This cabinet card features actress Maude Durbin. Isaacc Marcosson in his book Adventures in Interviewing (1919) described Durbin as “a lovely and gracious actress representing in character and purpose the highest type of her profession”. Durbin was also known as an author. She was from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and made her debut with Helen Modjeska’s theater company. She married actor Otis Skinner and and was the mother of actress Cornelia Otis Skinner. This image comes from the B. F. Devinney studio in Moberly, Missouri.
THEATER ACTRESS L. MAUDE DURBIN IN MOBERLY, MISSOURI
PORTRAIT OF AN ACTRESS NAMED JENNIE (PHOTOGRAPH BY MARC GAMBIER)
This cabinet card was produced by New York City photographer Marc Gambier and features stage actress Miss Jennie Elhorn? (Elkorn?, Elborn?). Initial research revealed no information about actresses with any of these three names. It is only an assumption that the subject of this photograph is an actress. The notion that she is a theatrical performer was derived from the “look” of the image and the fact that Gambier was known for his stage actress photographs. To view other photographs by Gambier, and to learn more about him, click on the category “Photographer: Gambier”.
ALLURING YOUNG WOMAN LETS HER HAIR DOWN IN NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK
The pretty and vivacious looking young woman in this photograph has been assigned a number of adjectives by observers. She has been described as exotic, lusty, beautiful, seductive and alluring. She is unidentified but is likely a performer (dancer, singer, actress). The photograph may be considered somewhat risque for its time. The image is a product of La Marseillaise Photo Studio which was located on Lexington Avenue in New York City, New York.
FRANCES EVERETT: THEATER ACTRESS PORTRAIT (NEWSBOY SERIES: 1891)
This Newsboy cabinet card features a portrait of actress, Frances Everett. The photograph is number 329 of a series of images published by Newsboy to distribute as a premium with their tobacco products. The photograph was taken by B. J. Falk and has a copyright of 1891. The cabinet card has a stamp from the Theatral (Theatrical?) Photo. Company of New York City. Miss Everett holds a string instrument (mandolin?) and is dressed in a rather risque costume for her era. She is also wearing a great smile. Preliminary research found no biographical information about Miss Everett or the Theatral Photo Company.
ALICE VIVIAN: THEATER ACTRESS SHOWS A LOT OF LEG IN NEWSBOY PHOTOGRAPH
This cabinet card photograph features actress Alice Vivian and it is number 74 in a series of photographs distributed as premiums for the purchase of Newsboy tobacco products. This image is certainly risque for the era that it was produced. She is certainly displaying a lot of leg. Miss Vivian appears to be one of the pioneers of early burlesque. She is holding a stringed instrument which I believe to be a mandolin. A stamp on the reverse of this photograph indicates that it once belonged to Culver Pictures, which was located at 60 First Avenue in New York City. Culver loaned photographs to media companies to utilize in their publications. Culver charged the companies for one time usage of the images. Preliminary research uncovered no information about Alice Vivian. To view other photographs by Newsboy, click on the category “Photographer: Newsboy”.
THEATER ACTRESS HENRIETTA CROSMAN (PORTRAIT BY SARONY)
Henrietta Crosman was a renowned American stage and film actress and she is captured beautifully in this cabinet card photographed by Napoleon Sarony. To learn more about Sarony, a famous celebrity photographer, click on the category “Photographer: Sarony”. Sarony’s subject, Miss Crosman was born In West Virginia. Her father was a civil war Major and her mother was the niece of composer Stephen Foster. She was educated in several locations as her father was stationed in a number of posts while pursuing his military career. She began acting in New York City when she joined a local theater company in 1883. Her next experience with a theater company included a national tour. In 1889 she performed Shakespeare for the first time. She performed at the Daly Theater. In the 1890’s she joined Daniel Frohman’s stock company. She excelled in adventure romances and popular drawing farces. By 1900, she had reached stardom. Her appearances included roles in such plays as “As You Like It” (1902), “Sweet Kitty Bellairs” (1903), and “The Real Thing” (1911). Crosman avoided motion pictures until 1914. She then signed a deal with Adolph Zukor’s Famous Players. Her husband, Maurice Campbell became a noted director. Crosman appeared in both silent films and “talkies”. She was in a total of 22 films between 1914 and 1937 including “Charlie Chan’s Secret” (1936),
STAGE ACTRESS NANETTE NIXON IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
This cabinet card features stage actress Nanette Nixon. She is wearing a flower pattern dress with a lace collar. Nixon’s photograph appeared in The Sunday Telegraph (1898) and the text describes her as “soulful and able as an actress”. The brief article reports that theatre goers in New York were looking forward to her upcoming appearances there. Interestingly, the photograph in the Telegraph was taken by the same photographer who produced the photograph appearing on this cabinet card. The photographer of this image is William Mckenzie Morrison whose studio was located in the Haymarket Theatre building in Chicago, Illinois. Morrison was a well known and successful celebrity photographer. The reverse of the photograph is illustrated with medals from the Columbian Exposition in Chicago (1893), Photographers Association of America (1894), The Cotton States and International Exposition (1895), and various other competitions. To view other photographs by Morrison, click on the category “Photographer: Morrison”.
