A. Robins -- The Original Banana Man

Adolph Proper (c. 1886 - Dec. 17, 1950) used A. Robins as his stage name to prevent his parents being embarrassed. His father, a textile wholesaler, thought entertainment was not a respectable occupation. Robins began as a chalktalk artist while a teenager in Austria. He selected Robins because it was similar to the name of his favorite artist, Rubens, and because it is pronounced the same in different languages. As a joke, he said, "Robins is a Proper name."

Robins toured the world, and didn't use any spoken comedy to avoid translation problems. His vocalization was all abstract sounds and laughter. In 1928, he appeared before King George V and Queen Mary. He also gave a private show for the Duke of Windsor and two guests. He made his home in the United States in 1911. He entertained American Presidents including President Roosevelt and his family.

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