Virginia Earle

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Virginia Earle or Earl (1875[1] – 1937[2]) was a stage actress of the last decade of the 19th Century and the early 20th Century. She bore a close personal resemblance to musical theater actress Della Fox[3] (1871-1913).[4]

Her husband was Frank Lawton, the whistler.[5] Lawton (d. 1914) was an actor, siffluer, and comedian who became known when he played the role of Blinky Bill McGuirk in The Belle of New York. The American musical comedy opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London, England, on April 12, 1899.[6] Earle brought divorce action against Lawton in February 1897.[7]

Contents

[edit] Theater Actress

Earle was the daughter of George Fortescue. She went to Australia to play in Evangeline and other plays in 1891. E.E. Rice organized a group of actors who departed from San Francisco in April. The troupe included Fortescue, Earl's mother, Mrs. Fortescue, Lillian Karl, and Agnes Pearl.[8]

Earle appeared in the comic opera portion of The Merry World, a review written by Edgar Smith and Nicholas Biddle. It was staged at the Casino Theatre in June 1895. She was joined in the burlesque section by Willard Simms, Wallace Black, and Lee Harrison.[9] As the character, Vaseline, Earle sings along with Marie Laurens.[10]

Leonardo by Gilbert Burgess is a book about a Florentine sculptor who designs a statue of the Duke of Milan. During his work he falls in love with the Duke's daughter. The operetta of the same name was produced by the Garrick Theatre in October 1895. Earle plays the role of Cecilia. A critic commented that the production's costumes were tasteful and the operetta was well rehearsed. However the performance itself was merely tolerable.[11]

The Lady Slavey, at the Casino Theatre, featured Daniel Daly, Marie Dressler, and Earle in a humorous scene in the first act.[12] After being out of the cast for many nights, Earle returned to play the title role on April 13, 1896.[13] She was forced to leave the cast of In Gay New-York because of throat problems on June 14. She had been singing the leading role and was replaced by Catherine Linyard.[14] When she returned Earle sang a new song in the part, Only a Lump of Sugar for the Bird.[15]

She was identified with the productions of Augustin Daly for many years. Two of these plays were The Circus Girl and The Runaway Girl. Both Earle and James T. Powers signed contracts with George W. Lederer in July 1899.[16]

A review from 1900 described Earle as being without a rival in the present stage of her artistic development. Specifically, he made mention of her acting in The Belle of New York.[17] In The Casino Girl she returned to the theater after a long absence and depicted a young man[18] named Percy.[19] The setting of the play was Egypt and it was performed at the Casino Theatre.[18] One of the highlights was a duet between Earle and Mabelle Gilman.[19] The New Yorkers with Earle and Daly was put on by the Herald Square Theatre in November 1901.[20]

In April 1903 Earle was signed to be in a musical comedy at the Gaiety Theatre in London, England by George Edwardes. It was her second London engagement and was planned for the following season.[21] The play was the Baldwin Sloane opera, Sergeant Kitty.[22] Her services were obtained by Samuel S. Shubert of the Shubert Theatre (Broadway) in May 1903.[23] She appeared in Sergeant Kitty at Daly's Theatre on Sixty-Third Street, New York City, in January 1904.[24] Earle was summoned to rehearsal at the New Amsterdam Theatre as a member of the Klaw & Erlanger Comedy Company in October 1904. The troupe included Fay Templeton.[25] The production, a musical burlesque about fashionable society entitled In Newport, was staged at the Liberty Theatre,[26] 234 West 42nd Street, New York City.[27]

Earle was in vaudeville for several seasons prior to becoming ill. She was unable to perform on Broadway for several seasons prior to landing a leading role in The Wedding Trip, in November 1911. Music in the play was composed by Reginald De Koven.[28]

She replaced Lina Abarbanell as Molly Seamore , the heroine, in an April 1913 presentation of The Geisha.[29]

Earle appeared with the Madeline and Marion Fairbanks in a production of Two Little Girls in Blue by A.L. Erlanger in 1921. The Tomsen twins and Edward Begley were also in the cast.[30]

