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Frank Brower was a well-known minstrel performer throughout the 1850s.
In addition to Wood's, and Wood and Christy's, he worked as a member of S. S.
Sanford's and The Circus companies (both in Philadelphia). Apparently one of
his most popular routines was a dance called "Happy Uncle Tom." Here he's
dancing it in 1854; other minstrel playbills in the archive show him dancing it
in 1855 and
in 1858. Although Brower was usually identified as a "negro delineator," according to this notice he will perform "in white character," though exactly what that means is not known. Among this archive's SCRIPTS is one for Frank Broward's "Happy Uncle Tom," indicating how his "celebrated" dance was introduced -- though not, unfortunately, how it was choreographed. |