Flournoy Miller facts for kids

Flournoy Eakin Miller (born April 14, 1885 – died June 6, 1971) was an American entertainer. He was also an actor, songwriter, producer, and writer for plays. People sometimes called him F. E. Miller.

From about 1905 to 1932, he was part of a very popular comedy team called Miller and Lyles. His partner was his friend Aubrey Lyles. Flournoy Miller helped change comedy and entertainment for African Americans. He was a key person in creating African American musical theater on Broadway.

He wrote many successful shows for vaudeville (a type of variety show) and Broadway (New York City's famous theater district). One of his most important shows was Shuffle Along (1921). He also worked on several movies with all-black casts from the 1930s to the 1950s.

Biography

Flournoy Miller was born in Columbia, Tennessee. He was the second son of a newspaper editor. His older brother, Irvin C. Miller, also became a famous vaudeville performer and theater producer.

Early Life and Comedy Duo

Flournoy Miller studied at Fisk University in Nashville. There, he started performing comedy with his childhood friend, Aubrey Lyles. They formed the comedy duo Miller and Lyles.

In 1905, a theater owner named Robert T. Motts hired Miller and Lyles. They became writers for the Pekin Theater Stock Company in Chicago. They performed in shows, playing characters like Steve Jenkins (Miller) and Sam Peck (Lyles). These characters became very well-known.

In 1908, Miller helped start the Bijou Stock Company in Montgomery, Alabama. This was one of the first black theater companies in the Southern United States. However, it closed soon after, and Miller went back to Chicago.

Vaudeville and Broadway Success

In 1909, Miller and Lyles moved to New York City. They began performing on the vaudeville circuit. Vaudeville was a popular type of entertainment with many different acts. Miller and Lyles were special because they focused mainly on comedy, not just singing and dancing.

In 1915, they performed in a show called Charlot's Revue in England. When they returned to the U.S., they appeared in Darkydom. This was a musical with music by James Reese Europe. It was one of the first big musical comedies by black artists.

For several years, Miller and Lyles continued to work together. They performed on the Keith vaudeville circuit. They also wrote and produced many plays.

Shuffle Along and Other Shows

Miller wrote a play called The Mayor of Dixie. This play became the basis for Shuffle Along, which opened in 1921. It was a Broadway musical with music by Eubie Blake and lyrics by Noble Sissle.

Shuffle Along was a huge hit and influenced many shows that came after it. It featured the famous song "I'm Just Wild About Harry". Miller and Lyles also starred in the show as their characters, Steve Jenkins and Sam Peck. Miller was the main writer for Shuffle Along. The show ran in theaters until 1924.

In 1921, Miller and Lyles also made a short film. They performed their song "De Ducks" in this film. Between 1922 and 1925, they recorded many songs for the OKeh record label.

Miller and Lyles wrote a three-act play called The Flat Below. Miller also wrote another play called Going White. They continued to write and perform in Broadway shows together. These included Runnin' Wild (1923), which helped make the Charleston dance popular. They also co-directed Rang Tang (1927) and performed in Keep Shuffling (1928).

Later Career and Film Work

Miller and Lyles stopped performing together in 1928. Miller then worked with Eubie Blake on a Broadway show called Lew Leslie's Blackbirds of 1930.

Later, Miller and Lyles reunited to perform on the radio. They even thought about suing the creators of the Amos 'n' Andy radio show. They believed the show copied their comedy act. However, the case was dropped after Lyles passed away in 1932. By 1942, Miller began working as a writer for the Amos 'n' Andy radio show.

In the 1930s, Miller started working more in the film industry. He often worked with comedian Mantan Moreland. Miller acted in and wrote for several movies with all-black casts. These were sometimes called "race films." Some of these movies were Westerns, like Harlem on the Prairie (1937), Harlem Rides the Range (1939), and The Bronze Buckaroo (1939).

Miller moved to Hollywood. He still cared about theater and tried to put on a show called Shuffle Along of 1952, but it was not successful. He also worked as a script consultant for the Amos 'n' Andy TV show. He suggested Tim Moore for the main role in the TV version.

Miller married Bessie Oliver in 1912. He passed away in Hollywood in 1971 at 86 years old. The jazz harp player Olivette Miller was his daughter. The playwright Sandra Seaton is also a relative.

Influence and Commemoration

In 1979, Flournoy Miller was nominated for a Tony Award after his death. This was for his important work in musical theater. His contributions were highlighted in Eubie!, a show about the life of Eubie Blake.

The book Reminiscing with Sissle and Blake (1973) tells the story of Miller and Aubrey Lyles. It explains their part in creating Shuffle Along.

Filmography

• They Know Their Groceries (1929) – a short film with Aubrey Lyles
• That's the Spirit (1933)
• Harlem on the Prairie (1937)
• Harlem Rides the Range (1939)
• The Bronze Buckaroo (1939)

See also

In Spanish: Flournoy Miller para niños

• African American musical theater