Arthur "Dooley" Wilson, a 56-year-old African-American actor and singer, earned a significant place in film history with his iconic piano-playing scene in the 1942 film Casablanca. Born Arthur Wilson in Tyler, Texas, his exact year of birth was debated, listed as either 1886 or 1894, with his grave marker confirming 1886. At the age of 12, he began performing in minstrel shows, later becoming a fixture in black theater in Chicago and New York.
He received the nickname "Dooley" while working at the Pekin Theatre in Chicago, due to his signature Irish song "Mr. Dooley," which he performed in whiteface as an Irishman. Wilson showcased his musical talents in various forms, as a vaudevillian, drummer, and jazz band leader, entertaining audiences in both the United States and Europe during the 1920s.
