Linda Deitz poses for this cabinet card portrait by famed celebrity photographer, Sarony of New York City. Deitz was a well known American actress in the 1870’s and 1880’s. She was photographed a great deal but her theatrical career was of only about ten years duration. She made her stage debut replacing actress Fanny Davenport in a production at Daly’s 5th Avenue Theatre. View Ms Davenport’s cabinet card image under the category of Actresses located on this site. In 1879 a theatre column in the New York Times announced that Deitz was being cast as a leading lady. The critic reported that the decision “does not strike us as very happy”. The article goes on to describe her as a respectful actress within a limited range of parts but “she can scarcely hope to fulfill worth the severe duties of a leading lady”. Later that year, Linda Deitz left New York to join the Hare and Kendal theatre company at St. James Theatre in London. Deitz died in 1920.
LINDA DEITZ: STAGE ACTRESS INSULTED BY THE NEW YORK TIMES (1879)
RISQUE THEATRE ACTRESS SYLVIA GERRISH
Sylvia Gerrish (1858-1906) is the subject of this Cabinet Card published by Newsboy. The photograph of the noted comic opera actress and singer was a premium given to users of Newsboy Tobacco products. Sylvia Gerrish was a stage beauty noted in the United States as well as England. She was born in California, sang in her church choir and came to New York and pursued the theatre life. Millionaire Henry Hilton became enamored of her and sacrificed his marriage and fortune to be with her. The story of their relationship was extensively covered by the newspapers of the time. Gerrish ended up dying in poverty.
Marie Tempest: English Singer and Actress
Marie Temptest (1864-1942) was a famous soprano in late Victorian light opera and Edwardian musical comedies. She later became a a leading comic actress. She toured in North America and other parts of the world. She was also a significant force behind the founding of the actors union Actors’ Equity in England. She was born in London, England and educated in Belgium. Her later musical education took place in Paris and London. She had her debut in 1885 in the operetta Boccaccio in London. After a few years in other performances, she performed on Broadway over a three year span. She was in numerous productions including The Tyrolean, and The Fencing Master. She was considered on the few rivals to Lillian Russell. Tempest was a difficult star but mellowed in middle age. She was a very active actress and performed in numerous productions over the years. She was created a Dame Commander of the British Empire in 1937. The top Cabinet Cafd was photographed by famous celebrity photographer Falk, of New York City. The bottom Cabinet Card was produced by A. Bassano of London, England.
BIJOU HERON: BEAUTIFUL AMERICAN STAGE ACTRESS
This Cabinet Card presents the image of American stage actress Bijou Heron (1863-1937). She was the daughter of composer Robert August Stoepel and actress Matilda Heron. She began her career as a child. She married Broadway producer, writer, actor, and director, Henry Miller (1858-1926). Her son, Gilbert Miller became a very successful Broadway producer. The photograph was published for the Union Square Theatre Company. The photographic studio was Bradley & Rulofson in San Francisco, California. The reverse of the card indicates that the studio has the only “Elevator Photography” in the world. Perhaps a visitor to this site can explain the meaning of “Elevator Photography”. Research reveals that in 1872 the partners installed what they claimed to be the first hydraulic elevator ever to be associated with a photographic studio. The elevator cost them four thousand dollars. Henry William Bradley (1813-1891) and his partner William Rulofson (1826-1876) were partners in a photographic studio that photographed many notable Californians. Bradley was born in Wilmington, North Carolina, and grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. He opened his San Francisco studio in 1850 and took in his partner in 1860. When he retired in 1878 his studio was considered the best on the west coast and won first prize at the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia in 1876. Mr Rulofson had quite a controversial and interesting life and associated with many famous people including Ambrose Bierce. Rulofson died in a fall from the roof of his studio and was heard to say during the descent, “I am killed”. You can view a second cabinet card of an actress by these photographers by clicking on the category “Photographer: Bradley & Rulofson”. Ms. Heron is dressed in costume for this portrait. It is likely that she was appearing in San Francisco with a touring company from the Union Square Theatre. The costume that she is wearing is one that she wore in the play “The Two Orphans” in which she appeared with actress Maud Harrison circa 1880. This cabinet card indicates that Bijou Heron was a strikingly beautiful woman.
MABEL EATON: STAGE ACTRESS AT THE HAYMARKET THEATRE IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
This Cabinet Card is an image of stage actress Mabel Eaton. Eaton’s appearances on Broadway in New York City included the productions of “Diplomacy” (1892) and “Woman and Wine” (1900). She appeared in many stage productions in Chicago and New York City. She appeared in Shakespeare productions. She was married to prominent stage and film star, William Farnum (1876-1953). An 1893 edition of the New York Times reported that her hotel room (Ashland House) was robbed while she was appearing in “Diplomacy” at the Fifth Avenue Theater. Eaton also appeared in a short silent film (1914). In 1916, Eaton died in Chicago, Illinois. The photographer of this Cabinet Card is celebrity photographer Morrison, located in the Haymarket Theatre. The Haymarket Theatre opened in 1887 as a legitimate playhouse with seating for an audience of 2,475. By 1896, it became a vaudeville house and between 1916 and 1932 the theatre was one of Chicago’s best known burlesque houses. Between 1932 and 1948, the Haymarket became a second-run movie theater and it was condemned in 1949. William Morrison began his photography business in 1889 at the Haymarket. He was born in Detroit in 1857 and educated in Chicago’s public schools and at the Metropolitan Business College. The New York Times reported in 1892 that there was a fire at the Haymarket that badly damaged offices, saloons and stores in the building. The article states that Morrison’s business had the worst damage of all the businesses, while the theatre itself only suffered water damage. Morrison’s studio lost 37,000 negatives. In 1899 he moved his business to the Champlain Building.
