Sherman H. Dudley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sherman Houston Dudley
Born	1872
Died	March 1, 1940
Other names	Lone Star Comedian
Occupation	Vaudeville

Sherman Houston Dudley (born 1872 – died March 1, 1940) was an important African-American performer and business owner in the world of theater. He became famous in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Dudley was known as a performer, a songwriter, and as a member and later owner of different touring shows.

He is especially remembered for being one of the first African Americans to combine business with theater. He started a special network of theaters where African Americans owned or ran the venues. These theaters provided entertainment created by and for African Americans.

Sherman Dudley's Early Life and Stage Start

Sherman Dudley was born in 1872 in Dallas, Texas. Some records say he was born a bit earlier or later. He came from a humble family. When he was young, he worked as a jockey, riding horses in races.

Later, he discovered his love for theater. He became known for singing on a street corner in Dallas. By 1897, he had his own show called "S. H. Dudley's Georgia Minstrels." They performed in Galveston, Texas. Soon after, he toured with another group called P. T. Wright's Nashville Students Company.

Becoming a Star Performer

Dudley became well-known for writing popular songs for the shows of his time. He performed with many other comedians in similar types of shows. These included his own show, A Holiday in Coonville, and Coontown Golf Club.

By 1902, when he toured with Tom Brown and Billy Kersands, he was a very popular artist. People in the South knew him as "the Lone-Star comedian." In 1903, he married Alberta Ormes, who was also a performer. The next year, he was touring with Richard and Pringle's Georgia Minstrels. By this time, he was a top-billed star.

In 1904, Dudley joined Gus Hill's Smart Set Company in Chicago. He took over the main role after the previous star passed away. He performed in their show A Southern Enchantment.

Dudley and the Smart Set Company

Sherman Dudley performed with the Smart Set for many years and was very successful. One critic, Sylvester Russell, often wrote negative things about him. Russell seemed to think Dudley's background in minstrel shows made him less worthy. Despite this, Dudley continued to shine.

Many other critics praised Dudley's performances. They said he brought "the street to the stage," meaning he made his acts feel real and exciting. Dudley truly made the Smart Set shows popular and lasting. In a later Smart Set show called The Black Politician (1906), Dudley even got to use his jockey skills by riding a horse on stage! A donkey named Shamus O'Brien later joined the show, and both Dudley and the donkey received great reviews.

In 1909, the Smart Set group split into two: a Northern Smart Set and a Southern Smart Set. Dudley led the Northern group. Their 1909-10 show, His Honor, the Barber, was written by a white playwright. However, black composers wrote the music for the show. This show opened to mixed audiences in New Jersey.

Building a Theater Empire

By this time, Dudley was widely known as the "Lone Star Comedian." He began to expand his business ideas. He dreamed of creating a network of theaters across the United States that were owned and operated by black people.

Around 1910, Dudley was based in Washington D.C. He helped manage the Colored Actors' Union. In 1911, he started his own company, S. H. Dudley Theatrical Enterprises. He began buying and leasing theaters to create the first black vaudeville circuit. This network of theaters first grew around Washington and Virginia. He bought his first theater in Baltimore in 1912.

In August 1912, he performed his last season with the Smart Set. From then on, he focused completely on his "circuit of theaters." By 1916, the "Dudley Circuit" had grown to include the South and Midwest. This circuit helped black entertainers get longer work contracts. Dudley's circuit also helped create the Theater Owners Bookers Association (T.O.B.A.).

His circuit was advertised in a weekly newspaper column called "What's What on the Dudley's Circuit." By 1914, it included more than twenty theaters. All of these theaters were owned or run by black people, reaching as far south as Atlanta. T.O.B.A. was founded by people connected to Dudley's circuit. Even though the main organization was white-owned, it had black regional managers, including Dudley for the Washington, D.C. area.

Later Years and Legacy

After 1917, Sherman Dudley focused on producing black musicals. These included updated versions of the Smart Set shows. Around 1930, he sold his theaters. This was due to economic changes that he could not control.

He then retired to a farm in Maryland. There, he raised thoroughbred racehorses. Sherman H. Dudley passed away on March 1, 1940. His work helped create more opportunities for black performers and business owners in American theater.