PRETTY WOMAN WITH CURLS IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA (PORTRAIT OF AUSTRIAN THEATER ACTRESS JOSEPHINE WESSELY)
A pretty woman poses for her portrait in the studio of Dr Szekely in Vienna, Austria. The woman has an unusual hair style. Her hair seems to be straight on top of her head and she has beautiful curls on the side. The reverse of the photograph identifies the subject as Austrian theater actress Josephine Wessely (1860-1887). Wessely was born in Vienna and the daughter of a shoemaker. She began drama school at age fourteen and had her debut in “Intrigue and Love” in 1876 at the Leipzig City Theater. In 1879 she became a member of the Burgtheater ensemble. She was known for playing juvenile tragic roles and gained recognition for playing Gretchen in Goethe’s “Faust”. Wessely died at 27 years of age. The cause of her death is suspected to be leukemia. Printing on the reverse of the card reveals that Dr Szekely won medals for his photography in exhibitions in Vienna (1873) and Paris (1878). To learn more about Dr Szekely and to view more of his photographs, click on the category “Photographer: Szekely”.
ACTRESS HOLDS THEATER MASK ALOFT IN NICE, FRANCE
This cabinet card photograph captures a young woman holding a theater (carnival) mask. It is very likely that this smiling woman is an actress and that she is wearing a theater costume. Her dress is very unique and interesting. Hoperfully, some of the fashion informed visitors to the cabinet card gallery will leave commentary about the subject’s attire. The cabinet card gallery is fortunate to have so many visitors willing to leave interesting and educational comments. This photograph was produced by A. Regis who operated a gallery in Nice, France.
ISABELLE URQUHART: COMIC OPERA AND MUSICAL COMEDY STAR (PHOTOGRAPH BY NEWSBOY)
This cabinet card features actress Isabelle Urquhart (1865-1907). She was an American stage actress and contralto who appeared in mostly comic operas and musical comedies. Urquhart was born in New York City and claimed to have been educated in a convent. She made her first stage appearance in 1881. She performed as a chorus girl at the Standard Theatre in New York City. She than appeared in a number of small roles. From 1882 through 1883 she joined Augustin Daly’s company and acted in productions including “The Passing Regiment” and “The Squire”. In the latter production she was only seventeen years of age but played a ninety-seven year old woman. She returned to light opera because of it’s better compensation although she stated she preferred legitimate drama to comic opera. She had much success in major roles in light operas including in the hit operetta “Erminine” which ran from 1886 through 1888 at the Casino Theatre. She also had success in other productions by luminaries such as Gilbert and Sullivan. In her leading lady role in “Erminine”, she started a fashion trend by not wearing petticoats in order “to accentuate her gorgeous figure”. Urquhart later appeared in vaudeville. Blue Vaudeville (2004) states that in a sketch at the Union Square Theatre, she “did little more than display her form in a handsome gown to the utmost advantage”. Urquhart also performed in several Broadway plays including “The Diplomat” (1902), “Arms and the Man” (1906), and “How He Lied to Her Husband”. This cabinet card was published by Newsboy and was number one i a series of photographs that were distributed as a premium accompanying tobacco sales.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 