This 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”.
Viola Allen (1869-1948) was an American theater and silent film actress who acted in roles between 1882-1919. She was born in Alabama and was the daughter of an actor. Her first stage appearance in New York City was at age 14 when she substituted for the ill Annie Russell who was playing the title role of Esmeralda at Madison Square Theater. Allen’s father was also a member of the cast. Allen appeared in many productions including Masqueraders, Twelfth Night, Under the Red Robe, The Christian, and the Winter Tale. Her most popular roles were in Shenendoah and Little Lord Fauntleroy. The reverse of this card has writing that indicates that this image is from Allen playing the role of Dolores in “In The Palace of the King” (1901). The photographer of this Cabinet Card was the studio of Sands & Brady in Providence, Rhode Island.
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 