Stars of the AVT #19: Chris McDaniel

This post is one of a series profiling the hundreds of performers I’ve presented through my American Vaudeville Theatre in celebration of its 15th anniversary. Don’t miss the American Vaudeville Theatre’s 15th Anniversary ExTRAVaganza in the New York International Fringe Festival this August!

Eeeee, doggie! I guess the picture above gives you some idea of what Chris McDaniel’s act is all about! He’s a World Champion Trick Roper, bullwhip expert, and does some gun-twirling on the side. He’s also quick to point out he’s also an actor. That’s how he started out, though if you look at his resume, it’s heavy in revivals of shows like Annie Get Your Gun and The Will Rogers Follies, and the “skills” section is just a crazy long list of ridin’, ropin’, shootin’, and so forth. But I’ve seen him perform many a time, and I’m here to tell you that’s not all the cowboy can do. The finish of the act is always a very charming song “Give a Man Enough Rope”, which he sings while jumping in and out of his twirling lasso. Take it from me, it’s a wow finish.

The Louisiana native has done countless rodeos and western style shows and pageants, but he’s also done the Late Show with David Letterman, MTV, Fox News, and News 12 New York. It seems to me he did a smart thing moving to New York. Not that his finely honed Buffalo Bill style persona wouldn’t impress the folks out west (and, not surprisingly he’s portrayed Bill more than once), but just think how unique he is here in NYC. He’s got the market all sewn up! I was lucky enough to present Chris at the New-York Historical Society in 2001, and performed on a a bill with him at the Players Club in 2006. Would I do it again? Hell, yeah!

To learn more about vaudeville past and present, consult No Applause, Just Throw Money: The Book That Made Vaudeville Famous, available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and wherever nutty books are sold.