Theater Portrait and Clipping Files

Dates: 1894-1945
Size: 2 linear feet in 4 boxes
Repository: Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center, Special Collections, 400 S. State Street, Chicago, IL 60605
Collection Number: spe.ctc-tpc
Immediate source of acquisition: This collection contains materials brought together from various sources.
Conditions governing use: Please consult staff to determine ability to reuse materials from collection
Conditions governing access: Materials are open without restrictions
Preferred citation: When quoting material from this collection the preferred citation is: Theater Portrait and Clipping Files, [Box #, Folder #], Special Collections, Chicago Public Library
Finding aid author: Original author unknown. Updated and ingested into ArchivesSpace by Sarah Zimmerman, 2021

Abstract

The Theater Portrait and Clipping Files collection consists of portraits and clippings relating to actors, actresses, dancers, singers and vaudeville performers who performed on Chicago stages as well as in New York, London and smaller venues across the United States and Europe. Included are portraits, in the form of either professional photographs or clippings from programs, as well as obituaries and other clippings.

Biographical/Historical

Many of the portraits in the collection were taken by professional photographers and appear to be forms of headshots for advertising, or may have served as an actor’s resume. The collection span covers the time period after traditional carte de visite, visiting cards, were popularized in the mid-1800s. These playing card sized photos were passed out to friends and family. By the early 1900s, slightly larger cabinet cards became popular, and were often used by advertising companies to promote well-known actors.

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of portraits and clippings relating to actors, actresses, dancers, singers and vaudeville performers who performed on Chicago stages as well as in New York, London and smaller venues across the United States and Europe. Most files contain portraits in the form of either professional photographs or clippings from programs, while some contain obituaries or other clippings with biographical information taken from newspapers. When files contain materials other than these, the materials are noted next to the performer's name in the Collection Inventory. Dates are provided when available. Numerous unidentified images can be found in one file at the beginning of Box 1 and include professional photographs of actors, actresses and vaudeville performers of various kinds, as well as portrait clippings from programs.

Arrangement

Files are arranged alphabetically by performer’s last name or group name, if applicable.

Subject Headings

  • Theater—Illinois—Chicago—20th century—Sources
  • Theater—New York (State)—New York—20th century—Sources
  • Theater—England—London—History—20th century—Sources
  • Vaudeville—20th century—Sources
  • Entertainers—20ths century—Portraits
  • Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
  • Theater programs

