28 Facts About Gus Hill

Gus Hill launched a highly popular series of "cartoon theatricals", musical comedies based on comic strips or cartoons.

Gus Hill was born Gustave Metz in New York City on 22 February 1858.

Gus Hill's father was the owner of a sawmill and furniture factory.

Gus Hill became a wrestler and then a juggler with Indian clubs.

Gus Hill took the name "Hill" from a sporting resort at Broadway and Crosby Street in Manhattan called Harry Hill's.

On 16 June 1876, when Gus Hill was eighteen, he was listed as a club swinger on a bill for a vaudeville show at Tony Pastor's theater in New York.

Gus Hill gained the title of "Champion Clubman of the World".

Gus Hill soon moved into show business management, although he continued to perform for ten years or more.

Gus Hill produced musical comedies priced low for unsophisticated audiences far from Broadway.

Gus Hill was known for cost-cutting, using old scenery and costumes, and employing performers who could not demand high wages since they were not yet known, or were past their peak.

Gus Hill would put on shows from Monday to Saturday each week, including Wednesday and Saturday matinees.

Gus Hill owned several of these boarding houses, as did other variety company owners.

Gus Hill managed to poach Billy Reeves from Fred Karno's show to appear in his own Around the Clock vaudeville company.

Gus Hill was one of sixteen producers who incorporated the Columbia Amusement Company on 12 July 1902.

Gus Hill produced three burlesque shows each season for Columbia until the early 1910s, when he leased his franchise to other producers so he could devote more time to Mutt and Jeff.

One of these was Gus Hill's Smart Set Company, which starred performers such as Billy McClain, Ernest Hogan, Tom McIntosh and Sherman H Dudley.

Gus Hill had a mule which had appeared in McFadden Flats, and then was moved to other revues without success.

Gus Hill gave the mule to Dudley, who brought it on stage and created a sensation.

Gus Hill ventured into film production with the Nonpareil Feature Film Company in 1914.

Gus Hill announced plans to make a series of single-reel Happy Hooligan episodes, but none appeared.

Gus Hill later added characters from other cartoons such as Mutt and Jeff and the Happy Hooligan.

Gus Hill was responsible for Alphonse and Gaston and Bringing Up Father among others.

Gus Hill produced these "cartoon theatricals", or musicals based on comic strips, into 1920s.

In 1922 Gus Hill staged a version of Mutt and Jeff performed by Conoly's Colored Comedians at the Lafayette Theatre, New York.

Gus Hill said his group would strongly oppose the Actors' Equity Association.

Gus Hill said the increasing exactions of the actors, the musicians and the stage hands had made producing more and more unprofitable.

Gus Hill continued to perform as a club swinger in charitable events and nostalgia shows.

Gus Hill died of a heart attack in New York City on 20 April 1937.