Antique Image of the Day: Harry Taft, America's Greatest Whistling Comedian, 1904

Harry Taft
Caricature by George Cooke, 1904
The Victoria & Albert Museum

 

Harry Taft was a celebrated Music Hall performer who rose to popularity as a whistler.  He would often sign photographs or drawings, as he has done here, “Yours whistling, Harry Taft.”  During this time, the Edwardian variety stage, was, curiously, the home of many whistling acts including Arthur Slater, “The Whistling Man in White,” and Tom Murray, “The Champion Whistler.”

Harry whistled solo, and to piano accompaniment. One of his most popular routines was, in 1899 his rendition of “Listen To The Mocking Bird” which was recorded by Emile Berliner, the American who developed the gramophone.

This caricature of Harry was drawn when he was performing at the Grand Theatre of Varieties, Hanley, during the week of 26 September 1904. For the performance, he was billed as “America’s Greatest Whistling Comedian.”  According to the V&A, “This is one of the many superb caricatures of Edwardian music hall performers that were drawn by the artist George Cooke when he was based at the Grand Theatre.”  These drawings were compiled in a series of albums.

Cooke has depicted Harry Taft, full-length, bending at the knees to feed a miniature grey pony. Taft is wearing his signature black bowler hat, a black jacket, a red spotted kerchief, and brown checked trousers.