and Vaudeville photographs (MS.2015.018), Biographical/Historical note . riamco.org.
3. Book: Sampson, Henry T.. Blacks in Blackface: A Sourcebook on Early Black Musical Shows. October 30, 2013. Scarecrow Press. 9780810883512. Google Books.
4. News: Federal Theatre show in Rockland tomorrow . 31 March 2021 . The Boston Globe . 20 January 1937 . 19.
5. Web site: Blondie Robinson collection of African-American Minstrel and Vaudeville photographs (MS.2015.018), Scope & content . riamco.org.
6. Web site: November 24, 1906 . Minstrels Play . subscription . 2022-06-17 . Newspapers.com . Santa Ana Register . 4 . en.
7. Book: Detweiler . Frederick German . 1922 . The Negro Press in the United States . 9780742642652 .
8. Web site: Brown Digital Repository | Collection | Blondie Robinson … . repository.library.brown.edu.
9. Web site: December 15, 1906 . At The Theaters, "The Isle of Insects" . subscription . 2022-06-17 . Newspapers.com . Bakersfield Morning Echo . 3 . en.
10. Web site: November 10, 1906 . A Big Show . subscription . 2022-06-17 . Newspapers.com . The Santa Maria Times . 8 . en.
11. Web site: March 5, 1907 . Unique . subscription . 2022-06-17 . Newspapers.com . Los Angeles Evening Post-Record . en.
12. Book: Peterson, Bernard L. Jr.. A Century of Musicals in Black and White: An Encyclopedia of Musical Stage Works By, About, or Involving African Americans: An Encyclopedia of Musical Stage Works By, About, or Involving African Americans. October 25, 1993. ABC-CLIO. 9780313064548. Google Books.