LIZZIE EVANS: THEATER AND VAUDEVILLE STAR KNOWN AS “THE LITTLE ELECTRIC BATTERY”

This cabinet card image is a portrait of vaudeville and musical theater entertainer, Miss Lizzie Evans (c1864- 19? ). She is known for her performances in New York City and Chicago from the 1880’s through the early 1900’s. The New York Times once described her performing skills as similar to celebrated actress, Lotta Crabtree. The website “Broadway Photographs” states that she was “small, flat-chested, and intelligent looking rather than beautiful, she captured attention by her cleverness on stage and her unflagging energy”. Her nickname was “The Little Electric Battery”. Evans was born in Mount Vernon, Ohio. She made her stage debut in 1882, as a 17 year-old. She joined the Nobles theater company where she performed a role in “The Phoenix”. After leaving the Nobles company she joined C. E. Callahan where she starred in plays for nine years. Her roles included parts in “Fogg’s Ferry” and “The Buckeye”.  A New York Times (1881) review of her appearance in “Foggs Ferry” reports that her performance was “earnest and vivacious”. The reviewer also stated that “Miss Evans has no voice for song” but that her talent as an actress should allow her the luxury of avoiding any “vocal efforts”. After leaving her association with Callahan’s company, Evans retired for two years. Apparently she had trouble staying away from the theater lights, which was evidenced by her appearance in “Old Kentucky”. She than performed in vaudeville until the 1900-1901 season. Following her vaudeville appearances she formed her own troupe. Her biography indicates that the lure that took her away from musical theater was that vaudeville offered both top billing and big money. She was married to the famous comedian, Harry Mills in 1891. This portrait of Miss Evans was taken in 1885, according to the inscription in the reverse of the photograph. The photographer was D. H.Anderson who operated a studio on Broadway in New York City. Anderson used the same photo studio formerly occupied by the famed photographer, Matthew Brady. Anderson had worked in various other American cities before moving to New York in 1881. He became known as a talented celebrity photographer. This cabinet card is in good condition (see scans).      (SOLD)

Published in: on October 30, 2018 at 12:00 pm  Comments (4)  
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PORTRAIT OF THEATER ACTRESS MAY GALLAGHER ON A BAD HAIR DAY

MAY GALLAGHER_0001This cabinet card portrait features stage actress May Gallagher. The photograph was taken by New York City celebrity photographer D. H. Anderson. To view more photographs by the Anderson studio, click on the category “Photographer: Anderson (New York)”. Miss Gallagher’s hair appears to need a little work. Her curls are quite flat. In fact her hair looks glued down to her head. She is wearing a fancy lace dress. May Gallagher was not a major actress but she received some attention in the theatrical news of her time. Music and Drama (1882) refers to her as “the charming May Gallagher” in their reference to her appearing as Esmeralda at the Madison Square Theater in New York City. The New York Times (1884) mentions Miss Gallagher in their story about the traveling company of the play “Private Secretary”.

Published in: on December 7, 2013 at 12:06 pm  Comments (1)  
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STAGE ACTRESS MATTIE VICKERS COYLY POSES IN NEW YORK CITY

MATTIEVICKERS_0001Stage actress Mattie Vickers poses for this cabinet card image at the Anderson studio in New York City. Anderson photographed many celebrities and more of his photographs can be seen by clicking on category “Photographer:  Anderson (New York)”. During the early 1900’s, Vickers was one of the the sweethearts of American musical comedy. Her father was a retired actor who ran a boarding  house. She made her theatrical debut in vaudeville in the mid 1870’s. In 1877 she married her manager, Charlie Rogers. He died in 1888 after which she toured the country playing starring roles in plays such as “Circus Queen” and  “Edelweiss”. A portrait of Mattie Vickers ran in The National Police Gazette (1886). The accompanying text described her as the “sprightly and vivacious young American soubrette” and “the cleverest rough-and-tumble soubrette on the American stage”. No need to visit a dictionary to discover the definition of the word “soubrette”.  A soubrette is simply someone who plays a minor female role in a comedy. The reverse of the cabinet card has been stamped by George D. Russell of  Tremont Street in Boston, Massachusetts. Research reveals that Mr. Russell was a well known music publisher in Boston. Perhaps he also was involved in the sale of theatrical cabinet cards.

