By David Cain
Author’s Note: In 2015, I introduced the juggling world to Ollie Young, an important and innovative juggler who had been almost completely forgotten. In 2025, I was contacted by an attorney who lived in Columbus, Ohio, Ollie Young’s hometown. He told me that his great uncle had been a very close friend to Ollie’s widow and that she had left him all of Ollie’s scrapbooks from throughout his career. The attorney was now in possession of these scrapbooks and wanted to know if I would want them. I obviously said that I was very interested. I took possession of them in September of 2025 and was amazed at all of the information and all the photos they held. So, this will be the third of three articles detailing the information I’ve discovered about this important juggling innovator.
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After performing as a solo juggler, as a duo with William Everhart and then with his brother Dewitt Young, and with three employees as Ollie Young and Brothers, Ollie Young’s life changed dramatically in 1908. The 33-year-old Ollie married 20-year old Adah Bedford, by all accounts a stunningly beautiful and charming young woman. She began to learn the skills of her husband right away, but did not immediatelybf join the act. Ollie Young and Brothers continued to perform, during which time Ollie developed a new act with Adah, now known as April. In 1909, “Ollie Young and April” debuted the act that would set them apart from other acts and which they would do for the next 38 years. It was the blowing, manipulating, and juggling of soap bubbles. While the couple continued to perform hoop rolling, diabolo, and boomerang throwing, it was their work with soap bubbles that mesmerized audiences and brought them true fame. By 1910, Ollie and his “Brothers” finished up their contracts and from that point on, it was Ollie and April as a duo. Reviews of their act, which can be read below, were consistently very positive and usually included some comment on April’s beauty.
“Ollie Young and April, “Novelty Manipulators,” appearing at the Majestic Theater, presented what is undoubtedly the most unique vaudeville feature ever produced at this popular theater. The act opens with some clever pieces of hoop rolling, Young and three brothers having been the first to present the hoop rolling act to the American audience – needless to say that part of the act is good. The greatest feature consists in scientific soap bubble blowing and the juggling of the bubbles; astounding the audience with the uniqueness and cleverness. A good exhibition of diabolo playing also tends to make the act the headliner that it is on any bill. The costuming of the couple, their classy appearance and at “homeness” on the stage going a long way to finish off the success of the act. Miss April’s remarkable beauty of the pronounced blonde style, adds a tone to the act that fits its high class. Young and April come to the Majestic direct from the Grand Opera House, Pittsburgh.” Beaver, PA 1910
“Bubbles, frail things at their best, form a good part of the Bell Theater’s bill this week. Ollie Young and April disprove the ancient belief that an act is only as strong as the details making it up. For here have we bubbles, soap bubbles as the feature of the “stunt” and the audience has a delightful time watching them. Young and April do almost everything with bubbles but make a diet of them. They Juggle with the elusive things cut then in twain, decorate their Interior with cigarette smoke, send them scooting over the house and start them on a merry bounce down the chutes. It is a darkening back to kid days, this soapy act, but it bubbles over with novelty, and that’s a great thing in these days of vaudeville. The team also prove adept at the scientific game of diabolo and add a new thing or two to a large collection in the performer’s box of tricks.” Oakland, CA 1912
“There is a scientific way to blow soap “bubbles” and Ollie Young and April show how it is done. They also display great skill in diabolo, juggle furniture, and introduce rolling hoops, making them twist and turn apparently at will.” San Francisco 1912
“A distinct novelty will be presented by Ollie Young and April. April, by the way, is a bewitching girl who assists Mr. Young in a scientific soap bubble juggling and diabolo act. There is some boomerang throwing and hoop but the bubble feature is the incident which has made the specialty one of the most talked about acts of the season.” Allentown, PA 1913
“Next were Ollie Young and Adah April, “novelty manipulators” of bubbles. They make soap bubbles do all kinds of unheard of stunts. They roll and bounce them all over the stage, as though the bubbles were made out of rubber. Ollie and Adah also have a booth where they sell their bubble ingredients between acts.” Bangor, Maine 1913
“Ollie Young, the fanciful juggler, assisted by his pretty and graceful feminine partner, April, offer a real novelty. They specialize in bubble blowing, and make the soap bubbles perform the most amazing tricks imaginable. When the exhibition closes the stage is filled with rolling and floating bubbles, the picture being a gorgeous one.” Richmond, VA 1917
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In Ollie’s previous acts, he was the star. However, this wasn’t the case with the act with his wife. April (Adah) was definitely the focus. Many articles on the duo barely mention him and often only show photos or illustrations of April. Mentions of her beauty were very common.
Ollie and April continued to perform for close to four decades. They toured Europe twice, but mostly stayed in the United States. At one time Ollie was part owner of the B. F. Keith Theater. He was one of the founders of the National Vaudeville Artists Union and was a member of that organization’s board of directors. Ollie and April were well known for their charitable work with the underprivileged in the Columbus, Ohio area, where Ollie lived his entire life. Ollie also produced shows, including several of the late Ziegfeld Follies, both on the Winter Garden Roof and in the New Amsterdam Theater in New York City, NY. The couple retired from performing in 1937. Ollie enjoyed gardening and playing the piano in his retirement, while April became acclaimed at making recreations of famous oil paintings.
April watching Ollie play piano in 1936
April with her recreation of Gainsborough’s “The Blue Boy” in 1945
Ollie passed away in 1946 and April followed him in 1959. They had no children.
David Cain
David Cain is a professional juggler, juggling historian, and the owner of the world's only juggling museum, the Museum of Juggling History. He is a Guinness world record holder and 16 time IJA gold medalist. In addition to his juggling pursuits, David is a successful composer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and singer as well as the author of twenty-six books. He and his children live in Middletown, OH (USA).