Barney Fagan

Barney Fagan was an 19th century performer, director, choreographer, and composer. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, January 12, 1850 and died January 12, 1937, in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York. He is recognized as being a progenitor of both music and dance genres. Born as Bernard J. Fagan, he is often referred to as the "Father of Tap Dance." [ [http://www.streetswing.com/histmain/z3tap1.htm Dance History Archives] ]

Career

Barney Fagan made his first professional appearance in his native city of Boston at the famous Howard Athenaeum in 1860, as the Cabin Boy in the "Pilot of Brest". He remained at this theatre several seasons until 1865 when he played his first minstrel engagement with the Morris Brothers in Boston. In 1870 Mr. Fagan went to Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, and appeared with Pete Lee's Minstrels. In 1873 he joined Buckley's Serenaders in Boston, and took a felow dancer, Joe Parks, as a partner. During the period 1873-1876, Fagan and Parks, known as the American Lads, played variety engagements. In 1876 he did the famous Heifer dance with Richard Golden in "Evangeline". Mr. Fagan next joined John Fenton in a dancing duet, and continued with him until 1878, when he formed a partnership with Lizzie Mulvey, which lasted one season. Fagan's specialty at that time was "clog dancing" -- which was a dance performed while wearing wooden-soled shoes, a very popular form of stage entertainment in the late 19th century. [ [http://www.nigelgatherer.com/books/ryan/clogs.html Ryan's Mammoth Collection] ]

Beginning in 1879, Mr. Fagan allied himself with Barlow, Wilson, Primrose and West's Minstrels, and continued with them until the company's dissolution in June, 1882. During the three years with Barlow and Wilson, he was general producer and performed as a soloist. Possibly Mr. Fagan's greatest achievement was in organizing and producing Sweatnam, Billy Rice and Fagan's Minstrels, which gave their first performance at Albany, New York, July 25, 1887. This troupe was allegedly the largest minstrel company to travel America's entertainment circuit in the 19th century, featuring 105 performers on parade with 88 in the regular company.

In the following years, Fagan performed with various companies, including Thatcher, Primrose and West, Barlow, Wilson and Rankin's and Cleveland's Minstrels, where Fagan performed opposite to Luke Schoolcraft.

Outside of minstrelsy, Fagan appeared in whiteface in such plays as "Paradise Alley", and, in 1890, appeared in "High Roller", a production of his own company. At this time, Fagan's work drew praise for notable marches, including "West Point Cadets", the "Phantom Guards" and "The Dance of the Popinjays". During this same period, he was general producer for Corinne for several seasons.

As a song writer he was no less prominent, penning: "Everybody Takes Their Hat Off to Me", and, as mentioned earlier, "My Gal is A High Born Lady" [ [http://dvautier.home.comcast.net/~dvautier/bkstories/high.htm My Gal is A High Born Lady, 1896] ] . His plays were popular, too: "The Land of Fancy" and "The Game of Love". Starting in 1895, Fagan performed regularly with Herietta Byron, of the Byron Sisters.

In the opinion of Sigmund Spaeth, Fagan's compositions were important in the development of ragtime. In his book "A History of Popular Music in America" (1948), Spaeth said:

He was highly revered by the end of his career. On August 31, 1919, a testimonial dinner was given in his honor in Manhattan, attracting the theatrical luminaries of that era, including Irving Berlin. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9F03E3D6143AE03ABC4953DFBF668382609EDE New York Times, September 1, 1919] ]

Barney Fagan died on his 87th birthday, January 12, 1937.

Chronology of theatrical productions/compositions

Reference

* [http://books.google.com/books?id=rRc5AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA216&lpg=PA216&dq=%22Barney+fagan%22&source=web&ots=_zMWEesZU7&sig=S4eodPPQSiIy-wcaLPbOBmxtAg0&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=10&ct=result Monarchs of Minstrelsy, from "Daddy" Rice to Date, By Edward Le Roy Rice, Published by Kenny, New York, 1911.]
* [http://jeanettemacdonaldandnelsoneddy.com/films/nelson/ne-broadwayhollywood.htm Broadway to Hollywood, MGM Film Released September 15, 1933.]

Footnotes