Name Rollin Howard Role Film actor | Education Towson University | |
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Born c. 1840 New York City Occupation Actor, Minstrel show performer Died December 8, 1996, New York City, New York, United States Parents Howard E. Rollins Sr., Ruth R. Rollins Awards NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series Movies and TV shows In the Heat of the Night, A Soldier's Story, Ragtime, Another World, The House of Dies Drear Similar People Alan Autry, David Hart, Carroll O'Connor, Hugh O'Connor, Anne‑Marie Johnson | ||
Rollin Howard (1840 - June 19, 1879) was an American minstrel performer, best known for his female blackface impersonations.
Howard was born as Ebenezer G.B. Holder in New York City around 1840, and appeared in minstrel productions from approximately 1860 to 1870. He appeared in other dramatic performances both before and after his minstrel period. After the American Civil War, female impersonators became more common in minstrel shows, and Howard was considered one of the leading performers in such roles, along with Francis Leon and Eugene d'Amelie.
Among songs that Howard performed, he was credited with "arranging" on one of the first sheet music publications for Shoo Fly, Don't Bother Me in 1869. The song was extremely popular, and though the exact authorship is not clear, at times Howard has received some authorship credit.