Hugh J. McDougal
actor, piper; commercial recording exists
b. County Leitrim, Ireland 1878
d. Chicago, Illinois Dec. 25, 1944
From The Book of Brennan by James E. Brennan [circa 1920?] "Published by Philly Piper - Copyright 2013" Preface by Chris "Doc" O'Melvin, the publisher. p. 38
This photo was also used to advertise a performance of McDougal and Shannon in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Feb. 27-28, 1921
Hugh J. McDougal was a theatrical man, an actor, singer and vaudevillian. He was active from about 1911 to 1925, when his performance activities appear to have abruptly ceased. During that time he tried several different ways to succeed in show business, few with much success. In this he showed persistence, perhaps a kind of creativity.
His longest-lived effort was a two-person vaudeville act, "McDougal and Shannon," 1915-24. McDougal acted, played pipes and probably sang. His partner was a female violinist and dancer. At least two women played the part of "Shannon," Madge Shannon at first and later Mary Ellen McDonough. Early on McDougal and Shannon performed the skit, "The Old Neighborhood," which had been around for years and earlier performed 1900-08 by comedian James Callahan and piper Charles Mack. In later years McDougal and Shannon played a skit, "Glimpse of Old Erin." They toured regularly though not incessantly around the country on vaudeville circuits, and in 1919-20 were in a touring company associated with the motion picture "Ireland a Nation." They played on the radio at least once, station WIP, Philadelphia, March 21, 1924.
Hugh Joseph McDougal was born in County Leitrim in 1878 to Thomas and Mary ORiley McDougal. Hugh, with at least his mother and sister Maria, immigrated to the United States in 1881, or more likely 1888. He was naturalized in New York City in 1899. In the 1900 US Census Hugh's mother is listed as Widowed and Hugh's occupation is Bartender.
In 1918, when he was 40 years old, McDougal was obliged to fill out a US Military Draft registration card. Of his appearance: "Tall, medium or short? Tall Slender, medium or Stout? Medium Color of eyes? brown Color of hair? black"
Earliest musical reference to McDougal is in New York City, May, 1911, playing pipes at a concert. In 1912-14 he was touring the eastern United States in the company of a stage play "Rollicking Shannon."
For an apparent brief time in 1913 he toured with the above mentioned James Callahan, playing pipes in a version of "The Old Neighborhood." Here he used the stage name Hugh Mack. Most of his career he went by Hugh J. McDougal, but occasionally he assumed Hugh or Hughie Mack. This generated some confusion, for McDougal was working at the same time as Charles Mack, a more successful vaudeville piper, and McDougal's career also overlapped with the end of the career of Hugh or Hughie Mack, a silent film actor.
He remained in New York City at least through 1925. He played at local balls, benefits, entertainments, contests, and for a summer at Coney Island. He advertised his services as performer and player, and in 1923 ran ads offering "lessons given on Irish Pipes. Step Dancing taught." He was leading man in The Killarney Four, a group of "comedy artists."
McDougal lived in New York City in an era of great Irish-music activity. Some of the top-notch players active then are remembered today and regarded as influential contributors to a musical tradition. Pat Touhey, Michael Coleman, James Morrison. Around them radiated lesser-known players, perhaps less talented. Michael J. Gallagher, Francis X. Hennessy, for examples. McDougal was on the fringe of these groups. Some events seemed to have powerful line-ups of performers, and in such cases McDougal, if present, was usually listed near the end. For example, the Michael Carney Association held their twelfth annual entertainment and ball October 11, 1918 with a remarkable list of players, including Touhey, Coleman and Morrison. "McDougle" is listed last, in a pipes duet with piper Eddie Burke.
McDougal seemed to have interest in the fate of his home country. He took part in presenting and "bringing out" a three-reel motion picture, "War-Torn Ireland" in 1921. This was what would today be called a documentary; scenes from the Irish War of Independence (1919-21). It was shown a few times, often with a musical program.
In 1924, as Hughie J. Mack, he recorded a 78 record for the Gennett label. McDougal played pipes, Dean Hutton (or Newton) of the Zeigfield Follies was vocalist, and Frank O'Neill of the Irish Club of N. Y. C. was pianist. The group was called Dean and Mack on the record label.
Two photographs of McDougal show him holding a left-handed set of pipes made in the Taylor style. It has a double bass regulator. Earliest known appearance of either image is April, 1920, although the photos could have been taken years earlier. Presumably this is the same instrument Jas. A. Hayden writes of in June 1921, "His bagpipes is the finest instrument we have ever seen of its kind, it was bought in Chicago recently for one thousand dollars." In September of that year McDougal ran ads offering to sell a full set of pipes. The same one? In the 1923 ads advertising his services, McDougal makes reference to his "$1,000 Irish Organ Pipes." Francis O'Neill, the noted Chicago Irish music collector, was aware of this set, if the same one. In a 1923 letter to Henry Mercer of Pennsylvania, who was looking for a set to buy, O'Neill writes of a set owned by Hugh McDougal, 'said to be of superior finish, and the last set made by "Billy" Taylor of Philadelphia a noted piper and maker of pipes, just before his death. ... The price on this set is placed at $40000 [equivalent to about $5,600 in 2015] I am making no recommendations - Just stating facts as reported to me.' Mercer did not buy. In 1924 McDougal, as Hughie J. Mack, told Presto The American Music Trade Weekly that he had "what he considers the most famous set of Irish bagpipes in the United States. Mack received the pipes from the Musical Society of Dublin." The whereabouts of this set, or sets, is unknown.