LILY HANBURY: ENGLISH THEATRE ACTRESS
Lily Hanbury (1874-1908) appears on this Cabinet Card by Sarony of New York City. Sarony was one of the celebrated photographers of Theater Stars of the day. Hanbury was an English Stage Performer. She was born and educated in London. Her theatrical debut was in 1888 when she appeared in W. S. Gilbert’s “Pygmalion and Galatea” at the Savoy Theatre. She played on most major English stages and in such productions as “The Three Musketeers”, “The Stranger”, “Lights O London”, and Ibsen’s “Enemy of the People”. She became very popular with her performances in Shakespeare, acting in plays under the management of both Wilson Barrett and Beerbohm Tree. Tragicially, Hanbury lost her life at a young age when she died of complications after delivering a still-born baby. She was cremated and buried in the Jewish Cemetery at Willieden, England.
ODETTE TYLER: THEATER ACTRESS AND DAUGHTER OF A CONFEDERATE GENERAL
This Cabinet Card is a photograph of actress Odette Tyler (1869-1936) and it is photographed by famed celebrity photographic studio, the Pach Brothers. Tyler appeared in many productions including “The Love Route” (1906) which appeared on Broadway. She was an American actress and comedienne. She worked for Charles Frohman and was a member of a number of theater companies including the Madison Square Company (1884-1885). She authored a book, “Boss: A Story of Virginia Life”. Tyler was born Elizabeth Kirkland in Savannah, Georgia. Tyler’s father was a West Point graduate and served as a Confederate General during the Civil War (General William Kirkland). Odette Tyler is quite pretty in this image and her feathered hat can be described as elaborate. To view other photographs by this studio, click on the category “Photogapher: Pach Bros.”.
YOLANDE WALLACE: THEATER ACTRESS WHOSE ONLY REDEEMING ACTING QUALITY WAS HER “GOOD LOOKS”
Yolande Wallace is the subject of this Cabinet Card photographed by J. H. Melrose of New York City, New York. Wallace was a stage actress and singer whose early appearances included a period with actor Henry E. Dixey. Her appearances on Broadway included “Little Christopher Columbus” (1894), “The French Maid” (1897), and “The Show Girl” (1902). In 1894 the New York Times critic panned “Little Christopher Columbus” and stated that he wished Sherlock Holmes was still alive so he could find out who could have been clapping at the shows dreadful first performance. The critic also penned that Wallace, in her role of “Guinevere”, offered only one redeeming quality and that was her “good looks”.
JEWISH COUPLE, REPORTEDLY BRODER SINGERS (YIDDISH) IN BRODY, UKRAINE
This Cabinet card featuring a well dressed couple, offers a bit of mystery. The last owner of this card states that this couple are “Brody Yiddish Singers”. So what does that mean? First of all, Brody is a city in Lviv Oblast (province) of western Ukraine. The city was a crossroads and jewish trade center in the 19th century. Brody is considered to be Shtetls, Brodersanger, Purim, Jewish theater, CzarAlexander III, Berl Margulis, Berl Broder, one of the “shtetls”. The city was famous for the Brodersanger or Broder singers who were among the first Jews to publicly perform Yiddish songs outside of Purim (a holiday) and wedding celebrations. These performers were the precursors of jewish theater. Due to anti Jewish regulation enacted in 1882 by Czar Alexander III of Russia and the resulting exodus of Russian Jews; throughout 1881 hundreds of Jewish immigrants arrived in Brody daily. The most famous Broder singer was Berl Margulis also known as Berl Broder (1815 -1868). It is not certain that this cabinet card really depicts Broder singers and no evidence is available to support the claim , but it is not unusual for families to pass down such information over generations and there is a reasonable chance that the history is correct and the story is worth telling. The photographer of this cabinet card is Buscdorf.
LETTICE FAIRFAX: THEATRE ACTRESS (PRETTY THE WAY AN ENGLISH GARDNER’S DAUGHTER IS PRETTY)
Lettice Fairfax, an English actress, is the subject of this cabinet card. Her first stage appearance in America was at Daly’s Theater in New York City. She had a role in “Number Nine” in December of 1897. The reviewer in the New York Times wrote that she was “a pretty, fragile and very nervous” actress. He also labelled her the “new ingenue” and reported that she was pretty the way an English Gardner’s daughter is pretty. I guess that means that she was pretty in “the girl next door” kind of way. The photographer of this cabinet card was famed theatre photographer, B. J. Falk and the photograph is copyrighted in 1898. The reverse of the cabinet card is stamped “Charles L Ritzmann” of Broadway, New York.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 