The Weaver Brothers and Elviry were musical comedy vaudeville and film performers, in the " hillbilly" style. The group consisted of brothers Leon "Abner" Weaver and Frank "Cicero" Weaver, with June "Elviry" Weaver. The group headlined a traveling vaudeville show with Abner as the master of ceremonies, presenting songs, comedy, dancing, acrobatic acts and barnyard imitations. The act was built around the three performers' comedic personalities. Abner was a loquacious, genial hillbilly who was sharper than he first appears. Cicero was a bashful clown, who only speaks through whistles. Elviry was sharp-tongued and belligerent, with a deadpan comic style. The group also made a series of films for Republic Pictures in the late 1930s and early 40s. Their first film appearance was in the 1938

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

movie '' Swing Your Lady'', starring Humphrey Bogart. They were picked up by Republic, which produced films targeted at rural audiences who were already fans of the Weavers' vaudeville act. Their first Republic picture, 1938's '' Down in 'Arkansaw''', had the Weavers second-billed after

Ralph Byrd Ralph Byrd (April 22, 1909 – August 18, 1952) was an American actor. He was most famous for playing the comic strip character Dick Tracy on screen, in serials, films and television. Early life and career The son of George and Edna ...

; with their second film, the 1939 '' Jeepers Creepers'', they received top billing. After the box office success of ''Jeepers Creepers'', Republic signed a contract with the Weavers for three movies a year for the next two years. The series lasted for eleven films, ending in 1943 with '' Mountain Rhythm''.

History

Leon Weaver began performing in 1902, and then brought his brother Frank into the act. June joined the group in 1913, and married Leon in 1916. June divorced Leon around 1924, and she then married Frank in 1928. June's daughter recalled, "Mother married brothers and they all got along and worked in harmony. Mother still bossed x-hubbyLeon around, and he loved it. He would say, 'Now, Ellie.' They were longtime friends and remained so." They became headliners after

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, and performed with top vaudeville performers like

Al Jolson Al Jolson (born Eizer Yoelson; June 9, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-American Jewish singer, comedian, actor, and vaudevillian. He was one of the United States' most famous and highest-paid stars of the 1920s, and was self-billed ...

George Burns George Burns (born Nathan Birnbaum; January 20, 1896March 9, 1996) was an American comedian, actor, writer, and singer, and one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, radio, film and television. His arched eyebr ...

and

Gracie Allen Grace Ethel Cecile Rosalie Allen (July 26, 1895 – August 27, 1964) was an American vaudevillian, singer, actress, and comedian who became internationally famous as the zany partner and comic foil of husband George Burns, her straight man, ...

Jack Benny Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky, February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974) was an American entertainer who evolved from a modest success playing violin on the vaudeville circuit to one of the leading entertainers of the twentieth century wit ...

and Beatrice Lillie. Elviry's comic catchphrase was, "If I had my druthers, I druther..." All three were versatile musicians. Leon was adept at mandolin, guitar, fiddle and handsaw, while Frank played novelty instruments including a spinning banjo and a

one-man band A one-man band is a musician who plays a number of instruments simultaneously using their hands, feet, limbs, and various mechanical or electronic contraptions. One-man bands also often sing while they perform. The simplest type of "one-man ban ...

. June could play piano, mandolin and ukulele.

Films

* '' Swing Your Lady'' (1938) * '' Down in 'Arkansaw''' (1938) * '' Jeepers Creepers'' (1939) * ''

In Old Missouri ''In Old Missouri'' (1940) is a film starring the hillbilly comedy troupe the Weaver Brothers and Elviry, and released by Republic Pictures.

'' (1940) * '' Grand Ole Opry'' (1940) * '' Friendly Neighbors'' (1940) * ''

Arkansas Judge '' Arkansas Judge '' is a 1941 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Frank McDonald (director), Frank McDonald and starring Roy Rogers, Spring Byington, and Veda Ann Borg. Premise Tom Martel, a judge's son, returns to town out Wes ...

'' (1941) * ''

Mountain Moonlight ''Mountain Moonlight'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Nick Grinde and written by Mauri Grashin, John W. Krafft, Dorrell McGowan and Stuart E. McGowan. The film stars the vaudeville comedy troupe the Weaver Brothers and Elviry, with Be ...

'' (1941) * ''

Tuxedo Junction "Tuxedo Junction" is a popular song written by Erskine Hawkins, Bill Johnson, and Julian Dash with lyrics by Buddy Feyne. The song was introduced by Erskine Hawkins & His Orchestra, a college dance band previously known as the Bama State Collegi ...

'' (1941) * ''

Shepherd of the Ozarks ''Shepherd of the Ozarks'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Frank McDonald and written by Dorrell McGowan and Stuart E. McGowan. The film stars the vaudeville comedy troupe the Weaver Brothers and Elviry, with Marilyn Hare, Frank Alber ...

'' (1942) * '' The Old Homestead'' (1942) * '' Mountain Rhythm'' (1943)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Weaver Brothers And Elviry Vaudeville performers Sibling performing groups American comedy troupes