Flournoy Miller

Flournoy Miller
Miller and Lyles, from the cover of Dramatic Mirror (June 25, 1921), illustration by Charles Gordon Saxton
Born	Flournoy Eakin Miller (1885-04-14)April 14, 1885 Columbia, Tennessee,United States
Died	June 6, 1971(1971-06-06)(aged 86) Hollywood, California,US
Other names	F. E. Miller
Occupation(s)	Vaudeville entertainer, actor, playwright, theatre producer
Children	Olivette Miller

Flournoy Eakin Miller(14 April 1885 – 6 June 1971), sometimes credited asF. E. Miller,was an American entertainer, actor, lyricist, producer and playwright. Between about 1905 and 1932 he formed a popular comic duo,Miller and Lyles,withAubrey Lyles.Described as "an innovator who advancedblack comedyand entertainment significantly, "and as "one of the seminal figures in the development ofAfrican Americanmusical theater on Broadway ",he wrote many successfulvaudevilleandBroadwayshows, including the influentialShuffle Along(1921), as well as working on severalall-black moviesbetween the 1930s and 1950s.

Biography

He was born inColumbia, Tennessee,the second son of the editor of a black newspaper; his older brotherIrvin C. Milleralso became a noted vaudeville performer and theatre producer. He studied atFisk UniversityinNashville,where he began performing as one half of a comedy duo Miller and Lyles with his childhood friendAubrey Lyles.From 1905, Miller and Lyles were hired by impresarioRobert T. Mottsto be resident playwrights with thePekin TheaterStock Company inChicago.They performed with the company inblackface,and in the showThe Colored Aristocrats,introducing the characters Steve Jenkins (Miller) and Sam Peck (Lyles) with which they would be associated for many years.

WithMarion A. Brooks,Miller founded the Bijou Stock Company inMontgomery, Alabamain 1908. One of the first black theatre companies inthe South,it folded soon afterwards and Miller returned to Chicago.In 1909, Miller and Lyles traveled toNew York City,where they started to perform on one of thevaudevillecircuits, uniquely relying on comic performances rather than incorporating song and dance. They developed comedy devices later copied by others, such as aprizefightingroutine which contrasted Miller's height and Lyles' short stature; completing each other's sentences; and "mutilatin'" the language in their phraseology. In 1915, they appeared inAndré Charlot's productionCharlot's Revuein England,and upon their return to the U.S. appeared withAbbie MitchellinDarkydom,amusicalwith score byJames Reese Europethat was the first major black musical comedy.

For several years they continued to work together on theKeithvaudeville circuit, as well as writing and producing plays.

Miller's script forThe Mayor of Dixiewas the basis forShuffle Alongwhich premiered in 1921, aBroadwaymusical with music byEubie Blakeand lyrics byNoble Sissle.The show "set the style for more than a decade, inspiring many imitations,"and showcased the song "I'm Just Wild About Harry".Miller and Lyles also starred in the show, as Steve Jenkins and Sam Peck. Although the book forShuffle Alongis credited to Miller and Lyles, Miller was the principal author.Shuffle Alongran in theatres until 1924.

Also in 1921,Orlando Kellummade ashort filmwith Miller and Lyles performing their song "De Ducks" in Kellum's short-livedPhotokinemasound-on-discprocess. Between 1922 and 1925, Miller and Lyles also made a number of recordings for theOKehlabel.The pair wrote a three-act play,The Flat Below,and Miller also wrote another play,Going White.Miller and Lyles continued to work together for several years writing and performing in Broadway shows includingRunnin' Wild– one of the first shows to popularize theCharleston,in 1923, with a score byJames P. Johnson–Rang Tang(1927), which they co-directed; andKeep Shuffling(1928) which featured music byFats Waller.They split up the act in 1928, while Miller worked with Eubie Blake inLew Leslie's Blackbirds of 1930on Broadway. Miller and Lyles later reunited to perform on radio, and also threatened to sueFreeman GosdenandCharles Correll,writers and performers of theAmos 'n' Andyradio show, forplagiarisingtheir act. However, the case was dropped after Lyles' death in 1932, at a time when the duo were trying to put together a new show,Shuffle Along of 1933.By 1942, Miller had accepted a job with Gosden and Correll as a writer for the radio show.

During the 1930s, Miller became increasingly involved with thefilm industry,working in particular with the comedianMantan Morelandwith whom he also performed in vaudeville.He performed in, and wrote for, severalall-black moviesbetween the 1930s and 1950s, including theWesternsHarlem on the Prairie(1937),Harlem Rides the Range(1939), andThe Bronze Buckaroo(1939). He moved toHollywood,but retained an interest in theatrical productions, including presenting the unsuccessful showShuffle Along of 1952.Miller appeared alongsideScatman Crothersin the minstrel review short filmYes Sir, Mr. Bones(1951). He also worked with the producers ofAmos 'n' Andy,becoming a script consultant and recommendingTim Mooreto take the starring role in theTV version.

Miller married Bessie Oliver in 1912.He died in Hollywood in 1971, aged 86. ThejazzharpistOlivette Millerwas his daughter,and playwright-librettistSandra Seatonis also a relative.

Influence and commemoration

Miller was posthumously nominated for aTony Awardin 1979 for his contributions to musical theater, as described inEubie!,based on the life ofEubie Blake.The bookReminiscing with Sissle and BlakebyWilliam Bolcomand Robert Kimball (Viking Press,1973), tells the story of Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles's involvement withShuffle Along.

Filmography

• They Know Their Groceries(1929),Vitaphone Varietiesshort co-starringAubrey Lyles.Bryan Foydirected
• That's the Spirit(1933)
• Harlem on the Prairie(1937)
• Harlem Rides the Range(1939)
• The Bronze Buckaroo(1939)
• Lucky Ghost(1942)
• Mr. Washington Goes to Town(1942)
• Professor Creeps(1942)
• Stormy Weather(1943)
• Yes Sir, Mr. Bones(1951)

See also

• African American musical theater
• Black Vaudeville

External links

• Flournoy Millerat theInternet Broadway Database
• Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library,Emory University:Flournoy E. Miller papers, 1924-1995