Barney Williams (August 20, 1824 â€" April 25, 1876) was an
Irish-American actor-comedian popular during the mid decades of the
19th century. He was probably best remembered by audiences of the day
for playing Ragged Pat in J. A. Amherst's drama Ireland as it is and
the title role in Samuel Lover's comic opera Rory O'More. Throughout
the greater part of his career he was billed along with his wife, the
former Maria Pray, as Mr. and Mrs. Barney Williams.When Benjamin H.
Day founded the New York Sun in 1833, he employed Williams as his
first, and for a time, only newsboy.Bernard O'Flaherty was born in
1824 at Cork, Ireland, to Michael and Mary O’Flaherty. In 1831 his
family immigrated to America where his father would become a New York
City policeman. As a boy Williams ran errands, sold newspapers, worked
at a printer’s office and at some point began performing bit parts
at New York’s Franklin Theatre. On one night in 1836 he was given
the opportunity to play a speaking rôle in The Ice Witch that came
available after actor Alonzo Williams suddenly fell ill. As a result
of his performance, Williams became a regular cast member of the
theatre’s troupe performing under the stage name Barney Williams.
Barney’s first big hit (c. 1840) was as Pat Rooney in The Omnibus
(Williams: p. 69). This play was written by his mentor Tyrone Powers
probably around 1833. Maria made her stage debut at the Chatham
Theatre â€" as a member of the corps de ballet, in the first
production of a burlesque entitled "New York Assurance", which was a
travesty on "London Assurance". See Clapp: p. 386; and Players: p.
387. Barney is also credited as introducing Irish clog dancing to
America.
Irish-American actor-comedian popular during the mid decades of the
19th century. He was probably best remembered by audiences of the day
for playing Ragged Pat in J. A. Amherst's drama Ireland as it is and
the title role in Samuel Lover's comic opera Rory O'More. Throughout
the greater part of his career he was billed along with his wife, the
former Maria Pray, as Mr. and Mrs. Barney Williams.When Benjamin H.
Day founded the New York Sun in 1833, he employed Williams as his
first, and for a time, only newsboy.Bernard O'Flaherty was born in
1824 at Cork, Ireland, to Michael and Mary O’Flaherty. In 1831 his
family immigrated to America where his father would become a New York
City policeman. As a boy Williams ran errands, sold newspapers, worked
at a printer’s office and at some point began performing bit parts
at New York’s Franklin Theatre. On one night in 1836 he was given
the opportunity to play a speaking rôle in The Ice Witch that came
available after actor Alonzo Williams suddenly fell ill. As a result
of his performance, Williams became a regular cast member of the
theatre’s troupe performing under the stage name Barney Williams.
Barney’s first big hit (c. 1840) was as Pat Rooney in The Omnibus
(Williams: p. 69). This play was written by his mentor Tyrone Powers
probably around 1833. Maria made her stage debut at the Chatham
Theatre â€" as a member of the corps de ballet, in the first
production of a burlesque entitled "New York Assurance", which was a
travesty on "London Assurance". See Clapp: p. 386; and Players: p.
387. Barney is also credited as introducing Irish clog dancing to
America.
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