Born: Established: 1844 Sydney, New South Wales, ; Died: Ceased: ca. Aug 1907 Melbourne, Victoria,
1. HISTORICAL NOTES AND CORRECTIONS:
1.1. William Horace Bent was born in St Mary's (Sydney) in 1844 to Andrew and Honorah Bent. He is known to have had at least one other sibling, an older brother named Andrew (born in Sydney in 1843).
1.2. An advertisement in the 15 January 1867 edition of the Argus makes reference to Taylor and Bent as 'the Two Drolls' (p.8). It has not yet been confirmed if this was Horace Bent.
1.3. An 1877 advertisement in the Age reads, 'Through Mr Bent, the latest American novelties,' which suggests that the comedian may have recently returned from the US (7 April 1877, p.8).
1.4. It is unclear what relationship Bent's 'Over the Garden Wall' sketch has with a similarly titled farce first known to have been staged in Australia by Billy Emerson's Minstrels in 1885 (St George's Hall, Melbourne; 31 October). The farce version is known to have been revived in 1895 by Irving Sayles (Tivoli Theatre, Sydney; 2 March); in 1904 and 1905 by F. M. Clark (Gaiety Theatre, Melbourne; 27 August 1904 and 15 July 1905); and in 1905 by Ted Holland (Theatre Royal, Brisbane; 24 June).
2. TROUPE PERSONNEL:
The following personnel lists are for the troupes that were led or co-led by Horace Bent. As minstrel/vaudeville troupes were dependant on each person being able to undertake any given type of performance role when required, any performance description that follows a person's name refers to their known specialty act or duties.
Abbreviations: C = comedian / E = endman / S&D = song and dance / I = interlocutor / S = singer (voice type is given if known)
2.1. Cheevers, Kennedy and Bent's Minstrels (ca. 1878): Charles Austin (violin), W. Horace Bent (C / E), Mr T. Campbell (I / C / baritone) , Mr J. E. Cheevers (S&D / C), Mr J. A. Delaney (conductor/piano), James E. Down (tenor), Mr J. Drayton (C / basso), Mr F. Draeger (double bass), Mr T. Harrison (second cornet), Mr E. Kennedy (S&D / C), Henry Rawlinson (alto), Vernon Reid (C / tenor), Mr G. Lingard (banjo), Mr J. Oppenheim (clarinet), Mr C. Pearson (drums/tympani), Mr W. Thomson (cornet), Mr A. Stoneham (flute/trombone), Mr W. Thomson (band leader / violin).
2.2. Bent and Bachelder's Anglo-American Christy's Minstrels (ca. 1882): William Ball (C/ S), W. Horace Bent (C / E / S), T. Farrell, Mr C. S. Fredericks, Mr G. Glider, J. F. Heywood, Charles Hugo (C / S), William Hugo (C / S), Sam Keenan (C / S / D), Herr Kophs, R. Langdown, W. Leake, R. McSherry, J. Parkes, Beaumont Read (C / alto), Amy Rowe (C / S&D), Edwin Rowley, F. Vassey, Mr H. A. Williamson.
2.3. Additional Historical Notes:
FURTHER REFERENCE:
The following list comprises articles, paragraphs, and reports relating to W. Horace Bent which are not given individual entries in this database.
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This entry has been sourced from research undertaken by Dr Clay Djubal into Australian-written popular music theatre (ca. 1850-1930). See also the Australian Variety Theatre Archive