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Cal Stewart

Cal Stewart (b. 1856 Charlotte County, Virginia, d. December 7, 1919) was an American comedian and humorist who pioneered in vaudeville and early sound recordings. He is best remembered for his comic monologues in which he played "Uncle Josh" Weathersby, a resident of a mythical New England farming town called "Pumpkin Center" or "Punkin Center", leading to a number of small towns across the U.S. adopting those names.

Born in Charlotte County, Virginia in 1856, Stewart spent his early life working in circuses, medicine shows and vaudeville to great acclaim as "Uncle Josh Weathersby from Way Down East". It was on the road that he befriended Mark Twain and later Will Rogers, two men who shared similar wit in comedy.

Around 1897, Thomas Edison's studios hired him to cut several cylinder recordings of his famous speeches and songs. They were well received by the public, and launched an entire series of recordings based on the Uncle Josh character. Stewart's trademark on these recordings is the easily recognizable laugh that precedes his speeches.

Best-selling recordings included "Uncle Josh’s Arrival in New York" (1898), "I'm Old But I'm Awfully Tough (Laughing Song)" (1898), "Jim Lawson's Horse Trade With Deacon Witherspoon" (1901), "Uncle Josh's Huskin' Bee Dance" (1901), and "Uncle Josh Buys an Automobile" (1903). He wrote the song "Ticklish Reuben" in 1900.

Stewart continued recording on Edison, Columbia, Victor, and independent labels up until his death on December 7, 1919. He also wrote two books based on his monologues and performed in theaters across America with his wife Rossini Vrionides and her brother and sister.

Stewart is represented on the 2007 compilation Actionable Offenses: Indecent Phonograph Recordings from the 1890s.

Birth and Death Data: Born 1856 (Charlotte County), Died December 7, 1919

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1897 - 1928

Roles Represented in DAHR: speaker, author, vocalist, composer, lyricist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 301-325 of 574 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia 3334 10-in. between 1905 and February 1906 Ground Hog Day at Pumpkin Center Cal Stewart Comic monologue author, speaker  
Columbia 3376 10-in. ca. Jan-Apr. 1906 The eclipse of the sun at Pumpkin Center Cal Stewart Comic monologue author, speaker  
Columbia 3435 10-in. ca. Jan.-June 1906 Sunday school picnic at Pumpkin Center Columbia Quartette ; Cal Stewart ; Mrs. Cal Stewart Comic dialogue, with male vocal quartet speaker, author  
Columbia 3465 10-in. ca. Jan.-Aug. 1906 A monkey on a string Cal Stewart Comic monologue, with orchestra author, vocalist  
Columbia 3503 10-in. ca. Jan.-Oct. 1906 Uncle Josh at a roller skating rink Cal Stewart Comic monologue author, speaker  
Columbia 3582 10-in. ca. Late 1906-Feb. 1907 Uncle Josh Weathersby's visit to New York Cal Stewart Comic monologue author, speaker  
Columbia 3601 10-in. between January and March 1907 Uncle Josh and the labor union Cal Stewart Comic monologue, unaccompanied author, speaker  
Columbia 3609 10-in. between January and April 1907 A meeting of the Hen Roost Club Columbia Quartette Descriptive scene, with male vocal quartet, unaccompanied author  
Columbia 3625 10-in. Jan.-May 1907 Decoration Day Prince's Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Columbia 3629 10-in. Jan.-May 1907 The new parson at the Darktown Church Columbia Quartette Descriptive scene, with male vocal quartet, unaccompanied author  
Columbia 3640 10-in. between January and May 1907 Uncle Josh at the dentist's Len Spencer ; Cal Stewart Comic dialogue, unaccompanied speaker, author  
Columbia 3667 10-in. between January and June 1907 Uncle Josh at the bug house Cal Stewart Comic monologue speaker, author  
Columbia 3706 10-in. ca. Jan.-Sept. 1907 Uncle Josh joins the Grangers Cal Stewart Comic monologue author, speaker  
Columbia 3737 10-in. ca. Jan.-Nov. 1907 Uncle Josh gets a letter from home Cal Stewart Comic monologue author, speaker  
Columbia 3738 10-in. ca. Jan.-Nov. 1907 Uncle Josh plays Santa Claus Cal Stewart Comic monologue author, speaker  
Columbia 3932 10-in. ca. Jan.-Nov. 1908 Uncle Josh and the sailor Cal Stewart Comic monologue author, speaker  
Columbia 3933 10-in. ca. Jan.-Nov. 1908 A busy week at Pumpkin Center Cal Stewart Comic monologue author, speaker  
Columbia 3944 10-in. ca. 1908 Uncle Josh Weathersby keeps house Cal Stewart Comic monologue author, speaker  
Columbia 3945 10-in. ca. 1908 The county fair at Pumpkin Center Cal Stewart Comic monologue author, speaker  
Columbia 3970 10-in. approximately 1908 Uncle Josh has his photograph taken Cal Stewart Comic monologue author, speaker  
Columbia 3978 10-in. ca. 1908 Uncle Josh's barn dance Columbia Quartette ; Cal Stewart Descriptive scene, with male vocal quartet, violin, and harmonium vocalist, author  
Columbia 4012 10-in. ca. Jan.-Mar. 1909 The first day of April at Pumpkin Center Cal Stewart Comic monologue author, speaker  
Columbia 4026 10-in. ca. Jan.-June 1909 Uncle Josh and the Billiken Cal Stewart Comic monologue author, speaker  
Columbia 45737 10-in. 6/2/1915 Moving pictures at Pumpkin Center Cal Stewart Comic monologue author, speaker  
Columbia 45738 10-in. 6/2/1915 War talk at Pumpkin Center Cal Stewart Comic monologue, with male vocal solo and organ vocalist, author, speaker  
(Results 301-325 of 574 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Stewart, Cal," accessed November 22, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103525.

Stewart, Cal. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103525.

"Stewart, Cal." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 22 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103525

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