Actor, Comedian. He made his first professional appearance at the Globe Theatre in New York City, New York in 1875 as a dancer with a barn door reel. After that he joined Whitney's Circus, playing a clown and doing a jumping specialty. He laid the foundation of his comic reputation, when a vaudeville troupe, known as "The American Four," was organized in which he was associated with James F. Hoey, Pete Gale and Joe Pettingill. This "team" was a "star turn' for some eight years and the four men all became individually popular and widely known. In 1885 Dailey joined the Howard Athenaeum company in Boston, Massachusetts, where he stayed for three seasons, after which he made his first regular appearance on the legitimate stage as first comedian in the Kate Castleton Company. After playing 'Le Blanc' in "Evangeline", he appeared with James T. Powers in "A Straight Tip." After that he starred in "A Country Sport" and "The Night Clerk." In 1897 he became a member of the famous Weber-Fields company. With a lapse of two years, during the time that De Wolf Hopper was with the company, he remained with Weber and Field up to the time of their professional separation. The first piece in which he appeared with Weber and Fields was "The Glad Hand." Among the subsequent productions in which he was one of the comedy features were "The Con-Curers," "Poussa Cafe," "Hurly Burly," "Cyranose," "Catherine," Helter-Skelter,""The Other Way," "Whirl-I-Gig," "Barbara Figety," "Whoop-De-Doo," "Waffles," "Sapoli," "Twirly-Whirly," "The Stickiness of Gelatine," "The Big Little Princess," and "Humming Birds and Onion." During the time that he was absent from the Weber-Fields Company Dailey appeared in "Champagne Charley." "In Newport," and "Hodge Podge," After he starred in "The Press Agent," and then did a one act version of the piece in vaudeville. He then joined Lew Fields in "About Town," and the burlesque of "The Great Divide." in 1908 he returned to the Old Weber Music Hall and appeared in his last role, that of the Count in "The Burlesque of the Merry Widow." He was considered one of the most well known actor/comedians of the American stage and would be remembered for his humorous ad-libs. His funeral drew half the well known theatrical figures on Broadway, and he was interred in the family plot of famous minstrel William "Billy" West, who was his brother-in-law by marriage.
Actor, Comedian. He made his first professional appearance at the Globe Theatre in New York City, New York in 1875 as a dancer with a barn door reel. After that he joined Whitney's Circus, playing a clown and doing a jumping specialty. He laid the foundation of his comic reputation, when a vaudeville troupe, known as "The American Four," was organized in which he was associated with James F. Hoey, Pete Gale and Joe Pettingill. This "team" was a "star turn' for some eight years and the four men all became individually popular and widely known. In 1885 Dailey joined the Howard Athenaeum company in Boston, Massachusetts, where he stayed for three seasons, after which he made his first regular appearance on the legitimate stage as first comedian in the Kate Castleton Company. After playing 'Le Blanc' in "Evangeline", he appeared with James T. Powers in "A Straight Tip." After that he starred in "A Country Sport" and "The Night Clerk." In 1897 he became a member of the famous Weber-Fields company. With a lapse of two years, during the time that De Wolf Hopper was with the company, he remained with Weber and Field up to the time of their professional separation. The first piece in which he appeared with Weber and Fields was "The Glad Hand." Among the subsequent productions in which he was one of the comedy features were "The Con-Curers," "Poussa Cafe," "Hurly Burly," "Cyranose," "Catherine," Helter-Skelter,""The Other Way," "Whirl-I-Gig," "Barbara Figety," "Whoop-De-Doo," "Waffles," "Sapoli," "Twirly-Whirly," "The Stickiness of Gelatine," "The Big Little Princess," and "Humming Birds and Onion." During the time that he was absent from the Weber-Fields Company Dailey appeared in "Champagne Charley." "In Newport," and "Hodge Podge," After he starred in "The Press Agent," and then did a one act version of the piece in vaudeville. He then joined Lew Fields in "About Town," and the burlesque of "The Great Divide." in 1908 he returned to the Old Weber Music Hall and appeared in his last role, that of the Count in "The Burlesque of the Merry Widow." He was considered one of the most well known actor/comedians of the American stage and would be remembered for his humorous ad-libs. His funeral drew half the well known theatrical figures on Broadway, and he was interred in the family plot of famous minstrel William "Billy" West, who was his brother-in-law by marriage.
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