Pigmeat Markham
Encyclopedia
Dewey "Pigmeat" Markham was an African-American entertainer. Though best known as a comedian
, Markham was also a singer, dancer, and actor
. His nickname came from a stage routine, in which he declared himself to be "Sweet Poppa Pigmeat." He was sometimes credited in film
s as David "Pigmeat" Markham.
. His family was the most prominent on their street, which came to be called (and later officially named) Markham Street in the Hayti District
. Markham began his career in traveling music and burlesque
shows. For a time he was a member of Bessie Smith
's Traveling Revue in the 1920s. Later, he claimed he originated the Truckin' dance which became nationally popular at the start of the 1930s. In the 1940s he started making film appearances. In 1964 he recorded "Open the Door, Richard
".
Markham was a familiar act at New York's famed Apollo Theater
where he wore blackface
makeup and huge painted white lips, despite complaints the vaudeville tradition was degrading. He probably played at the Apollo more frequently than any other performer.
Starting in the 1950s Pigmeat Markham began appearing on television
, making multiple appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show
.
His boisterous, indecorous "heyeah (here) come da judge" schtick
, which made a mockery of formal courtroom etiquette, became his signature routine. Markham would sit at an elevated judge's bench (often in a black graduation cap-and-gown, to look more impressive), and deal with a series of comic miscreants. He would often deliver his "judgments", as well as express frustration with the accused, by leaning over the bench and smacking the accused with an inflated bladder-balloon. He had hit comedy recordings in the 1960s on Chess Records
, and saw his routine's entry line become a catchphrase on the Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
television show, as did his phrase "Look that up in your Funk and Wagnalls
".
Markham's most famous routine was "discovered" by the general public only after Sammy Davis, Jr.
had performed it as a guest on Laugh-In. Due to the years of racial segregation in the entertainment world, he was not widely known by white audiences, and had almost exclusively performed on the "chitlin' circuit
" of vaudeville, theatres, and night clubs and appeared in several race film
s, including William D. Alexander
's 1949 revue film Burlesque in Harlem
, which documented the chitlin' circuit.
The success of Davis's appearance led to Markham's opportunity to perform his signature Judge character during his one season on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
. Archie Campbell
later adapted Markham's routine, performing as "Justus O'Peace," on the country version of Laugh-In, Hee Haw
, which borrowed heavily from the minstrel show
tradition.
Thanks to his Heyeah come da judge routine, which originally was accompanied by music with a funk
y beat, Pigmeat Markham is regarded as a forerunner of rappers. His song "Here Comes The Judge
" peaked at number 19 on the Billboard
and other charts in 1968. He published an autobiography, Here Come the Judge!, in the wake of his Laugh-In success.
at Montefiore Medical Center
in the Bronx
at the age of 77. He is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, Markham was also a singer, dancer, and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. His nickname came from a stage routine, in which he declared himself to be "Sweet Poppa Pigmeat." He was sometimes credited in film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s as David "Pigmeat" Markham.
Early life and career
He was born in the community of Hayti, Durham, North CarolinaHayti, Durham, North Carolina
Hayti is the African American community in the city of Durham, North Carolina. The business section was also known as "Lil" Mexico in the early 1920s and 30s. Over 200 Africian American businesses were located along Fayetteville, Pettigrew and Pine Streets, the boundaries of Hayti during it's...
. His family was the most prominent on their street, which came to be called (and later officially named) Markham Street in the Hayti District
Hayti District
Hayti district is the African American community in Durham, North Carolina. Over 200 African American businesses were located along Fayetteville, Pettigrew and Pine Streets, the bounties of Hayti. Hayti is home to many nationally known African Americans.North Carolina Central University lies...
. Markham began his career in traveling music and burlesque
American burlesque
American Burlesque is a genre of variety show. Derived from elements of Victorian burlesque, music hall and minstrel shows, burlesque shows in America became popular in the 1860s and evolved to feature ribald comedy and female striptease...
shows. For a time he was a member of Bessie Smith
Bessie Smith
Bessie Smith was an American blues singer.Sometimes referred to as The Empress of the Blues, Smith was the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s...
's Traveling Revue in the 1920s. Later, he claimed he originated the Truckin' dance which became nationally popular at the start of the 1930s. In the 1940s he started making film appearances. In 1964 he recorded "Open the Door, Richard
Open the Door, Richard
"Open the Door, Richard" is a song first recorded on the Black & White Records label by saxophonistist Jack McVea at the suggestion of A&R man Ralph Bass. In 1947, it was the number-one song on Billboards "Honor Roll of Hits" and became a runaway pop sensation.-Origin:"Open the Door, Richard"...
".
Markham was a familiar act at New York's famed Apollo Theater
Apollo Theater
The Apollo Theater in New York City is one of the most famous, and older, music halls in the United States, and the most famous club associated almost exclusively with Black performers...
where he wore blackface
Blackface
Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup used in minstrel shows, and later vaudeville, in which performers create a stereotyped caricature of a black person. The practice gained popularity during the 19th century and contributed to the proliferation of stereotypes such as the "happy-go-lucky darky...
makeup and huge painted white lips, despite complaints the vaudeville tradition was degrading. He probably played at the Apollo more frequently than any other performer.
