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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 451-475 of 574 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Zonophone 7353 10-in. Before Apr. 1908 Uncle Josh and the insurance company Cal Stewart Comic monologue speaker  
Zonophone 7354 10-in. Before Mar. 1907 Uncle Josh in a roller skating rink Cal Stewart Comic monologue speaker  
Zonophone 7355 12-in. Before Mar. 1907 Uncle Josh and the labor union Cal Stewart Comic monologue speaker  
Zonophone 7357 10-in. Before Mar. 1910 Uncle Josh on a Fifth Avenue bus Cal Stewart Comic monologue speaker  
Zonophone 7358 10-in. Before Apr. 1907 Uncle Josh in a department store Cal Stewart Comic monologue speaker  
Zonophone 7359 10-in. Before Mar. 1910 Uncle Josh in society Cal Stewart Comic monologue speaker  
Zonophone 7360 12-in. Before Mar. 1907 Uncle Josh at the post office Cal Stewart Comic monologue speaker  
Zonophone 7361 10-in. Before Mar. 1907 Uncle Josh at the Chinese laundry Cal Stewart Comic monologue speaker  
Zonophone 7362 10-in. Before June 1907 Uncle Josh's trip to Coney Island Cal Stewart Comic monologue speaker  
Zonophone 7363 10-in. Before Mar. 1909 Uncle Josh's New Year pledge Cal Stewart Comic monologue speaker  
Zonophone 7396 10-in. Before Apr. 1907 Sunday school picnic at Pumpkin Center Cal Stewart ; Mrs. Cal Stewart Comic dialogue and male vocal quartet speaker  
Zonophone 7401 10-in. Before Aug. 1907 Uncle Josh and Aunt Nancy go to housekeeping Cal Stewart ; Mrs. Cal Stewart Comic dialogue speaker  
Zonophone [Zo cat 601] 9-in. Before Oct. 1901 I'm old, but I'm awfully tough Cal Stewart Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist  
Zonophone [Zo cat 602] 9-in. Before Oct. 1901 Uncle Josh's invitation to his farm Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone [Zo cat 603] 9-in. Before Oct. 1901 A husking dance Cal Stewart Monologue, with violin speaker  
Zonophone [Zo cat 604] 9-in. Before Oct. 1901 Arkansas traveler Cal Stewart Monologue, with violin speaker  
Zonophone [Zo cat 605] 9-in. Before Oct. 1901 Uncle Josh in a street car Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone [Zo cat 606] 9-in. Before Oct. 1901 Meeting of the Annanias Club Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone [Zo cat 607] 9-in. Before Oct. 1901 Uncle Josh in a Chinese laundry Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone [Zo cat 608] 9-in. Before Oct. 1901 Uncle Josh playing golf Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone [Zo cat 609] 9-in. Before Oct. 1901 Uncle Josh in a museum Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone [Zo cat 1050] 9-in. Before May 1902 Uncle Josh in a department store Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone [Zo cat 1106] 9-in. Before May 1902 Last day of school at Punkin Centre Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone [Zo cat 1107] 9-in. Before May 1902 Uncle Josh's trip to Boston Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
Zonophone [Zo cat 1108] 9-in. Before May 1902 Uncle Josh at a camp meeting Cal Stewart Monologue speaker  
(Results 451-475 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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