Celebrity photographer, Sarony, of New York City, produced this head and shoulders photograph of actress, Leslie Chester. The actress is wearing an incredible hat. A review of one of Ms Leslie’s performances appeared in Life (1886). The review states that “Miss Leslie Chester is so pretty that her dramatic sins can be magnanimously pardoned”. The review goes on to report that Ms Chester “appears (in a role) as an ambitious amateur, who has no idea of acting and the part is distinctly appropriate.” Hopefully, Ms. Chester was as thick skinned as she was beautiful.
MISS LESLIE CHESTER: A THEATRICAL ACTRESS WHOSE BEAUTY COMPENSATED FOR HER LACK OF TALENT
JOSEPH WHEELOCK SR: LEADING THEATRE ACTOR
This cabinet card features stage actor, Joseph Wheelock Sr. (1839-1908). He began his careeer in Boston and later played leads in various stock companies. His first hit was his appearance in “The Stranger”. His principal stock company was the Meech Brothers. During his career he appeared with many of the most renowned theatre actors. His fellow cast members included Edwin Booth, Agnes Booth, Adelaide Neilson, Mary Anderson, Edward Sothern and Julia Marlowe. Wheelock was one of the founders and the first President of the Actors Society of America. The society was organized in 1895 and its purpose was to regulate and standardize contractual obligations between performers and producers. The group dissolved in 1912. This cabinet card was photographed by Napoleon Sarony of New York City, one of the most popular celebrity photographers of this era. To see other photographs in the Cabinet Card Gallery by Sarony, click on the category “Photographer: Sarony”. It is important to note that Joseph Wheelock Sr. had a son who was also an actor. Judging by the estimated age of the subject of this photograph, and the estimated date of this photograph; it seems almost certain that this image is that of Joseph Wheelock Sr., and not Joseph Wheelock Jr.
LINDA DEITZ: STAGE ACTRESS INSULTED BY THE NEW YORK TIMES (1879)
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.
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.
Fashionable Ladies on Broadway (Sarony)
These wonderful Cabinet cards are of very fashionable women photographed by the celebrated Sarony studio located on Broadway in New York City. These “Imperial Portraits” offer very clear and detailed images. Note the ladies stylish jewelry.
Bernard Roelker: Esteemed Lawyer and Friend of Longfellow
Bernard Roelker (1816-1888)) led an active life in Literature and Law. He attended the University of Bonn on the Rhine where he studied law. He came to the United States in the late 1830’s. He settled in Bridgeport, Connecticut and privately taught German and Music. He then went to Harvard and became friends with Henry Longfellow who was a professor there. Roelker became friends with a number of literary luminaries. He taught at Harvard and renewed his study of the law. He then practiced law in Boston and later moved to New York City where he started the law firm of Laur and Roelker. He built a large practice, especially among the Germans of the city. He was expert at wills and contracts. He argued an important case, Meyer vs Roosevelt, in front of the United States Supreme Court in 1863. It was the first legal tender case heard before the court and Roelker won the decision. Roelker and his friend Samuel Tilden organized the Prairie du Chien Railroad in Wisconsin. Tilden ran for President in 1876. Roelker never married. The photographer of this Cabinet card portrait is the famous photographer Sarony of New York City. The photograph is dated November, 1879.
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.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 