Collection Inventory

Box 1 Folder 1 Unidentified Images
Box 1 Folder 2 Adams, Maud, undated
Box 1 Folder 3 Allen, Viola, undated
Box 1 Folder 4 Anderson, Mary, undated
Box 1 Folder 5 Anglin, Margaret, undated
Box 1 Folder 6 Arthur, Julia, undated
Box 1 Folder 7 Barriscale, Bessie [autographed], undated
Box 1 Folder 8 Barrymore, Georgie Drew, undated
Box 1 Folder 9 Barrymore, John, undated
Box 1 Folder 10 Barrymore, Maurice, undated
Box 1 Folder 11 Bates, Blanche, undated
Box 1 Folder 12 Beaudet, Louise, undated
Box 1 Folder 13 Bell, Digby, undated
Box 1 Folder 14 Bellew, Kyrle, undated
Box 1 Folder 15 Bennet, A. Milo, undated
Box 1 Folder 16 Booth, Edwin, undated
Box 1 Folder 17 Braham, David, 1905
Box 1 Folder 18 Burke, Billie, undated
Box 1 Folder 19 Burkhart, Lillian, undated
Box 1 Folder 20 Burroughs, Marie, undated
Box 1 Folder 21 Burt, Laura, undated
Box 1 Folder 22 Busby, Amy, undated
Box 1 Folder 23 Busley, Jessie, undated
Box 1 Folder 24 Calve, Emma, 1931
Box 1 Folder 25 Cameron, Beatrice, undated
Box 1 Folder 26 Carlyle, Frank, undated
Box 1 Folder 27 Carmencita, undated
Box 1 Folder 28 Carrington, Mary, undated
Box 1 Folder 29 Carter, Mrs. Leslie, 1934, 1935, undated
Box 1 Folder 30 Cayvan, Georgia, undated
Box 1 Folder 31 Chevalier, Albert, undated
Box 1 Folder 32 Clark, Marguerite, undated
Box 1 Folder 33 Claxton, Kate, undated
Box 1 Folder 34 Coe, Isabelle, undated
Box 1 Folder 35 Coghlan, Gertrude, undated
Box 1 Folder 36 Coghlan, Rose, undated
Box 1 Folder 37 Collier, William, undated
Box 1 Folder 38 Conquest, Ida, undated
Box 1 Folder 39 Corrine, undated
Box 1 Folder 40 Craig, Ollie (of the Heavenly Twins) [autographed], 1896
Box 1 Folder 41 Crane, William H., undated
Box 1 Folder 42 Crawley, Constance, undated
Box 1 Folder 43 D’Arcy, Belle, undated
Box 1 Folder 44 D’arville Crelin, Camille, 1932, undated
Box 1 Folder 45 D’orsay, Lawrence [autographed], 1901
Box 1 Folder 46 Daly, Arnold, undated
Box 1 Folder 47 Daniels, Frank, undated
Box 1 Folder 48 Davis, Jessie Bartlett, 1894, undated
Box 1 Folder 49 DeAngelis, Jefferson, undated
Box 1 Folder 50 Deaves, Ada, undated
Box 1 Folder 51 DeKoven, Reginald, undated
Box 1 Folder 52 Delamotta, Miro, undated
Box 1 Folder 53 DeNavarro, Mrs. Antonio, undated
Box 1 Folder 54 Dixey, Henry, undated
Box 1 Folder 55 Dodson, J. E., undated
Box 1 Folder 56 Drew, John, undated
Box 1 Folder 57 Drew, Mrs. John (Louise Lane), undated
Box 1 Folder 58 Drouet, Robert, undated
Box 1 Folder 59 Dupree, Minnie, undated
Box 2 Folder 1 Edeson, Robert, undated
Box 2 Folder 2 Elliott, Maxine, undated
Box 2 Folder 3 Emmet, J. K., undated
Box 2 Folder 4 Farnum, Dustin, undated
Box 2 Folder 5 Faversham, William, undated
Box 2 Folder 6 Fealy, Maude, undated
Box 2 Folder 7 Ferguson, Elsie [autographed], undated
Box 2 Folder 8 Finney, Jameson Lee, 1911
Box 2 Folder 9 Fisher, Sallie, undated
Box 2 Folder 10 Fiske, Minnie Maddern, undated
Box 2 Folder 11 Florence, Katherine (Mrs. Fritz Williams), undated
Box 2 Folder 12 Fox, Della, undated
Box 2 Folder 13 Foy, Edwin, undated
Box 2 Folder 14 Frederick, Pauline, undated
Box 2 Folder 15 Friganza, Trixie, undated
Box 2 Folder 16 George, Grace, undated
Box 2 Folder 17 Gilbert, Mrs. George H., undated
Box 2 Folder 18 Gillette, William, undated
Box 2 Folder 19 Girardot, Etienne, 1939
Box 2 Folder 20 Gish, Dorothy [autographed], undated
Box 2 Folder 21 Glover, Lyman, 1903
Box 2 Folder 22 Golden, Grace, undated
Box 2 Folder 23 Goodwin, Nat C., undated
Box 2 Folder 24 Gottschalk, Ferdinand, undated
Box 2 Folder 25 Greene, Gene, undated
Box 2 Folder 26 Greet, Ben, undated
Box 2 Folder 27 Hall, Josephine, undated
Box 2 Folder 28 Hall, Pauline, undated
Box 2 Folder 29 Hawtrey, Sir Charles, undated
Box 2 Folder 30 Held, Anna, undated
Box 2 Folder 31 Herne, James A., 1900
Box 2 Folder 32 Herrmann, undated
