The Tuskaloosa Independent Monitor

Lot No. 153

from the May 7, 2009 Abbeville Herald by T. Larry Smith

Some longtime Wiregrass and Henry County vintage citizens can recollect attending a Milt Tolbert traveling tent show from 1916 until the 1940's. The Milt Tolbert traveling tent shows impacted the entertainment segment of life in Henry County and the surrounding territory for a quarter of a century. Milt Tolbert established his "Milt Tolbert Show" and headquarters on North St. Andrews Street in Dothan, Alabama in 1916 when he moved to Dothan.

The attached image depicts the very.first cast of actors that appeared in the new Milt Tolbert Show in Dothan when "live acting" was common. Milt Tolbert is the man in the hat standing 2nd from the left on the back row. Milt took his traveling show on the road in January of 1917. This.exciting and popular show appeared in every Wiregrass county and town, and later toured throughout the South and up the cast coast. The Milt Tolbert Show became a favorite among Henry County citizens. The show made appearances in Headland with the big show tent being located on the old ice plant lot. Newville was also the site for the Milt Tolbert tent show and Abbeville was host to the show usually on a site near the train depot. The Milt Tolbert Show expanded into three separate traveling tent shows appearing at the same time in different parts of the country.

The traveling show was good advertisement for Dothan and the Wiregrass while traveling across the country. Milt Tolbert died suddenly on Sunday. April 17. 1921.in Athens, Tennessee, while traveling with one of his three shows. His body, accompanied by his wife, was carried to his boyhood home in Greenville. Texas where he was buried on Wednesday. April 20, 1921.

He was survived by his wife of Dothan, who was a sister of W. B. Hale who assumed management of the Milt Tolbert Shows. Headquarters for the Milt Tolbert Shows remained located in Dothan, Alabama until 1928 when the Alabama Legislature passed a law. due to the lobbying efforts of motion picture theater owners, raising.the license fee on tent theater operators where "live" acting was in the spotlight from $2.3 to $300. The Milt Tolbert Shows then left Dothan, but continued touring the Wiregrass into the 1940's.

The Milt Tolbert Shows presented good old fashioned melodrama, continuous vaudeville acts, drama. dancing and singing. all with a veritable galaxy of entertainers.

The show continued to grow with new and better additions over the years under the management of W. B. Hale. The show had a broad array of entertainment: in short. all of one's emotions were stirred at a Milt Tolbert Show.

Acts included pretty girls, comedians. rhythm making orchestras. male and female dancers and singers of all types. radio personalities, western acts and male and female actors of all ages from children to seniors. There was always something appealing for everyone in the audience.

A young Roy Rogers performed his rope tricks with the Milt Tolbert Show during the week of November 19. 1923 in Headland. Roy Rogers later became one of the most famous cowboy western motion picture stars in America. One of the favorite n music native sons of the Wiregrass, Lou Childre of Opp, Alabama, had his introduction into show business while playling and performing with the famed Milt Tolbert Shows during summers while a student attending medical school at the University of Alabama. However after four years of medical classes, Lou opted to follow his first love of music and decided to become a singer. He became a well known country singer and one man act as a member of the Grand Old Oprey in Nashville. He was il Wiregrass and Henry County favorite.

The Milt Tolbert Show Tent grew in size over the years to accommodate a seating capacity of 3,000. Doors opened at 7 pm. The curtain rose at 8 pm. Advance advertisements in local newspapers and over radio stations would alert the area that the show was coming to town. 'The raising of the tent, along with the performers mingling with the town folk instilled excitement of the eminent good times soon to come down the street. The popular shows were well attended. Buddy Hale later replaced his father, W. B. Hale, as the last manager of the Milt Tolbert Show Company.

From prior to WWI. through the great depression and to WWII. the Milt Tolbert Shows brought smiles. laughter. happiness and moments of escapism during those periods of turmoil for Henry County citizens, the Wiregrass and across the South.

Old timers in Henry County and beyond can tell many interesting and tantalizing tales of their experiences of attending a live Milt Tolbert Tent Show. The show seemed to many as if a live New York City Broadway Show was appearing in their small town. Traveling tent theatres were fantastic entertainment exhibitions until the time came to fold the tent for the last time, after new entertainment medius appeared on the scene including improving movie industry and the introduction of television. Milt Tolbert was a show man who created moments of felicity and pleasurable experiences for thousands across the Wiregrass.

Moulton HGTV's Home Town Takeover - Moulton, Alabama

This story started last week when I decided I wanted to revisit the Milt Tolbert traveling tent show which was a Dothan institution from 1916 until 1945. I initially discovered Milt Tolbert about 40 years ago when I met one of Buck Baker's nieces. She mentioned the Milt Tolbert show performing on the Baker Lot which was some property on East Burdeshaw Street near Howell School that the Baker family allowed the people of Dothan to use for recreational purposes. The Baker Lot was Dothan's "Rec Center" until the 1950s.

This link contains more information about the Milt Tolbert tent show. The Tuskaloosa Independent Monitor

Lew Childre got his start with the Milt Tolbert show. This post concerns Lew and his son, Lew Childre, Jr.

Lew Childre, Sr (1901-1961)