Resource id #75
Image Source: Wikipedia

Bert Williams

Bert Williams (November 12, 1874 – March 4, 1922) was a Bahamian-born American entertainer, one of the pre-eminent entertainers of the Vaudeville era and one of the most popular comedians for all audiences of his time. He is credited as being the first Black man to have the leading role in a film: Darktown Jubilee in 1914.

He was by far the best-selling Black recording artist before 1920. In 1918, the New York Dramatic Mirror called Williams "one of the great comedians of the world."

Williams was a key figure in the development of African-American entertainment. In an age when racial inequality and stereotyping were commonplace, he became the first black person to take a lead role on the Broadway stage, and did much to push back racial barriers during his three-decade-long career. Fellow vaudevillian W. C. Fields, who appeared in productions with Williams, described him as "the funniest man I ever saw—and the saddest man I ever knew."

Birth and Death Data: Born November 12, 1874 (Nassau), Died March 4, 1922 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1896 - 1946

Roles Represented in DAHR: baritone vocal, composer, songwriter, piano, speaker, organ, lyricist, author

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

Recordings (Results 51-75 of 142 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]3610 10-in. 10/11/1901 The phrenologist coon Bert Williams Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist, baritone vocal, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]3613 10-in. 10/11/1901 Junie George Walker Male vocal solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]3615 10-in. 10/11/1901 The ghost of a coon Bert Williams Male vocal solo, with piano songwriter, vocalist, baritone vocal, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]3616 10-in. 10/11/1901 If you love your baby, make dem goo-goo eyes Bert Williams Male vocal solo, with piano songwriter, vocalist, baritone vocal, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]3618 10-in. 10/11/1901 Her name's Miss Dinah Fair Williams and Walker Male vocal duet, with piano vocalist, baritone vocal, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor A-918 7-in. 1/14/1904 She's getting more like the white folks every day Dan W. Quinn Male vocal solo, with piano songwriter  
Victor B-918 10-in. 1/14/1904 She's getting more like the white folks every day Dan W. Quinn Male vocal solo, with piano songwriter  
Victor B-2568 10-in. 5/22/1905 Nobody Arthur Collins Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor C-3338 12-in. 4/26/1906 Here it comes again Arthur Collins Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-8078 10-in. 6/28/1909 That's a plenty Arthur Collins Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-9043 10-in. 6/2/1910 You're gwine get somethin' what you don't expect Billy Murray Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-10937 10-in. 9/8/1911 Dat's harmony Arthur Collins Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-12788 10-in. 1/10/1913 My landlady Arthur Collins Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-18920 10-in. 12/21/1916 The ghost of a coon Leighton Brothers Male vocal duet, with guitar songwriter  
Victor BS-77173 10-in. 12/4/1933 Nobody Harry Wall Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Victor PBVE-1307 10-in. 10/14/1931 Constantly Phil Harris Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor D6VB-3129 10-in. 11/13/1946 The dark town poker club Phil Harris Orchestra Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band composer  
Columbia 1358 10-in. approximately 1903 When it's all going out and nothing coming in Bob Roberts Male vocal duet, with piano songwriter  
Columbia 1358 7-in. ca. 1903-Oct. 1905 When it's all going out and nothing coming in Dan W. Quinn Male vocal duet, with piano songwriter  
Columbia 3264 10-in. ca. Jan.-Oct. 1905 Nobody Arthur Collins Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 3410 10-in. between January and June 1906 Pretty Desdemone George Walker ; Bert Williams Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 3423 10-in. ca. Jan.-June 1906 Nobody Bert Williams Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal, composer  
Columbia 3454 10-in. between January and August 1906 Here it comes again Bert Williams Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal, composer  
Columbia 3504 10-in. between January and November 1906 Let it alone Bert Williams Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal, composer  
Columbia 3515 10-in. ca. Jan.-Nov. 1906 I'm tired of eating in the restaurants Bert Williams Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal, composer  
(Results 51-75 of 142 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Williams, Bert," accessed April 26, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103803.

Williams, Bert. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 26, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103803.

"Williams, Bert." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 26 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103803

External Sources

Wikipedia: Bert Williams

Discogs: Bert Williams

Grove: Bert Williams

IMDb: Bert Williams

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Williams, Bert, 1874-1922 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n82115395

Wikidata: Bert Williams - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q2397929

VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/103647176

MusicBrainz: Bert Williams - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/0e578f5c-bdfc-43fa-bd9a-9d5b67ef353b

FAST: http://id.worldcat.org/fast/97989

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.