Two Black Crows

The Two Black Crows was a blackface comedy act popular in the 1920s and 30s. The duo appeared on stage, comedy records, in film shorts, and even on Broadway.

Related Topics:
Blackface - Comedy - Comedy record - Film short - Broadway

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The act, also known as Moran and Mack, was started by Charles Mack (1888-1934). He had two partners, John Swor, and George Moran (1881-1949). Swor left the act, at that time called Moran and Swor and was replaced by Mack and the name of the act changed. Later, after a business dispute with Moran, Mack left and was replaced by Swor, who took the name Mack. The duo was most successful was with the "real" Mack.

Related Topics:
Charles Mack - John Swor - George Moran

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Their greatest success was on phonograph records. Although their gags were mostly corny and the characters slow-witted, the relationship depicted and their laconic delivery made them one of the most successful of comedy teams.

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Even a watermelon joke, the essence of racial stereotyping, took on a certain surrealist air in their hands:

Related Topics:
Watermelon - Surrealist

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:"Wish I had an ice-cold watermelon."

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:"Oh lawdy," says Moran, "Me too."

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:"Wish I had a thousand ice-cold watermelons."

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:"Glory be. I bet if you had a thousand ice cold watermelons you'd give me one."

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:"No, no siree! If you are too lazy to wish for your own watermelons, you ain't gonna get none of mine."

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Once Mack played a blast on his kazoo. "Even if that was good, I wouldn't like it," Moran commented dourly.

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The duo appeared frequently with W.C. Fields and played Broadway in Earl Carrol's Vanities in 1926 and the Ziegfeld Follies in 1920.

Related Topics:
W.C. Fields - Earl Carrol's Vanities - Ziegfeld Follies

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