This vintage real photo postcard features American stage and silent film actress, Anna Laughlin (1885-1937). One of her major claims to fame is that she was the first actress to play Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. She was born in California and began her stage career as a “child elocutionist” (public speaker). At age six, she started acting in vaudeville and later, in touring theater companies. When she was a young teenager, she began appearing on Broadway. In 1900, she was in the Belle of Bohemia and in 1903 she performed in the Wizard of Oz. According to the IBDb, Laughlin appeared in eight Broadway shows between 1900 and 1914. The IMDb reports that Laughlin acted in 14 silent films between 1913 and 1915. She is most well known for her roles in “Northern Lights” (1914), “The Greyhound” (1914), “The Amazing Mr. Fellman” (1915) and “What Happened to Father” (1915). She quit show business in 1915 to focus on raising her daughter. Laughlin was married in 1904 (age about 19) to a jeweler. She was widowed in 1925. Laughlin’s daughter became a noted singer. Anna Laughlin died by suicide in 1937. Her cause of death was gas poisoning. She turned the gas on in her apartment because she was very depressed about being estranged from her daughter. They had previously been very close. According to the IMDb, the following words were found in her three page suicide note. “This is good-bye. People are dreadful. I love my child. I have given all I have in the world to put her where she is now … Lucy is never coming back. I am so afraid. Where did I fail?” This postcard was published in Germany by NPG (Neue Photographische Gesellschaft) as part of a series (no.1098). A. G. Steglitz is also listed as a publisher. The postcard is an “Oranotypie” and was published in 1904. An oranotype is a trade name for a type of glossy real photo postcard published by NPG. The company was a leading bromide photo printing company for many years at the beginning of the 20th century. This card has a French stamp and was postmarked in 1907. SOLD
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