Published in: on July 19, 2013 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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LILLIE PRUSH: BEAUTIFUL ACTRESS OR BEAUTIFUL SCHOOL TEACHER

The beautiful woman in this cabinet card portrait is unidentified despite the existence of evidence that should facilitate identification. One possibility is that the subject of this photograph is an actress. Evidence pointing toward the acting profession include her beauty as well as the fact that she was photographed by D. H. Anderson, a renowned New York City theatre photographer. Obviously not all beautiful women are actresses and Anderson didn’t exclusively photograph theatre stars. Further evidence exists that points the search for the subjects identity in another direction. An inscription on the reverse of the photograph reveals the subjects name, “Lillie Prush”. However, life is rarely that easy; there is a complication. Due to legibility issues, the inscription might actually read “Lillie Roush” or “Lillie Raush”. I contend that the name is “Lillie Prush” and the 1880 US Census finds a Lillie Prush living in New York City. Miss Lillie was a school teacher. She was born in 1859 and lived with her parents and brother. Her father, J. E. Prush, owned a furnishing store and her brother was a civil engineer. If this photograph is an image of Miss Lillie, a New York City school teacher, than she must have certainly commanded the attention of the older boys in her classes. There must have been a lot of crushes in her classroom. Here is one final observation. Note the ivy pinned to the shoulder and back of Lillie’s dress. Do you think this small prop adds to or detracts from the photograph? To view other photographs by Anderson, click on category “Photographer: Anderson (New York)”.

Published in: on July 1, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (2)  
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EMMA LORAINE: STAGE ACTRESS POSES ON BROADWAY IN NEW YORK CITY

Emma Loraine appears to have been a minor stage star. The New York Times (1879) reported that Wallack’s Theatre production of “Our Girls” included Ms. Loraine in the cast. Also in the cast was Maurice Barrymore. The New York Times (1881) has a story about the Wallach company going on tour because their new theatre was under construction. The company was planning to perform “She Stoops to Conquer” and “The School for Scandal” while on tour. Performing as part of the touring company was Osmond Tearle, Rose Coghlan, and Emma Lorraine. The cabinet card gallery has images of both Tearle and Coghlan that can be viewed by typing each of their names in the search box. Their names must be searched separately. Both cabinet card portraits of Loraine were photographed by celebrity photographer, D. H. Anderson of New York City. To view other images by Anderson, click on the category “Photographer: Anderson (New York)”. An article in the Photographic Times and American Photographer (1883) describes Anderson’s studio at 785 Broadway in New York City. The location was formerly the studio operated by famed photographer, Mathew Brady. Anderson is considered a pioneer in early photography. He made his first pictures (daguerreotypes) in Paducah, Kentucky in 1855. He later worked in Cincinnati (Ohio), Dayton (Ohio), New Orleans (Louisiana), Louisville (Kentucky), and various other cities. He finally settled for awhile in Richmond, Virginia in 1865. In 1881, he sold his studio and moved to New York City. The previously cited article described a “composition group” portrait that Anderson was working on during the magazine writers visit to his studio. The photograph was described as measuring eleven feet by fourteen feet and picturing the 7th Regiment posing in their new armory. The image included over a thousand soldiers.

Published in: on March 10, 2012 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS WEARING A RAIN SLICKER HAT IN NEW YORK CITY

This cabinet card features a pretty young actress wearing, what appears to be, a rain slicker hat. The photograph is a bit risque for its time. The actress’s  neckline may not be plunging, but it leaves a lot uncovered. She was photographed at the studio of celebrity photographer, D. H. Anderson, in New York City.

Published in: on December 10, 2011 at 12:01 am  Comments (3)  
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PRETTY AND UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS POSES ON BROADWAY

A young woman poses for her portrait at the studio of Anderson, in New York City. She is beautifully dressed and extremely attractive. Unfortunately, she is unidentified. It is likely that a woman with such great beauty and poise, photographed by celebrity photographer, D. H. Anderson; is an actress. There is a name written on the reverse of the cabinet card. The handwriting is not clearly legible but it appears to say “Marjorcni”. Research has yielded no relevant information pertaining to identifying this image. Assistance in identifying the person in this photograph would be appreciated. The knowledgeable and helpful visitors to the cabinet card gallery have solved a number of similar mysteries in the past.

Published in: on October 6, 2011 at 12:02 am  Leave a Comment