User:Bookworm2828/Nat M. Wills

NAT WILLS

Birth name: Louis MacGrath Wills

Birthdate: 11 July 1873 Birthplace: Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA

Date of Death: 9 December 1917 Place of Death: Woodcliff, New Jersey, USA (accidential carbon monoxide poisoning)

Nat Wills was a popular vaudeville entertainer and recording artist at the beginning of the 20th century. He is best known for his "tramp" persona and for performing humorous or satirical musical numbers.

EARLY LIFE

Nat Wills was born Louis MacGrath Wills in Fredericksburg, Virginia, on July 11, 1873.

PERFORMING CAREER

Nat Wills (Edward McGregor) (1873- December 14, 1917) was a vaudeville headliner. He was one of the first entertainers to perform at the famous Palace Theater, and he appeared in the 1913 edition of the Ziegfield Follies.

He was known for topical humor and parodies of popular songs of the day.

Wills created "No News," one of the most famous and copied vaudeville routines. He played a servant reporting to his absent master on the telephone, saying, "There's no news - except that you don't have to bring home any dog food - well, because the dog died - he was trying to save the baby - from the fire - the one your wife started when she ran off with the chauffeur. Except for that there is no news." QUOTE THIS AND FOOTNOTE TO CHARLIE CLOWN

BOOK FROM 1908 FEATURING WILLS: http://books.google.com/books?id=H4EZAAAAYAAJ&dq=nat+wills&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=zftK3Bd96P&sig=I2BUXMhKxFhXFiYYX8zSTqNAlsY&hl=en&ei=J9lxSpzULYjiMLzA9bAM&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8

Wills was recording song parodies long before Weird Al was even a glimmer in his daddy's eye. Known in vaudeville as a "tramp comedian," Wills was even more popular than Charlie Chaplin at one time. Part of the humor of his act was derived from the contrast of his tramp-like appearance and his upper-crust elocution. Of course, some of that is lost on record. Still, any serious student of comedy will find much of interest in these routines, recorded between 1908-1917. Wills best-loved set piece, No News, Or What Killed The Dog anticipates comedians such as Bob Newhart by 50 years or so. Just as the punning of Reformed Love anticipates Groucho in the early Marx Brothers films. Though this release is not for everyone, and listeners must be willing to endure references to "big, tall darkies" and the like, Wills comedic formula still works. And this represents all of his comic routines committed to wax (or shellac). (JC) SOURCE: http://www.rootsandrhythm.com/roots/NEWSLETTER148/newsletter148_jazz_1.htm#NAT%20M.%20WILLS

http://couponsourceblog.com/712/nat-m-wills-sings-saving-up-coupons-for-mother-1909-victor-type-ii-gramophone/

http://dallas.broadwayworld.com/bwidb/people/Nat_M._Wills/

http://edisoneffect.blogspot.com/2009/07/nat-m-wills-one-great-comedian-of-age.html

Preview this book Popular American recording pioneers, 1895-1925 By Tim Gracyk, Frank W. Hoffmann

BIO AND ETC HERE: http://www.archeophone.com/product_info.php?cPath=21_26&products_id=84

BOOK w/WILLS BIO HERE: Vaudeville, Old & New By Frank Cullen, Florence Hackman, Donald McNeilly

PERSONAL LIFE/MARRIAGES

DEATH

CONTROVERSY

USE THIS - FROM CHARLIE CLOWN In addition to his contributions as an entertainer, Wills tried to help all entertainers. He was an original member of the Board of Governors of the White Rats, the first entertainer's union. The White Rats (star spelled backwards) were organized June 1, 1900 to combat the abuses of the United Booking Office, a group of managers who had a monopoly on vaudeville bookings.

Many vaudeville performers, including Wills, performed in blackface or used ethnic stereotypes in their humor. Such humor is considered offensive today, but was not unusual for the time. One such routine was called "Darky Stories"

Wills' death was called a tragic accident in a New York Times article dated XXX 1917 FOOTNOTE HERE, but Wills may have in fact committed suicide, as he was bankrupt. Wills had married many times and was chronically behind on alimony payments to his ex-wives.

NOTABLE ROUTINES/SONGS

INEREST IN NAT WILLS TOday

Nat Wills' songs have been played on Dr. Demento's radio show http://www.themadmusicarchive.com/artist_details.aspx?ArtistID=4332 and featured on Dr Demento records.

DISCOGRAPHY

SOURCES:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0932694/bio

http://www.charliethejugglingclown.com/nat_wills.htm

http://www.archive.org/details/NatMWills

NYT OBIT: http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9900E4DB1E3AE433A25753C1A9649D946696D6CF

1914 NYT BANKRUPTCY ARTICLE: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9D04E1D9153AE733A25751C0A9639C946596D6CF

BRIEF MENTION OF WILLS: http://www.boingboing.net/2007/05/21/nat-m-wills-the-tram.html

FIND A GRAVE: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=6976219

DISCOGRAPHY/AUTHOR: http://victor.library.ucsb.edu/talentDetail.php?id=45875

DISCOGRAPHY/VOCALIST: http://victor.library.ucsb.edu/talentDetail.php?id=45874

Elks link: http://www.elks2477.com/blog/tag/bpoe-nat-wills/

broadway performances: http://www.ibdb.com/person.php?id=69085

http://www.oldies.com/artist-songs/Nat-M-Wills.html

current cd: http://www.oldies.com/artist-products/Nat-M-Wills/format_cds.html