James Lee Wall (1863 – June 12, 1927) was an American actor and singer, best known as a comedian and minstrel.[1][2][3]
Wall was born inToronto, Canada West, to English parents. Raised inMinneapolis,Minnesota, he first performed inblackface in a school fundraiser. At age 17, he had his first paid performance in Minneapolis. Soon after, he left to begin his career in acting and singing.[2]
Wall worked as an entertainer for the next 46 years. He was an actor, singer, blackface comedian, andvaudeville entertainer. He performed throughout the United States, but especially in the American South. He performed withLew Dockstader,George Primrose,Al G. Field, and for theGus Hill and George Evans Minstrel company.[2][4] Wall formed a partnership withDan Quinlan named the Quinlan and Wall Imperial Minstrels, which performed in all of the Southern states.[5][6] Considered one of the best minstrels in the United States, Wall wrote his own songs and composed his own music.[4]
In 1927, Wall lived inSaint Louis,Missouri with a relative. In May 1927, he traveled toLexington,Kentucky, to play the horse races. Wall committed suicide in a Lexington hotel by shooting himself in the head.[2][7] Wall was buried inCalvary Cemetery in Saint Louis.[8]