Box 2 Folder 33 Hermann, Adelaide, undated
Box 2 Folder 34 Hickman, Howard [autographed], undated
Box 2 Folder 35 Hilliard, Robert [autographed], undated
Box 2 Folder 36 Hoffman, Maud, undated
Box 2 Folder 37 Holland, E. M., undated
Box 2 Folder 38 Holland, Mildred, undated
Box 2 Folder 39 Holt, Jack [autographed], undated
Box 2 Folder 40 Hopper, DeWolf, undated
Box 2 Folder 41 “Indian Follies,” undated
Box 2 Folder 42 Irving, Henry, undated
Box 2 Folder 43 Irwin, May, undated
Box 2 Folder 44 Jackson Sisters, undated
Box 2 Folder 45 Jaeger, Miss Berthe and Mr. Franz Ebert, undated
Box 2 Folder 46 James, Louis, undated
Box 2 Folder 47 Jansen, Marie, undated
Box 2 Folder 48 Jarbeau, Verona, 1914
Box 2 Folder 49 Jefferson, Joseph, undated
Box 2 Folder 50 Johnson, Esther, undated
Box 2 Folder 51 Joy Sisters, undated
Box 2 Folder 52 Kane, Leonard (“The Dancing Adonis”), undated
Box 2 Folder 53 Keeler, Carrie, undated
Box 2 Folder 54 Kelcey, Herbert, undated
Box 2 Folder 55 Kelly, John, undated
Box 2 Folder 56 King, Esther, undated
Box 2 Folder 57 Knapp, Beatrice, undated
Box 2 Folder 58 Kronold, Selma, undated
Box 2 Folder 59 La Costa Serenaders, undated
Box 2 Folder 60 Lacey, Harry, undated
Box 2 Folder 61 Lamey, Jack and Violet Pearson, undated
Box 2 Folder 62 Langtry, Lily, undated
Box 2 Folder 63 Larrimore, Francine [autographed], 1919
Box 2 Folder 64 LaShay, George, undated
Box 2 Folder 65 Laub, Leonie, 1931
Box 2 Folder 66 Laughlin, Anna, undated
Box 2 Folder 67 Leach, Ruth, undated
Box 2 Folder 68 LeMoyne, W. J., undated
Box 2 Folder 69 Lennon, Herbert, undated
Box 2 Folder 70 Lennox, Marvel, undated
Box 2 Folder 71 Leonard, Muriel, undated
Box 2 Folder 72 Lewis, Fred, undated
Box 2 Folder 73 Lewis, Jeffreys (fem.), undated
Box 2 Folder 74 Linck, Mary, undated
Box 2 Folder 75 Little Eagle and Wolf, undated
Box 2 Folder 76 Loftus, Cissie (Cecelia), undated
Box 2 Folder 77 Lorenz, the Juggler, undated
Box 2 Folder 78 Lotz “The Novelty Entertainer,” undated
Box 2 Folder 79 Lyford, Nettie, undated
Box 2 Folder 80 Lynn, Gracie, undated
Box 3 Folder 1 Mlle. Roberta’s Animals, undated
Box 3 Folder 2 Mannering, Mary, undated
Box 3 Folder 3 Mansfield, Richard, undated
Box 3 Folder 4 Marlowe, Julia, undated
Box 3 Folder 5 Martinot, Sadie, undated
Box 3 Folder 6 Massman, Beth, undated
Box 3 Folder 7 Mather, Margaret, undated
Box 3 Folder 8 Millard, Laura, undated
Box 3 Folder 9 Millard, Mildred, undated
Box 3 Folder 10 Mitchell, Julian, undated
Box 3 Folder 11 Modjeska, undated
Box 3 Folder 12 Montague, Miss, undated
Box 3 Folder 13 Montford Trio, undated
Box 3 Folder 14 Mor, Eva, undated
Box 3 Folder 15 Morgan, D. Eloise, undated
Box 3 Folder 16 Morris, Clara, undated
Box 3 Folder 17 Mortimer, Lillian, undated
Box 3 Folder 18 Mulle, Ida, undated
Box 3 Folder 19 Murphy, Tim, undated
Box 3 Folder 20 Musical LaVonnias, undated
Box 3 Folder 21 Musical Munro, undated
Box 3 Folder 22 Nazimova, Alla, 1945
Box 3 Folder 23 Neff, John, “The Brainstorm Comedian,” undated
Box 3 Folder 24 Nethersole, Olga, undated
Box 3 Folder 25 Noel and Wolf, undated
Box 3 Folder 26 Norman, Peggy, undated
Box 3 Folder 27 Norman, Ruth, undated
Box 3 Folder 28 O’Neill, James, undated
Box 3 Folder 29 “One Thousand Pounds of Harmony” Quartet, undated
Box 3 Folder 30 Orland, Lee and Bea, undated
Box 3 Folder 31 Orth, Hilda, undated
Box 3 Folder 32 Orth, Mary, undated
Box 3 Folder 33 Owens, John, undated
Box 3 Folder 34 Papinta, undated
Box 3 Folder 35 Parillo and Betty, undated
Box 3 Folder 36 Parker, Muriel, undated
Box 3 Folder 37 Patti, Adelina, undated
Box 3 Folder 38 Perry, Irene, undated
Box 3 Folder 39 “Ploner’s Peerless Quintette,” 1925
Box 3 Folder 40 Potter, Alice, undated
Box 3 Folder 41 Potter, Cora Urquhart (Mrs. James Brown), undated
Box 3 Folder 42 Powers, Harry, 1945
Box 3 Folder 43 Quinlan, Gertrude, undated
