Caricature
ca. 1904 (drawn)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This caricature is of the black American dancer Billy Farrell performing at Collins’ Hippodrome, Stoke-on-Trent, during the week of 17 October 1904. He was billed as ‘The Great Creole Artist! Absolutely the Creator of the Cake Walk, Billy Farrell, the Best in his Own Peculiar Line’. It is one of the many superb caricatures of Edwardian music hall performers that were drawn by the artist George Cooke when he was based at the Grand Theatre of Varieties, Hanley. He compiled them in a series of albums.
Billy Farrell introduced the ‘cake-walk’ dance into American vaudeville at the Grand Opera House in Brooklyn in 1886, and a few years later into British music hall at the Alhambra Theatre. He was also a singer, associated with the songs ‘Little Black Me’ and ‘The New Cake Walk’. His association with the dance explains this image of him dancing with a cake, and its title, ‘The Man Who Made the Cake Walk’.
Billy Farrell introduced the ‘cake-walk’ dance into American vaudeville at the Grand Opera House in Brooklyn in 1886, and a few years later into British music hall at the Alhambra Theatre. He was also a singer, associated with the songs ‘Little Black Me’ and ‘The New Cake Walk’. His association with the dance explains this image of him dancing with a cake, and its title, ‘The Man Who Made the Cake Walk’.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Pen and ink and wash on paper |
| Brief description | Caricature of the black American dancer and singer Billy Farrell, from an album of caricatures drawn by George Cooke. Probably 1904. |
| Physical description | Pen, ink and wash caricature on pink paper of the Music Hall performer Billy Farrell, full-length, in black frock coat, grey trousers, white waistcoat and black top hat, dancing with a cartoon-like cake on stick legs. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | THE MAN WHO MADE THE CAKE WALK
Yours with best wishes One Billy Farrell (Signature; Hand written; Pen and ink) |
| Object history | This caricature is of Billy Farrell, the black American dancer who introduced the famous 'cake-walk' dance into American vaudeville at the Grand Opera House, Brooklyn in 1886, and a few years later to the British music hall at London's Alhambra Theatre. The caricature comes from the first of several albums compiled by the graphic artist George Cooke, featuring performers working in music hall in the early 20th century. The album is dated 1903-4-5. |
| Production | 1904 probably |
| Summary | This caricature is of the black American dancer Billy Farrell performing at Collins’ Hippodrome, Stoke-on-Trent, during the week of 17 October 1904. He was billed as ‘The Great Creole Artist! Absolutely the Creator of the Cake Walk, Billy Farrell, the Best in his Own Peculiar Line’. It is one of the many superb caricatures of Edwardian music hall performers that were drawn by the artist George Cooke when he was based at the Grand Theatre of Varieties, Hanley. He compiled them in a series of albums. Billy Farrell introduced the ‘cake-walk’ dance into American vaudeville at the Grand Opera House in Brooklyn in 1886, and a few years later into British music hall at the Alhambra Theatre. He was also a singer, associated with the songs ‘Little Black Me’ and ‘The New Cake Walk’. His association with the dance explains this image of him dancing with a cake, and its title, ‘The Man Who Made the Cake Walk’. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.392:23-2002 |
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| Record created | November 5, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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