The Stubbins Brothers

A rare photo of the Stubbins Brothers performing before a packed house on the Canadian Tour of the Stubbins Brothers Revue, 10 August, 1912. Norbert and Philbert Stubbins were considered among the greatest entertainers of their day and were often billed as "The Kings of Jesters and Jesters To Kings," although no record can be found of their actually performing for royalty.

Although their career shone brightly, attending some of the grandest parties and rubbing elbows with the biggest names in Vaudeville, it burned out quickly. The brothers increasingly argued over their billing and who was the more popular and therefore driving force of the act. Members of the "Revue" constantly complained of not getting their fair cut of the profits and having to endure Norbert's frequent drunken rages and opium smoking and Philbert's drunken sexual advances. The brothers broke up the act and went their separate ways in 1915. Norbert did an extensive tour of Europe which was more noteworthy for his drunken brawls and being thrown out of opium houses for exposing himself than for his act and Philbert was shivved to death in a brawl with George Burns over who could hold their breath longer, in 1920.