Julian Eltinge "FASCINATING WIDOW" Female Impersonator 1912 Atlantic City

Description

This is a rare August 26th, 1912 program from the Post-Broadway engagement of the OTTO HAUERBACH and F. A. MILLS comedy with music "THE FASCINATING WIDOW" at the Apollo Theatre in Atlantic City, New Jersey. (The production opened September 11th, 1911 at the Liberty Theatre in New York City and ran for 65 performances before mounting an ambitious national tour.) ..... The musical starred JULIAN ELTINGE in dual roles and featured EDWARD GARVIE, JAMES SPOTTSWOOD, GILBERT DOUGLAS, CHARLES W. BUTLER, JAMES E. SULLIVAN, FRANK WENTWORTH, CARRIE E. PERKINS, BELLE ADAIR, JUNE MATHIS, LOUISE ORTH, EDITH HARDLOW, EDNA GIBSON, ELEANOR RYLEY, HELEN GLENMORE, MARIE FINNEY, DOROTHY LANDERS, DOROTHY WILCOX, KATHERINE FOSTER and EVELYN NEWMAN ..... Biographical note: JULIAN ELTINGE (1883-1941) was an American vaudeville star and is often called the greatest female impersonator in theatrical history. Eltinge played his first female role at age ten. A graduate of Harvard, he entered vaudeville in 1904, soon commanding one of the highest salaries in show business. During a successful tour of the United States and Europe in 1907, he gave a Command Performance for King Edward VII. His stage successes included "The Fascinating Widow" (1911), written for him, in which he played the dual roles of Mrs. Monte and Hal Blake; "The Crinoline Girl" (1914) and "Cousin Lucy" (1915). He continued working in vaudeville from 1918 to 1927 and also starred in several silent films. (Reprinted in part from www.britannica.com) ..... CREDITS: Book and Lyrics by OTTO HARBACH ("Bright Eyes", "The Cat and the Fiddle", "Roberta", "The Firefly", "Wildflower", "Sunny", "Rose-Marie", "Song of the Flame", "The Desert Song", "No, No, Nanette"); Music by F. A. MILLS; Sets designed by DODGE and CASTLE; Costumes designed by HAYDEN and Company and FRANCES of New York; Choreographed by JACK MASON; Directed by GEORGE MARION; Produced by A. H. WOODS ..... The program also includes the credits for the Pre-Broadway engagement of the ARTHUR PINERO comedy "THE 'MIND THE PAINT' GIRL" starring BILLIE BURKE. (The tryout began on September 2nd, 1912 at Atlantic City's Apollo Theatre and the production opened September 9th, 1912 at New York's Lyceum Theatre and ran for 136 performances.) ..... DETAILS: The oversized 38 page playbill measures 8" X 10 3/4" inches and includes beautiful cover graphics on both the front and backsides, production credits, cast list, scenes, musical numbers and wonderful vintage advertising, but no cast photos or bios ..... CONDITION: (Please Note!) Several of the pages with the credits for "THE 'MIND THE PAINT' GIRL" were singed by flames and there is paper loss. There is also a heavy vertical fold, surface marks and minor edge wear. Despite these flaws, this rare program will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any musical theatre aficionado or historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.
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