Tim Moore

Born Harry Roscoe Moore in Rock Island, Illinois, Tim Moore was a popular comedian and actor in vaudeville, burlesque, music hall, Broadway, London and Paris musical revues and, finally on American television. Moore began his show business career in the vaudeville act of Cora Miskel and Her Gold Dust Twins in 1900, which brought him to New York and London. Back in the United States, he was a jockey and pugilist before returning as a black-face minstrel and vaudevillian in 1908. He was a favorite in black vaudeville, 1908 to 1930’s, performing on the Southern Consolidated and T.O.B.A. circuits. He also performed on the mainstream Keith and Orpheum circuits, and the Columbia Burlesque Wheel, in the U.S.; and the Fuller Circuit in Australia and New Zealand and Empire Circuit in the U.K. On Broadway he was top comedian in “The Blackbirds of 1928” and “The Blackbirds of 1939.” Moore’s films were “His Great Chance” (1923), “The Darktown Revue” (1931) and “Boy! What a Girl!” (1947). In 1950, he was coaxed out of retirement by CBS to star in “The Amos ‘n’ Andy Show” series on television. The 78 episode series made the old comedian into America’s first black television star. He died in Hollywood of pulmonary tuberculosis at the age of 71.