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Billy B. Van

Billy B. Van (born William Webster Van de Grift; August 3, 1870 – November 16, 1950) was a prominent American entertainer in the early decades of the 1900s. He was a star, progressively, in minstrel shows, vaudeville, burlesque, the New York stage, and movies. Under another name, he was a well-known dairy farmer and agriculturist. And, at the same time he was a manufacturer of soap products. Late in his career, he reinvented himself as a nationally known motivational speaker, and a Yankee goodwill ambassador.

Birth and Death Data: Born August 3, 1878, Died November 16, 1950

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1915 - 1917

Roles Represented in DAHR: tenor vocal, speaker, author

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor B-17070 10-in. 1/27/1916 To my dog Billy B. Van Recitation, unaccompanied author, speaker  
Victor B-17071 10-in. 1/27/1916 Mickey the pum pum man Billy B. Van Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor [Trial 1915-12-11-01] Not documented 12/11/1915 Dog story Billy B. Van Recitation speaker  
Columbia 77160 10-in. 6/16/1917 Have a heart Peerless Quartet ; Billy B. Van Male vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 77161 10-in. 6/16/1917 Napoleon Peerless Quartet ; Billy B. Van Male vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 77177 10-in. 6/27/1917 Mike's the boy Peerless Quartet ; Billy B. Van Male vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia 77178 10-in. 6/27/1917 O'Grady was in line Billy B. Van Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Van, Billy B.," accessed November 20, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/106604.

Van, Billy B.. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 20, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/106604.

"Van, Billy B.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 20 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/106604

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