Jose Collins

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Lady Robert Innes-Ker, better known as José Collins (23 May 1887 - 6 December 1958) was an English actress and singer. She was best known for her performances in musical comedies. Her mother was the music hall performer and comedienne Lottie Collins, who popularised the song "Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay."

[edit] Life and career

Collins was born in London, named Josephine Charlotte Collins. Collins was married three times, to G. B. Kirkland, Leslie Chatfield and Lord Robert Edward Innes-Ker (brother of Henry John Innes-Ker, 8th Duke of Roxburghe).[1]

Collins got her start as a child performer, and by the age of 17 she had appeared in both pantomime and music hall as a singer and actress. She made her West End debut in a principal role in The Antelope (1908). On Broadway, she appeared in Vera Violetta (1911), The Merry Countess (1912), and (sharing a duet with Al Jolson) The Whirl of Society (1912), among others. Her revue appearances included the Ziegfeld Follies (1913), and The Passing Show (1914). She also starred in The Happy Day in London and Alone at Last on Broadway in 1916.

Collins played the title role of Teresa, the gypsy bandit maid, in the hit musical The Maid of the Mountains (1917) to great acclaim, and as a result became known by the nickname of "Maid of the Mountains". In that show, she introduced the songs "Love Will Find a Way" and "A Paradise For Two." Collins played throughout the long run of this show and in many revivals over the years.

Collins later appeared in Our Peg (1919), A Southern Maid (1920), Sybil (1921), The Last Waltz (1922), Catherine (1923), Our Nell (1924) and Frasquita (1925). She spent the remainder of her career in revues, variety and non-musical roles, as well as in films. In her film career, she starred as Bessie, the vengeful model, in The Light That Failed, (1916, based on Rudyard Kipling's poem), and she appeared in The Imposter (1915), A Woman's Honor (1916), and The Sword of Damocles (1920)[2], among others. Her only musical film was Facing the Music (1933).