Rawls and Van Kaufman
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William "Mush" Rawls Born: December 18, 1877 Washington, NC Died: July 17, 1957 Muskegon, MI |
Ella Van Kaufman Born: March 31, 1877 Boonville, MO Died: April 13, 1945 Muskegon, MI |
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At
the age of 17, Rawls joined a medicine show. A
jack-of-all-trades, he performed as a contortionist,
ventriloquist, fire-eater, and legitimate actor during his years
on the stage. He also developed a number of comedy
routines, playing under the banner Rawls and Braton Comedy
Company. As a blackface comedian, he is credited as being
the man who aided Eddie Cantor develop his blackface makeup
during Cantor's early days in show business.
On February 11, 1904 in Camilla, Georgia he married the former
Ella Von Kaufman of Deadwood, S.D., a soprano singer with his
vaudeville act. In 1905, they made their first trip to
Muskegon, and purchased a home in the Actor's Colony in 1912.
Returning to town each summer, "Mush" served as secretary and
treasurer of the Muskegon Actors' Colony Club. Upon retiring
from the road, they settled in Muskegon.Mush made his last public appearance on the "This is Your Life" episode honoring Buster Keaton. As a guest of the show, Rawls recalled Buster Keaton's youth when the show honored the silent comedian on April 3, 1957. A few months later, Rawls passed away. He was survived by a sister-in-law, nine nieces and a nephew living in West Virginia, North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland. |
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| Special thanks to Mary Jo Moblo for the image of the Mush and Ella from 1916. | |||
