Posted 11:30 AM by Gene

YESTERDAY'S FADS: And speaking of Sue does anyone remember George Moran and Charles Mack? Oh they were very popular in the twenties: two "comedians" who played vaudeville and radio, and made several pictures. I put "comedians" in quotes for two reasons: first, they were blackface -- they billed themselves "The Two Black Crows" -- and second, they weren't funny, with or without the greasepaint. Yet their recordings (they made fourteen 78 sides, for Columbia -- we confess to having them on our hard drive) are fascinating because their jokes are so bad -- I don't want to say they're good, although they can inspire an unintended laugh; but they're bad the way we can't take our eyes off something repulsive, and it is a wonder they got laughs even in the twenties. But popular they were; the act broke up only with Mack's untimely death at 46 in 1934. Their slide into obscurity should remind us that being popular or even well-publicized doesn't mean you're any good.

And yes, I know of Amos 'n' Andy, who started at about the same time, but they haven't broken through oblivion lately either, despite being the most popular radio act of their day.