Alice Evans was a theatrical star and her beauty is apparent in this Cabinet card by celebrity photographer Falk of New York City. Further research is required to find biographical information concerning this lovely actress.
EFFIE ELLSLER: STAGE ACTRESS
This is a Cabinet card portrait of stage actress Effie Ellsler (1855?-1942). She was born in Cleveland, Ohio where her parents were actors and ran a leading playhouse. She made her debut as a child and as an adult had opportunities to act with Edwin Booth, Lawrence Barrett and other celebrities during their Cleveland tours. Ellsler came to New York in 1880 and was a sensation in her first part in the title role of Hazel Kirke. She played that role for three years but than made a series of poor starring role choices in a number of melodramas. For most of the 1890’s she toured in road companies. She later played with Maxine Elliott in the Merchant of Venice. Ellsler’s last hit was in the Bat (1920). This Cabinet card portrait is from the esteemed studio of Charles Ritzmann of New York City.
Jessie Bartlett Davis: American Actress and Opera Singer
Jessie Bartlett Davis (1859?-1905) was an American actress and operatic singer from Illinois who was billed as “America’s Representative Contralto”. Her father was a farmer and country school master and she was one of ten children. She was discovered when she was performing locally and was taken by traveling managers to perform on the west coast. In 1879 she made her debut in the opera H.M.S. Pinafore. She performed with several opera companies before joining the new Boston Ideal Opera and remained with this troupe until 1901 performing as their prima donna. She is most well known for her role as Alan a-Dale in the 1890 opera Robin Hood. She also toured performing opera in Europe one season and in 1897 she opened on Broadway in The Serenade. She played Broadway again in 1903 in Jakobowski”s operetta Erminie. This versatile performer also performed vaudeville, wrote songs, stories and poems. She had a home in Chicago and summer home in Indiana where she raised horses, collies and fox terriers. In 1905 she died of Brights disease and is buried in Chicago. The photographer of this portrait is renowned theatrical photogarpher Benjamin J Falk of New York City.
Helen Tracy: Stage Actress
Helen Tracy (1850-1924) was an American stage actress. A series of roles in the plays of Shakespeare is included in her acting resume. She’s wearing very interesting earrings and a great hat. The Cabinet card comes from the studio of Sarony, one of the renowned photographers of theatrical stars and other celebrities.
Rose Coghlan: Stage Actress
Beautiful stage actress, Rose Coghlan (1851-1932) is the subject of this photographic portrait by celebrity photographer, Jose Mora. Coghlan was an Irish actress who began her theatrical career in both England and the United States in the 1870’s. The IBDB reports that Coghlan appeared in 21 Broadway productions beginning in 1872. These plays included The School for Scandal (1909) and Vanity Fair (1911). She also appeared in Oscar Wilde’s A Woman of No Importance (1893) which was not on Broadway. In 1902 she became a naturalized American citizen. In addition to theater, Coghlan raised livestock on her ranch in Montana. The reverse of this card has a pencilled note indicating that this photograph was taken while Rose Coghlan appeared in “Jealous Wife” (1878).
Lina Merville: Burlesque Queen
This Cabinet card photograph presents Lina Merville, a burlesque star. More research is required to learn more of her biographical details, so at least for now, a picture has to be worth a thousand words. The photographer is Emil Scholl of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
ALWINA VALLERIA: OPERA STAR
Alwina Valleria (1848-1925) is seen in full costume in this cabinet photograph by Cooper of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Valleria was the first American-born singer to appear in principal roles with the Metropolitan Opera. She was a soprano. Born in Baltimore, she attended the Royal Academy of Music in London. She made her operatic debut in St Petersburg in 1871 and sang in Europe until 1879 when she first appeared in America singing Marguerite in Faust with the James Henry Mapleson company. In 1883 she first appeared at the Metropolitan Opera and she was New York City’s first Micaela in Carmen in 1878. She retired from the stage in 1886 and died in France in 1925.
Frankie Kemble: Stage Actress
Frankie Kemble, stage actress, is seen in this Cabinet card by Benjamin Falk of New York City. Falk was a very well known photographer who specialized in photographing theatrical celebrities. I have yet to find much information about Kemble except that she did reach “stardom”. This beautiful actress appeared in a number of plays including “Sybil” (1888) and “The Mikado (1885).
ALICE LINGARD: BRITISH STAGE ACTRESS
This Cabinet photoograph is of Alice Lingard (1847-1897) a British stage actress and singer. She performed in both London and New York. She was married to mimic and music hall star Dickie Lingard and the drama of their marital problems was well reported by the press. The cabinet card comes from the studio of Jose Mora of New York, famed theater star photographer. You can see other cards from Mora by clicking on the Category listing, Mora.
Tillie Salinger: Opera Star
This photograph is a cabinet card featuring opera star Tillie Salinger. She is photographed by a San Francisco, California photographer. Salinger performed in the late 1800’s and among her credits is the music ‘Looking Through the Gates (1892). To view other photographs by Louis Thors and to learn more about him, click on the category “Photographer: Thors”.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 