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Cal Stewart

Cal Stewart (b. 1856 Charlotte County, Virginia, d. December 7, 1919) was an American comedian and humorist who pioneered in vaudeville and early sound recordings. He is best remembered for his comic monologues in which he played "Uncle Josh" Weathersby, a resident of a mythical New England farming town called "Pumpkin Center" or "Punkin Center", leading to a number of small towns across the U.S. adopting those names.

Born in Charlotte County, Virginia in 1856, Stewart spent his early life working in circuses, medicine shows and vaudeville to great acclaim as "Uncle Josh Weathersby from Way Down East". It was on the road that he befriended Mark Twain and later Will Rogers, two men who shared similar wit in comedy.

Around 1897, Thomas Edison's studios hired him to cut several cylinder recordings of his famous speeches and songs. They were well received by the public, and launched an entire series of recordings based on the Uncle Josh character. Stewart's trademark on these recordings is the easily recognizable laugh that precedes his speeches.

Best-selling recordings included "Uncle Josh’s Arrival in New York" (1898), "I'm Old But I'm Awfully Tough (Laughing Song)" (1898), "Jim Lawson's Horse Trade With Deacon Witherspoon" (1901), "Uncle Josh's Huskin' Bee Dance" (1901), and "Uncle Josh Buys an Automobile" (1903). He wrote the song "Ticklish Reuben" in 1900.

Stewart continued recording on Edison, Columbia, Victor, and independent labels up until his death on December 7, 1919. He also wrote two books based on his monologues and performed in theaters across America with his wife Rossini Vrionides and her brother and sister.

Stewart is represented on the 2007 compilation Actionable Offenses: Indecent Phonograph Recordings from the 1890s.

Birth and Death Data: Born 1856 (Charlotte County), Died December 7, 1919

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1897 - 1928

Roles Represented in DAHR: speaker, author, vocalist, composer, lyricist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 426-450 of 574 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Zonophone 993 9-in. Before 1904 Jim Lawson's hogs Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 1576 9-in. ca. Jan. 1904 I'm old, but I'm awfully tough Cal Stewart Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist  
Zonophone 1589 9-in. approximately January 1904 I'm old, but I'm awfully tough Cal Stewart Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist  
Zonophone 1597 9-in. ca. Jan. 1904 Uncle Josh on an automobile Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 1599 9-in. ca. Jan. 1904 And then I laughed Cal Stewart Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist  
Zonophone 1609 9-in. ca. Jan. 1904 Jim Lawson's horse trade Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 1617 9-in. ca. Jan. 1904 Uncle Josh in a Chinese laundry Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 1750 7-in. Before Apr. 1904 Uncle Josh's invitation to his farm Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 1751 9-in. Before May 1904 Uncle Josh's invitation to his farm Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 1754 9-in. Before May 1904 Uncle Josh's troubles in a hotel Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 1757 9-in. Before May 1904 Uncle Josh on a street car Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 1761 9-in. Before Apr. 1904 Uncle Josh playing baseball Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 1763 9-in. Before May 1904 Uncle Josh on a bicycle Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 1764 9-in. Before May 1904 Uncle Josh on a Fifth Avenue bus Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 1767 9-in. Before May 1904 The difference between a German and Irish picnic John Kaiser ; Cal Stewart Comic dialogue speaker  
Zonophone 1768 9-in. ca. Feb. 1904 Uncle Josh's trip to Boston Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 2567 9-in. ca. May 1904 Arkansas traveler Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 2568 7-in. ca. May 1904 Last day of school at Punkin Centre Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 2569 7-in. ca. May 1904 Uncle Josh and Aunt Nancy on a visit to New York Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 2573 7-in. ca. May 1904 A husking bee Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 2581 7-in. ca. May 1904 Thrashing time at Punkin Centre Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 2582 9-in. ca. May 1904 Thrashing time at punkin centre Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 2589 7-in. ca. May 1904 Uncle Josh in a Chinese laundry Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 7351 10-in. Before May 1907 Uncle Josh's visit to New York Cal Stewart Comic monologue speaker  
Zonophone 7352 10-in. Before Mar. 1909 Ground Hog Day at Pum'kin Center Cal Stewart Comic monologue speaker  
(Results 426-450 of 574 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Stewart, Cal," accessed May 2, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103525.

Stewart, Cal. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 2, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103525.

"Stewart, Cal." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 2 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103525

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