Box 3 Folder 44 Rankin, Arthur McKee, undated
Box 3 Folder 45 Reed, Roland, undated
Box 3 Folder 46 Reese and McGovern, undated
Box 3 Folder 47 Rehan, Ada, undated
Box 3 Folder 48 Rigl, Emily, undated
Box 3 Folder 49 Risley, Greta, undated
Box 3 Folder 50 “Riverside Three,” undated
Box 3 Folder 51 Roberts, Reginald, undated
Box 3 Folder 52 Robson, Eleanor, undated
Box 3 Folder 53 Robson, May, 1942
Box 3 Folder 54 Robson, Stuart, undated
Box 3 Folder 55 Rogers, Gus (Rogers Brothers), undated
Box 3 Folder 56 Rogers, Max (Rogers Brothers), undated
Box 3 Folder 57 Ross and Louise, undated
Box 3 Folder 58 Ruloff, Louise and Shura Rulowa, undated
Box 3 Folder 59 Rush, Isadore (fem.), undated
Box 3 Folder 60 Russell, Annie, undated
Box 3 Folder 61 Russell, Lillian, undated
Box 3 Folder 62 Russell, Sol Smith, undated
Box 3 Folder 63 Russell, Tommy, undated
Box 3 Folder 64 Ruth and Weld, Dancers, undated
Box 3 Folder 65 Rutherford, Richard J., undated (also includes birth certificate, 1908, and family history information)
Box 4 Folder 1 St. Charles, clown, undated
Box 4 Folder 2 Salvini, Alexander, undated
Box 4 Folder 3 Scott and Garner, undated
Box 4 Folder 4 Scott, Cyril, undated
Box 4 Folder 5 Seabrook, Thomas Q., 1913
Box 4 Folder 6 Seabury, Ralph, undated
Box 4 Folder 7 Shannon, Effie, undated
Box 4 Folder 8 Silent Mora, undated
Box 4 Folder 9 Simmons, Evelyn, undated
Box 4 Folder 10 Simonds, Jack, undated
Box 4 Folder 11 Singing Guitar Aces, undated
Box 4 Folder 12 Skinner, Otis, undated
Box 4 Folder 13 Sothern, Edward H., undated
Box 4 Folder 14 Spraker, Lewis, undated
Box 4 Folder 15 Starr, Frances, undated
Box 4 Folder 16 Stewart, Gale, undated
Box 4 Folder 17 Stewart, William G., undated
Box 4 Folder 18 Stoddard, John L., undated
Box 4 Folder 19 Sykes, Jerome, undated
Box 4 Folder 20 Talchinova Revue, undated
Box 4 Folder 21 Taliaferro, Mabel, undated
Box 4 Folder 22 Tanner, Maude, undated
Box 4 Folder 23 Tarkal, Ada, dancer, undated
Box 4 Folder 24 Tempest, Marie, undated
Box 4 Folder 25 Templeton, Fay, undated
Box 4 Folder 26 Tennant, Dorothy, undated
Box 4 Folder 27 Thompson, Denman (souvenir booklet), undated
Box 4 Folder 28 “Three Austrian Troubadors,” undated
Box 4 Folder 29 “Three Bennett Sisters,” undated
Box 4 Folder 30 “Three Jolliteers,” undated
Box 4 Folder 31 Toy, Ning, undated
Box 4 Folder 32 Tree, Herbert Beerbohm, undated
Box 4 Folder 33 Trifoli Trio, undated
Box 4 Folder 34 Trowbridge, Fawn, undated
Box 4 Folder 35 Truedell and Nelson, undated
Box 4 Folder 36 Twentieth-century Trio, undated
Box 4 Folder 37 The Two Graces (Grace Lynn), undated
Box 4 Folder 38 Tyree, Bessie, undated
Box 4 Folder 39 Uart, Kate, undated
Box 4 Folder 40 Underwood, Velina [autographed], undated
Box 4 Folder 41 Unger, Fannie, undated
Box 4 Folder 42 Valen, Tria [?], undated
Box 4 Folder 43 Valin, undated
Box 4 Folder 44 Vardo and Lou, 1924
Box 4 Folder 45 Veut, Ullrich, undated
Box 4 Folder 46 Vontello and Nina, undated
Box 4 Folder 47 Wachsner, Leon, undated
Box 4 Folder 48 Wachta, Elaine, undated
Box 4 Folder 49 Wainright, Marie, undated
Box 4 Folder 50 Wallis, Gladys, undated
Box 4 Folder 51 Walsh, Blanche, undated
Box 4 Folder 52 Walter, Eugene, 1941
Box 4 Folder 53 Weigham, Frank, ventriloquist, undated
Box 4 Folder 54 West, Dolly, undated
Box 4 Folder 55 Weston, Frank, undated
Box 4 Folder 56 Wheeler, Berenice, undated
Box 4 Folder 57 White, Buddy (fem.), undated
Box 4 Folder 58 Whitney, Florence, undated
Box 4 Folder 59 Willard, E.S., undated
Box 4 Folder 60 Williams, Hattie, undated
Box 4 Folder 61 Wilson, Francis, undated
Box 4 Folder 62 Wilson, Grace, undated
Box 4 Folder 63 Wyndham, Olive, undated
Box 4 Folder 64 Wynn, Bessie, undated
Box 4 Folder 65 Yohe, May, undated
Box 4 Folder 66 Yunkskenicz, Ilonka, undated
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