Starting in the 1950s Pigmeat Markham began appearing on television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, making multiple appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
.
His boisterous, indecorous "heyeah (here) come da judge" schtick
Schtick
A shtick is a comic theme or gimmick. "Shtick" is derived from the Yiddish word shtik , meaning "piece"; the closely related German word Stück has the same meaning. The English word "piece" itself is also sometimes used in a similar context...
, which made a mockery of formal courtroom etiquette, became his signature routine. Markham would sit at an elevated judge's bench (often in a black graduation cap-and-gown, to look more impressive), and deal with a series of comic miscreants. He would often deliver his "judgments", as well as express frustration with the accused, by leaning over the bench and smacking the accused with an inflated bladder-balloon. He had hit comedy recordings in the 1960s on Chess Records
Chess Records
Chess Records was an American record label based in Chicago, Illinois. It specialized in blues, R&B, soul, gospel music, early rock and roll, and occasional jazz releases....
, and saw his routine's entry line become a catchphrase on the Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In is an American sketch comedy television program which ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to May 14, 1973. It was hosted by comedians Dan Rowan and Dick Martin and was broadcast over NBC...
television show, as did his phrase "Look that up in your Funk and Wagnalls
Funk and Wagnalls
Funk & Wagnalls was an American publisher known for its reference works, including A Standard Dictionary of the English Language , and the Funk & Wagnalls Standard Encyclopedia Funk & Wagnalls was an American publisher known for its reference works, including A Standard Dictionary of the English...
".
Markham's most famous routine was "discovered" by the general public only after Sammy Davis, Jr.
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Samuel George "Sammy" Davis Jr. was an American entertainer and was also known for his impersonations of actors and other celebrities....
had performed it as a guest on Laugh-In. Due to the years of racial segregation in the entertainment world, he was not widely known by white audiences, and had almost exclusively performed on the "chitlin' circuit
Chitlin' circuit
The "Chitlin' Circuit" was the collective name given to the string of performance venues throughout the eastern and southern United States that were safe and acceptable for African-American musicians, comedians, and other entertainers to perform during the age of racial segregation in the United...
" of vaudeville, theatres, and night clubs and appeared in several race film
Race movie
The race movie or race film was a film genre which existed in the United States between about 1915 and 1950. It consisted of films produced for an all-black audience, featuring black casts....
s, including William D. Alexander
William D. Alexander
William D. Alexander was an African American film producer.Alexander was born in 1916 in Denver, Colorado, or in Missouri. He grew up in Colorado and was educated at Colorado State College of Education, now the University of Northern Colorado, and Chicago State University...
's 1949 revue film Burlesque in Harlem
Burlesque in Harlem
Burlesque in Harlem is a 1949 revue film directed by William D. Alexander that features a cast of singers, dancers and comedians who were prominent on the so-called chitlin' circuit of vaudeville theaters and nightclubs that exclusively presented African American talent.The plotless film is hosted...
, which documented the chitlin' circuit.
The success of Davis's appearance led to Markham's opportunity to perform his signature Judge character during his one season on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In is an American sketch comedy television program which ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to May 14, 1973. It was hosted by comedians Dan Rowan and Dick Martin and was broadcast over NBC...
. Archie Campbell
Archie Campbell
Archie Campbell was an American writer and star of Hee Haw, a popular long-running country-flavored network television variety show...
later adapted Markham's routine, performing as "Justus O'Peace," on the country version of Laugh-In, Hee Haw
Hee Haw
Hee Haw is an American television variety show featuring country music and humor with fictional rural Kornfield Kounty as a backdrop. It aired on CBS-TV from 1969–1971 before a 20-year run in local syndication. The show was inspired by Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, the major difference being...
, which borrowed heavily from the minstrel show
Minstrel show
The minstrel show, or minstrelsy, was an American entertainment consisting of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music, performed by white people in blackface or, especially after the Civil War, black people in blackface....
tradition.
Thanks to his Heyeah come da judge routine, which originally was accompanied by music with a funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
y beat, Pigmeat Markham is regarded as a forerunner of rappers. His song "Here Comes The Judge
Here Comes The Judge
Here Comes The Judge is a song and single by American soul and comedy singer Pigmeat Markham first released in 1968 on the Chess label. The record entered the UK charts in July 1968, spending eight weeks on the charts and reaching 19 as its highest position...
" peaked at number 19 on the Billboard
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and other charts in 1968. He published an autobiography, Here Come the Judge!, in the wake of his Laugh-In success.
Death
Markham died of a strokeStroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
at Montefiore Medical Center
Montefiore Medical Center
Montefiore Medical Center, in the Bronx, New York, is the University Hospital for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The hospital, named for Moses Montefiore, is one of the 50 largest employers in New York State . In 2011, Montefiore Medical Center was ranked as #6 of the 180 New York City...
in the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
at the age of 77. He is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.