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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 1855; other minstrel playbills in the archive show him dancing it
in 1854 and
in 1858. 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. The billing the dance gets here is a good indication of its popularity. He also plays "Old Dad" in the show's concluding burlesque, though we don't know whether "Old Dad's Cabin" was another response to Uncle Tom's Cabin. |