Framed or unframed, desk size to sofa size, printed by us in Arizona and Alabama since 2007. Explore now.
Shorpy is funded by you. Patreon contributors get an ad-free experience.
Learn more.
Circa 1903. "Billy McClain." American entertainer and impresario (1866-1950) who started out in minstrelsy and whose interests eventually came to encompass boxing promotion and motion pictures. 5x7 glass negative (broken off at the top) from the C.M. Bell portrait studio in Washington, D.C. View full size.
Nose - out of focus.
Ears - out of focus.
Eyes - very much in focus.
I don't know if I'd be able to replicate this shot.
From cornet player, to trapeze artist, to actor and producer, and his writing credits are very impressive as well.
Seems he got around too. Billy did his thing in many cities, even into Canada.
Just an incredible resume coming from a segregated period of history.
Looks like you could add clairvoyant to Billy's list of interests.
On Shorpy:
Today’s Top 5