Milt G. Barlow (June 29, 1843 â€" September 27, 1904) was an American
blackface comedian and actor popular in minstrel and vaudeville shows
over the latter half of the 19th century.Milton G. Barlow was born on
June 29, 1843, at Lexington, Kentucky. He was the son of James Madison
and Elizabeth Susan (née Barlow) Barlow. He was probably raised in
the household of an uncle in Harrison County, Kentucky, after his
parents divorced and his father, a silversmith, relocated to Salt Lake
City. At the age of twelve Barlow began working as a printer's devil
for a newspaper in Cynthiana, the county seat of Harrison County some
thirty miles north of Lexington. He was forced to abandon the job at
age fourteen when it began to affect his health. Barlow spent the next
few years working on a Missouri farm (possibly a relative's) before
moving on to Louisville, Kentucky where he would resume working as a
printer.Barlow served in the American Civil War enlisting on April 23,
1861, at Louisville as a private with Company C of the First Kentucky
Infantry. He would later serve with several Virginia cavalry companies
before surrendering at Appomattox Court House in April 1865 along with
the remnants of General Robert E. Lee's army.One of Barlow's earliest
performances was in 1867 when he teamed up with James and William
Arthur, a song-and-dance duo who called themselves the Barlow
Brothers. Beginning in 1871 Barlow would play in such minstrel shows
as the Jackson Emorsonians, Harry Robinson's Minstrels, Benjamin's New
Orleans Minstrels, Haverly's Minstrels and Sweatman and Frasier's
Minstrels. In 1877 he formed with George Wilson, George H. Primrose,
and John T. West, the very successful Barlow, Wilson, Primrose and
West Minstrels. In later years he would form shows with George Wilson
and later yet with Wilson and Carl Rankin. Barlow also toured in a
number of plays, usually playing African American slaves or former
slaves. His most notably performances were in Uncle Tom's Cabin where
he played the title role and in productions in which he played Old
Black Joe, a character he had created over the years. Milt G. Barlow
was, for better or worse, considered one of the best "burnt-cork"
actors of his day. His finale performances were in 1903 playing the
Minister to Dahomey, in A Texas Steer productions.
blackface comedian and actor popular in minstrel and vaudeville shows
over the latter half of the 19th century.Milton G. Barlow was born on
June 29, 1843, at Lexington, Kentucky. He was the son of James Madison
and Elizabeth Susan (née Barlow) Barlow. He was probably raised in
the household of an uncle in Harrison County, Kentucky, after his
parents divorced and his father, a silversmith, relocated to Salt Lake
City. At the age of twelve Barlow began working as a printer's devil
for a newspaper in Cynthiana, the county seat of Harrison County some
thirty miles north of Lexington. He was forced to abandon the job at
age fourteen when it began to affect his health. Barlow spent the next
few years working on a Missouri farm (possibly a relative's) before
moving on to Louisville, Kentucky where he would resume working as a
printer.Barlow served in the American Civil War enlisting on April 23,
1861, at Louisville as a private with Company C of the First Kentucky
Infantry. He would later serve with several Virginia cavalry companies
before surrendering at Appomattox Court House in April 1865 along with
the remnants of General Robert E. Lee's army.One of Barlow's earliest
performances was in 1867 when he teamed up with James and William
Arthur, a song-and-dance duo who called themselves the Barlow
Brothers. Beginning in 1871 Barlow would play in such minstrel shows
as the Jackson Emorsonians, Harry Robinson's Minstrels, Benjamin's New
Orleans Minstrels, Haverly's Minstrels and Sweatman and Frasier's
Minstrels. In 1877 he formed with George Wilson, George H. Primrose,
and John T. West, the very successful Barlow, Wilson, Primrose and
West Minstrels. In later years he would form shows with George Wilson
and later yet with Wilson and Carl Rankin. Barlow also toured in a
number of plays, usually playing African American slaves or former
slaves. His most notably performances were in Uncle Tom's Cabin where
he played the title role and in productions in which he played Old
Black Joe, a character he had created over the years. Milt G. Barlow
was, for better or worse, considered one of the best "burnt-cork"
actors of his day. His finale performances were in 1903 playing the
Minister to Dahomey, in A Texas Steer productions.
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