The last mention of McDougal in New York State was in September, 1925. He was "opening the Hollywood Ballroom, South Broadway, near Getty Square, Yonkers...." The implication was that he would be proprietor or manager. Nothing more has been found about this effort.
Between the Hollywood Ballroom opening, 1925, and an obituary from 1945, about 19 years later, almost nothing. McDougal died in Chicago, 66 years old, Christmas Day 1944. He may have lived in Chicago the last fifteen years of his life. If so, he did not have much impact, if any, on the pipers and Irish musicians in Chicago. Lawrence E. McCullough, who has done a great deal of research about Chicago Irish musicians in this era, does not mention him, for example.
A 1930 US Census entry has a Hugh McDougal in Chicago as a roomer in a house with "26 lodgers," occupation "Actor Stage." Perhaps this is him. McDougal's death certificate has "Usual Occupation Salesman Industry or business News Co". Barry O'Neill's notebook says ' "Hughie Mack", ran newstand in Chicago,' with no source or attribution.
The Certificate of Death gives "Full Name Hugo McDougal alias Hugo Mack." He is buried in Mount Carmel Cemetery, Cook County, Illinois. The grave is unmarked.
Selected References
"At the Garrick" [James Callahan and Hugh Mack] Wilmington [DE] Morning News Dec. 3, 1913 p. 14 column 2 ad p. 8 column 1
Newspapers.com
"The Final Curtain" [obituary] Billboard Feb. 1, 1945 p. 34 column 2
GoogleBooks
"Great Irish Music Festival" NY Irish American Advocate April 22, 1911 p. 8 column 6
New York NY Irish American Advocate 1911 - 0579
Hayden, Jas. A. "Visit From Prof. Hugh McDougal." ["War-Torn Ireland"] NY Advocate June 11, 1921 p. 3 column 3
New York NY Irish American Advocate 1919-1921 - 1098.pdf
"Hear the Latest and Greatest Irish Novel Record" [Dean and Mack] NY Advocate July 26, 1924 p. 8 column 3
New York NY Irish American Advocate 1922-1924 - 1201.pdf
"Irish Cabaret Continuous Entertainment" [at Coney Island] NY Advocate July 4, 1925 p. 8 column 2
New York NY Irish American Advocate 1925-1927 - 0280.pdf
"Irish Music Furnished for all occasions. Lessons given on Irish Pipes." [$1,000 set of pipes] NY Advocate Feb. 17, 1923 p. 6 column 1
New York NY Irish American Advocate 1922-1924 - 0544.pdf
"An Irish Treat This Friday Evening" [Michael Carney Association] NY Advocate Oct. 12, 1918 p. 2 column 3
New York NY Irish American Advocate 1916-1918 - 1249.pdf
McCullough, Lawrence E. Irish Music in Chicago: an ethnomusicological study PhD dissertation, University of Pittsburgh, 1978 408 p.
"McDougal and Shannon in 'A Breath of Old Erin,' " [photo of McDougal and Shannon] Greenfield [MA] Recorder April 5, 1920 p. 3 column 2
Greenfield MA Recorder 1920 - 0599.pdf
"McDougal & Shannon Parts Stage Company" NY Advocate Dec. 30, 1922 p. 7 column 2
New York NY Irish American Advocate 1922-1924 - 0483.pdf
O'Neill, Barry, notebook no. 2, early 1970s, p. 51 "Hugh MacDougall, theatrical man"
O'Neill, Francis letter to Henry Mercer May 7, 1923 From the Collection of the Mercer Museum Library of the Bucks County Historical Society, Doylestown, PA.
"Owns Famous Bagpipes." Presto The American Music Trade Weekly Oct. 4, 1924 p. 18 column 3
https://presto.arcade-museum.com/PRESTO-1924-1993/PRESTO-1924-1993-18.pdf
"Prof. M. J. Carney's Benefit Entertainment" [Killarney Four] NY Advocate April 19, 1919 p. 6 column 2
New York NY Irish American Advocate 1919-1921 - 0157.pdf
"Prof. McDougal Opens Ballroom in Yonkers" NY Advocate Sep. 19, 1925 p. 2 column 5
New York NY Irish American Advocate 1925-1927 - 0374.pdf
" 'Rollicking Shannon,' Irish Play, with John O'Donnell as Star." Rochester [NY] Democrat-Chronicle Nov. 10, 1912 p. 23 column 4
Rochester NY Democrat Chronicle 1912 - 7681.pdf
Spottswood, Richard K. Ethnic Music on Records: a discography of ethnic recordings produced in the United States, 1892 to 1942 University of Illinois Press 1990 Vol. 5 at p. 2750. Dean and Mack. Dean Newton, tenor; Hughie J. Mack, bagpipe; Frank O'Neal, piano, recorded in New York June 9, 1924. Gennett # 5487, matrix #s 8915-A and 8916-A
Nick Whitmer
August 2018, addition Nov. 2022