This cabinet card portrait captures Adele Belgarde, an actress of the theatre. On August 22, 1879, the New York Times critic reviewed her performance in “Julia” The critic clearly was not impressed when he wrote “there is so much she attempts that she cannot do, and possibly would never be able to do.” The critic also writes that her acting “was not sufficiently good” or warrant much praise. More information about this feather clad actress will be sought. The photographer of this cabinet card is Myers located on Broadway in New York City.
ADELE BELGARDE: THEATRE ACTRESS WITH QUESTIONABLE TALENT
HOPE BOOTH: “FETCHING BUT HOPELESS THEATRE ACTRESS”
This Cabinet Card is a portrait of theatre actress, Hope Booth. This actress seems to have had a propensity for trouble. The New York Times (1896) reported that at age 23, after appearing at the “Casino Roof Gardens” in a sketch entitled “Ten Minutes in the Latin Quartier; or A Study in the Nude”, she was arrested along with the manager of the theatre. She was charged with violating public decency because of her scant costume and daring poses. Five years later, her husband, actor, James E. B. Earll was arrested after his opening appearance in a vaudeville act at Koster and Bials. Before her arrest, she appeared in George Bernard Shaw’s first play, “Widowers Houses” in 1892. A review described her as a “fetching but hopeless” actress. Shaw had seen her in an earlier show and had described her as a “young lady who can not sing, dance, or speak, but whose appearance suggests that she might profitably spend 3 or 4 years in learning the arts which are useful on stage”. Other news stories and books report that she was born in Canada, was once married to a Canadian member of Parliament, she was a distant relative of the theatrical Booth family, and that she went bankrupt bringing a play to England. She clearly led an interesting life. The Cabinet Card is part of the Newsboy Series and was used as a premium for the sale of Newsboy Plug Tobacco.
KATE STOKES: THEATRE ACTRESS WEARING SNAKE SKINS
Kate Stokes poses for this cabinet card photograph for Newsboy of New York. She is wearing snake skins on her arms and has quite an interesting veil. It would be interesting to discover what play her costume is from. The costume appears to be very middle eastern or Indian. More research or comments from visitors to this site will hopefully provide further biographical information about Kate Stokes. Newsboy cabinet cards were used as a premium to help tobacco sales for Newsboy plug tobacco.
ROSE LEMOINE: PRETTY THEATER ACTRESS AND POSSIBLE MODEL FOR THE “GIBSON GIRL”
Theater actress Rose Lemoine is the subject of this Cabinet Card photographed by the Dana studio of New York. The photograph was part of the Charles L. Ritzmann collection. Ritzmann was a famous importer of theatrical photographs. The attractive Ms Lemoine was thought by some to be the model or the “Gibson Girl”. This upset some Americans because Lemoine was from Cuba, not the United States and the “Gibson Girl” was illustrator Charles Dana’s personification of the feminine ideal. The “Gibson Girl” was a popular figure for twenty years (about 1890-1910). Lemoine’s mother was Cuban and her father was a French coffee planter. In 1903, the New York Times mentions Lemoine as appearing in a Broadway play called “The Best of Friends”. Also appearing in that play was Lionel Barrymore and Agnes Booth.
DALLAS TYLER: THEATER AND FILM ACTRESS AND NEAR MURDER VICTIM
Theater and film actress, Dallas Tyler is seen in this Cabinet card by Newsboy of New York. She is quite beautiful and has remarkably expressive eyes. The photograph is copyrighted by B. Falk in 1894. Dallas Tyler (1880-1953) was a theater and film actress. She appeared in seven films between 1914 and 1916 including Jane Eyre (1914). She also wrote the film, The Devils Playground (1917). The New York Times reported in April, 1896 that Ms Tyler’s husband, actor George Bethel, fired four shots at her at the hotel she was residing in while performing in Hartford, Connecticut. Fortunately, he was quite intoxicated and all four shots missed their target. The actor denied trying to kill his wife. He stated that he was despondent about the breakup of his marriage and blamed his mother-in-law for marital interference.
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).
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 