(1) Obituary: Gus Phillips (1838-1893)
Gus Phillips, better known as "Oofty Goofty," the Dutch comedian.....
(see attached obituary).
Source: The New York Times, New York, N.Y., April 9, 1893
(2) Augustus G. Phillips.
Augustus G. Phillips, known as “Gus” Phillips and “Oofty Goofty,” died in this city yesterday. He was born in the Seventeenth ward in this city in 1838. He was a scholar in Public School No. 14, and Leonard Hazeltine, who was for many years the principal, encouraged his talent as a speaker of dialect. The district was then almost exclusively inhabited by Germans, and young Phillips, from boyhood, successfully mimicked their broken English. His father was a builder and he wanted Phillips to become a business man, but the boy contracted the stage fever. At the outbreak of the war he joined the Fifth regiment, New York Volunteer, Duryea’s Zouaves and was made lieutenant. After the war he was a correspondent of the Albany Star, a Tweed lobbyist and a member of the famous Americus Club. He appeared in his play termed “Oofty Goofty” at the Grand Opera House in 1874, but was a failure as an actor, and subsequently he bought a saloon in Twenty-Eight street, near Broadway. When the law against pool selling was enforced he retired from the business. His dialect verses were formerly popular, and many were set to music. On January 24, 1879, Phillips quarreled with Mary D. Hooper at their flat, No. 142 West Sixteenth Street, and was shot by her. He nearly died in the New York hospital. He is said to have married her in November following, and for several years they traveled with Augustin Daly’s play of “Under the Gaslight,” playing as Snorkey, while his wife played as Mrs. Van Dame. She subsequently sued him for divorce. For several years Phillips had retired from public life.
Source: The New York Herald, New York, New York, Saturday, April 8, 1893; Pg. 3