[edit] Robbery Victim

Earle was robbed of valuables on several occasions. She apprehended Jennie Baldwin when she recognized the woman wearing one of the cloaks she wore in a production of The Merry World. Baldwin was walking along Sixth Avenue (Manhattan), near Twenty-Eighth Street, when Earle seized her and screamed for help. The cloak was one of a number of thefts at the Casino during the month of September 1895. Baldwin said that the cloak had been found by her brother lying in the street car tracks at Twenty-Eighth Street and Sixth Avenue. She was held in $500 for trial at Special Sessions after Earle made an affadavit.[31] In testimony a day later Baldwin said that she got the cloak from her brother who was employed by the Sixth Avenue elevated railroad. The husband admitted to finding the cloak and several people vouched for Baldwin's character. Earle received the garment back, noticing its worn condition. She offered it to a deputy clerk who declined it. Then she threw it at the deputy district attorney, exclaiming Take the old cloak there; there! She then smiled at the audience. The cloak was returned to police headquarters.[32]

A diamond pendant valued at $550 was taken from Earle in the Hotel Bartholdt on New Year's Eve in 1895. The diamonds were found in a Ninth Avenue (Manhattan) pawnshop, where $100 had been advanced on them. A man in charge of the hallboys at the hotel was charged with the crime and pleaded not guilty to a charge of grand larceny.[33]

Earle confessed to the superstition of wearing a ring on her thumb for nine years. She thought it brought her good luck. She said the sole occasion she experienced bad luck was when she wore a hat with a peacock feather on it.[34]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Who's who on the stage, 2nd ed., 1908. Herringshaw's national library of American biography, 5 vols, 1909-14, has her birth year as 1873.
  2. ^ Shakespeare and the Players | The Players | Virginia Earle
  3. ^ The Theatrical Week, New York Times, June 16, 1895, pg. 13.
  4. ^ Della Fox
  5. ^ Who They Are, Lowell Sun, November 19, 1897, pg. 16.
  6. ^ John Culme's Footlight Notes - Celebrity of the Week: Frank Lawton (d.1914), American actor and siffleur - Week ending 6 July 2002
  7. ^ Amusement Notes, The Fort Wayne News, February 9, 1897, pg. 6.
  8. ^ Artists For Australia, New York Times, February 26, 1891, pg. 8.
  9. ^ The Casino Open Again, New York Times, June 9, 1895, pg. 5.
  10. ^ Light Hot-Weather Amusements, New York Times, August 13, 1895, pg. 5.
  11. ^ New Theatrical Bills, New York Times, October 22, 1895, pg. 5.
  12. ^ New Bills Of The Week, New York Times, February 23, 1896, pg. 10.
  13. ^ Notes of the Stage I (2), New York Times, April 12, 1896, pg. 10.
  14. ^ Virginia Earle Ill, New York Times, June 14, 1896, pg. 3.
  15. ^ Notes Of The Summer Shows, New York Times, July 14, 1896, pg. 5.
  16. ^ Mr. Lederer's New Players, New York Times, July 28, 1899, pg. 7.
  17. ^ At the Play and With the Players, New York Times, January 28, 1900, pg. 16.
  18. ^ a b This Week's New Bills, New York Times, March 18, 1900, pg. 18.
  19. ^ a b Dramatic And Musical, New York Times, March 20, 1900, pg. 7.
  20. ^ At The Theatres, New York Times, November 5, 1901, pg. 7.
  21. ^ Virginia Earle to Play in London, New York Times, April 26, 1903, pg. 11.
  22. ^ What The Players Are Doing, New York Times, September 15, 1903, pg. 5.
  23. ^ Notes of the Theatre, New York Times, May 27, 1903, pg. 5.
  24. ^ News Of The Playhouses, New York Times, January 12, 1904, pg. 3.
  25. ^ Notes Of The Theatres, New York Times, October 23, 1904, pg. 7.
  26. ^ Peter Dailey Back Again, New York Times, December 27, 1904, pg. 7.
  27. ^ Liberty Theater opens at 234 W 42nd St. New York City October 10 in History
  28. ^ Theatrical Notes, November 4, 1911, pg. 13.
  29. ^ Changes In The Geisha, New York Times, April 25, 1913, pg. 6.
  30. ^ Theatrical Notes, New York Times, March 9, 1921, pg. 20.
  31. ^ Virginia Earle Causes An Arrest, New York Times, September 19, 1895, pg. 16.
  32. ^ Lost Both Cloak And Temper, New York Times, September 21, 1895, pg. 8.
  33. ^ Theatrical Gossip, New York Times, January 7, 1896, pg. 16.
  34. ^ A Superstitious Company, New York Times, February 23, 1896, pg. 10.

[edit] External links