Amy Height (c.1866 â€" 21 March 1913) was an American music hall
entertainer in the UK. She was an unusual black actor and comedian who
introduced herself to British audiences first in pantomime and also in
straight theatre.Height was born in Boston, Massachusetts in about
1866. In 1886 she was acting in Barnsley in northern England. In 1883
she was in the pantomime Robinson Crusoe as his "squaw", Topsy. The
critics favourably described her powerful singing voice and her comic
delivery.She became a music-hall entertainer in the UK. She appeared
with banjoists James and George Bohee who were African Americans on
their British tour in 1888 and she was still singing soprano
semi-comic songs for them in 1889. She was an unusual black actor who
introduced herself to British audiences first in pantomime and also in
straight theatre. She was described a "beautiful octaroon" when in
Cardiff who was "the only" black female music hall actor. This is not
likely. Roles were created for black actors by the popularity of Uncle
Tom's Cabin. In 1894 she appeared as the slave, Aunt Chloe, in a
dramatic version of Uncle Tom's Cabin. She shared top billing with
George Robey in one pantomime and her fame was such that impersonators
targeted her along with other leading actors. She took a leading role
in The Gay Grisette that went on a British tour and the New York Times
wrote about her success as a "Negro Mammy".She died of pneumonia in
1913 after appearing in Pantomime earlier that year. Height died in
hospital in Camberwell.
entertainer in the UK. She was an unusual black actor and comedian who
introduced herself to British audiences first in pantomime and also in
straight theatre.Height was born in Boston, Massachusetts in about
1866. In 1886 she was acting in Barnsley in northern England. In 1883
she was in the pantomime Robinson Crusoe as his "squaw", Topsy. The
critics favourably described her powerful singing voice and her comic
delivery.She became a music-hall entertainer in the UK. She appeared
with banjoists James and George Bohee who were African Americans on
their British tour in 1888 and she was still singing soprano
semi-comic songs for them in 1889. She was an unusual black actor who
introduced herself to British audiences first in pantomime and also in
straight theatre. She was described a "beautiful octaroon" when in
Cardiff who was "the only" black female music hall actor. This is not
likely. Roles were created for black actors by the popularity of Uncle
Tom's Cabin. In 1894 she appeared as the slave, Aunt Chloe, in a
dramatic version of Uncle Tom's Cabin. She shared top billing with
George Robey in one pantomime and her fame was such that impersonators
targeted her along with other leading actors. She took a leading role
in The Gay Grisette that went on a British tour and the New York Times
wrote about her success as a "Negro Mammy".She died of pneumonia in
1913 after appearing in Pantomime earlier that year. Height died in
hospital in Camberwell.
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