THE “SCREAM” OF MACON STREET (1907)
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Female “personators” seemed to bring out the passion in folks back in the day.
Maybe there was less sexuality involved in the whole dressing-as-a-woman thing. Or maybe it was simply a matter of sexuality not mattering at all.
Or, as some say, it was everything.
But when “The Great Eugene” took the stage – and he took the stage always as a woman – men, in particular, seemed to find themselves singularly rapt in attention and admiration at the spell that the talented female personator was casting over them.
BUILDING THE PERFECT IMPERSONATOR
The Great Eugene, otherwise known simply as Eugene, was named Eugene D’ameli as a child. He was born on Manhattan in 1836, and, according to The New York Dramatic Mirror (the Broadway rag of the time), he made his first debut at the tender age of 17, playing what he would end up playing the rest of his career – a “prima donna” – a persona which “he improved and perfected until it was considered the best of its class.”
His partner, “Johnny” Unsworth, of 700 Macon Street, recalled Eugene’s beginnings in the minstrel theatre.
“Because he was so small and slight and built somewhat like a woman Gene started female impersonations, always in black face, as a minstrel show specialty.”
In the San Francisco production of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Eugene was cast as Topsy, and from all accounts he made a big hit with the part. The miners at times became so enthusiastic over his performance that they would throw gold coins and nuggets on the stage, all of them completely unaware that Eugene was actually a man.
“He was,” Unsworth noted, “what, in those days, they called a ‘scream.'”
THE DARLING OF SOLDIERS THE WORLD ROUND
While in Berlin, some of the officers of the Prussian army became so convinced of the impossibility of any man impersonating female characters so completely, that they came upon the stage behind the scenes and insisted upon being introduced to the charming “Fraulein Eugene.”
He was found, when off the stage, to be a neatly dressed and very good looking gentleman, somewhat under the medium size, but of “as fine a general figure in the manly attire of everyday life as he was in the gorgeous wardrobe of the sable prima donna at night.”
He was, according to many, one of the most thoroughly artistic personators of burlesque female actors ever seen.
Never married, Eugene retired from the stage in 1884, after 31 years. For many years afterwards he was in poor health until, as his obituary noted, “he was attacked by dropsy.”
AT EUGENE’S COFFIN-SIDE – A PARTNER DISHES
At Eugene’s funeral at 700 Macon Street, Unsworth recounted Eugene’s career, how they met, which minstrel groups they worked with, and how Eugene was singular in his “personations” of women.
“You see, he even had a soprano voice down pat, besides looking the part,” Unsworth smiled through moist eyes.
Then Unsworth told how he had cared for D’ameli morning, noon, and night in his final sickness, and how, in his dying days, he would sing to him the old minstrel songs they used to perform together.
“I’ll tell you, son, I feel pretty lonely now that Gene has gone,” Unsworth said.
It isn’t recorded how Unsworth mentally dealt with the passing of his partner, but it must have been tough for the old bachelor to see his dear friend pass.
An occurrence 17 years later, though, may lend us a clue to his state – as well as to the importance Unsworth placed on his relationship with Eugene. When Unsworth himself died, he had left a will. In that will, everything he had owned went to a favorite niece.
A favorite niece – of Eugene’s.
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