Eubie Blake

Career overview

Role: Meticulous television and film archivist.
Goal: Write a 180-260 word career overview of Eubie Blake (Acting) based only on provided sources.
Constraints:
Only verifiable facts from the provided SYNOPSIS and SOURCES.
No invented titles, names, dates, awards, ratings, etc.
Original, neutral, encyclopedic prose.
Plain text only (no markdown, no asterisks, no headings, no bullet points).
Length: 180-260 words.
Structure: 2-3 short paragraphs.
Topic: Career overview of Eubie Blake (Acting).
[1] TMDB: Known for Acting. 12 known credits. Gender: Male. Birthday: February 7, 1887. Death: February 12, 1983 (96 years old). Place of Birth: Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Also Known As: James Hu.
[2] TMDB Bio: Born James Hubert Blake in Baltimore, Maryland, on February 7. Died February 12, 1983. Important figure in early 20th-century African American music, contributor to ragtime and early jazz. Began musical journey at age four playing a pump organ. At fifteen, professional musician playing ragtime in a brothel. 1905 moved to NYC. Asked Will Cook to assist in promoting "Sounds of Africa."
[3] Wikipedia: James Hubert "Eubie" Blake (February 7, 1887 – February 12, 1983). American pianist and composer of ragtime, jazz, and popular music. Career began in 1912. During WWI, worked with singer, drummer, and comedian Broadway Jones.
[4] IMDb: Soundtrack: My Girl. Songwriter ("I'm Just Wild About Harry", "You Were Meant For Me", "Memories of You"). Pianist and arranger. Educated at New York University. Studied Schillinger System, Margaret Marshall, and Llewellyn Wilson. Pianist and organist in café.
[5] BroadwayWorld: Actor, Composer, Composer/Lyricist.
[6] Entertainment.ie: General bio info.
Note on "Acting" focus: The prompt asks for a career overview of "Eubie Blake (Acting)". While the sources focus heavily on his music, Source [1] explicitly lists "Acting" under "Known For" and Source [5] lists him as an "Actor".
Paragraph 1: Early Life and Musical Foundation.
James Hubert Blake, also known as Eubie Blake, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on February 7, 1887. He began his musical journey at age four playing a pump organ. By age fifteen, he was a professional musician playing ragtime songs in a brothel. In 1905, he moved to New York City, where he sought assistance from Will Cook to promote his first song, Sounds of Africa. Blake eventually became a professional songwriter after a buyer offered $100 for his work. He was educated at New York University, where he studied the Schillinger System and studied with Margaret Marshall and Llewellyn Wilson.
Paragraph 2: Professional Career and Contributions.
Blake was an American pianist, composer, and arranger of ragtime, jazz, and popular music. He is recognized as a major contributor to early 20th-century African American music and culture. His professional career began in 1912. During World War I, he worked in partnership with Broadway Jones, a singer, drummer, and comedian. His songwriting credits include I'm Just Wild About Harry, You Were Meant For Me, and Memories of You. He also contributed to the soundtrack for My Girl. In addition to his work as a composer and lyricist, Blake is credited with acting and has 12 known credits.