Ethel Barrymore for “Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines” (1901)

Ethel Barrymore (1879 – 1959) was regarded as the first “First Lady of the American Theater” she and her brothers, John and Lionel, dominated the American theater in the early 20th century.

In 1901, at age 21, she made her Walnut Street Theatre debut in the play “Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines”.

Ethel Barrymore in one of the costumes from “Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines”, 1901 via

Ethel Barrymore in one of the costumes from “Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines”, 1901 via

 © CORBIS Ethel Barrymore in one of the costumes from “Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines”, 1901 via

Geneviève Lantelme (ca. 1900s)

Geneviève “Ginette” Lantelme (born 1883) was a French stage actress, socialite, fashion icon, and courtesan.

Geneviève Lantelme, ca. 1900s via

Yvonne Arnaud by Bassano (1912)

Yvonne Arnaud (1890 – 1958) was a French pianist, singer and actress.

After beginning a career as a concert pianist as a child, Arnaud acted in musical comedies.

until 1911, she performed with leading orchestras throughout Europe and the US. In 1911 she decided to try the stage instead of the concert hall and obtained an engagement at London’s Adelphi Theatre as understudy to Elsie Spain in the role of Princess Mathilde in The Quaker Girl, first going on stage in that role on 7 August 1911. She next played the leading role of Suzanne in the musical The Girl in the Taxi (1912), earning popularity with her vivacity and charming French accent.

Around 1920 she switched to non-musical comedy and drama and was one of the players in the second of the Aldwych farces, A Cuckoo in the Nest, a hit in 1925.

She also had dramatic roles and made films in the 1930s and 40s, and continued to act into the 1950s.

She occasionally performed as a pianist later in her career.

Yvonne Arnaud by Bassano, whole-plate glass negative, November 1912

via

© National Portrait Gallery, London

Yvonne Arnaud by Bassano, whole-plate glass negative, November 1912

© National Portrait Gallery, London

Yvonne Arnaud by Bassano, whole-plate glass negative, November 1912

via

© National Portrait Gallery, London

 

Sarah Bernhardt as Hamlet (1899)

Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1925) by Lafayette as Hamlet, 1899 via

Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1925) by Lafayette as Hamlet, 1899 via

British Musical Star Evelyn Laye

Evelyn Laye via

Marianne Faithfull on stage as Ophelia (1969)

Marianne Faithfull on stage for the play Hamlet at the Royal House in London, 1969 via

Marianne Faithfull on stage for the play Hamlet at the Royal House in London, 1969 via

Marianne Faithfull and Nicol Williamson in Hamlet directed by Tony Richardson, 1969 via

Marianne Faithfull and Nicol Williamson in Hamlet directed by Tony Richardson, 1969 via

Surreal Vignette by Cecil Beaton (1936)

Ruth Ford (1911-2009) was an American model and stage and film actress. As a model she posed for Harper’s, Town and Country and Mademoiselle. She was best known for the salon she created at her beautiful, art-lined Manhattan apartment, frequented by the likes of William Faulkner, Cecil Beaton, Truman Capote and Andy Warhol (source).

Her brother was the bohemian surrealist Charles Henri Ford.

Cecil Beaton Surreal Vignette, Ruth Ford with tapemeasure. 1936 via

Cecil Beaton Surreal Vignette, Ruth Ford with tapemeasure. 1936 via

Cecil Beaton Surreal Vignette, Ruth Ford with tapemeasure. 1936 via

Cecil Beaton Surreal Vignette, Ruth Ford with tapemeasure. 1936 via

Wonderful Edwardian Hand-coloured Postcards of Gabrielle Ray

Gabrielle Ray (1883 – 1973), was an English stage actress, dancer and singer, best known for her roles in Edwardian musical comedies.

Gabrielle Ray by Bassano Ltd, published by Aristophot Co Ltd
hand-coloured postcard print, 1900s.

© National Portrait Gallery, London via

Gabrielle Ray by Bassano Ltd, published by Aristophot Co Ltd
hand-coloured postcard print, 1900s

© National Portrait Gallery, London via

Gabrielle Ray by The Biograph Studio, published by Davidson Brothers
hand-coloured bromide postcard print, circa 1903

© National Portrait Gallery, London via

Gabrielle Ray by W. & D. Downey, published by The Philco Publishing Co
hand-coloured bromide postcard print with glitter and sequins, circa 1905

© National Portrait Gallery, London via

Gabrielle Ray by W. & D. Downey, published by The Philco Publishing Co
hand-coloured bromide postcard print, 1905

© National Portrait Gallery, London via

Gabrielle Ray published by Davidson Brothers
hand-coloured postcard print, circa 1905

© National Portrait Gallery, London via

Beautiful Turn of the Century Postcards by Rita Martin

Rita Martin (1875-1958) started her photographic career in 1897 when she helped her elder sister Lallie Charles to run her studio. In 1906 she opened her own studio, working in a similar studio to Charles, photographing subjects in pale colours against a pure white background, and focused on actresses such as Lily Elsie and Lily Brayton and child studies, particularly of Gladys Cooper’s two children.

Martin’s and Charles’ few surviving negatives were presented to the National Portrait Gallery by their niece Lallie Charles Martin in 1994.

Dame Gladys Cooper

by Rita Martin, published by J. Beagles & Co
bromide postcard print, 1910. © National Portrait Gallery, London via

Dame Gladys Cooper

by Rita Martin, published by J. Beagles & Co
bromide postcard print, 1910. © National Portrait Gallery, London via

Lily Elsie (Mrs Bullough)

by Rita Martin, published by J. Beagles & Co
bromide postcard print, 1907. © National Portrait Gallery, London via

Lily Elsie (Mrs Bullough)

by Rita Martin, published by J. Beagles & Co
bromide postcard print, 1907. © National Portrait Gallery, London via

Lily Brayton as Katherine in ‘The Taming of the Shrew’

by Rita Martin
postcard print, 1904. © National Portrait Gallery, London via

Lily Brayton as Katherine in ‘The Taming of the Shrew’

by Rita Martin
postcard print, 1904. © National Portrait Gallery, London via

Nora Kerin in ‘The Prince and the Beggarmaid’

by Rita Martin, published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd
bromide postcard print, 1908. © National Portrait Gallery, London via

Nora Kerin in ‘The Prince and the Beggarmaid’

by Rita Martin, published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd
bromide postcard print, 1908. © National Portrait Gallery, London via

Vintage Photos of Celebrated Star of London Musicals Evelyn Laye

Evelyn Laye (1900 – 1996) was an English theatre and musical film actress, who was active on the London light opera stage.

Born as Elsie Evelyn Lay in Bloomsbury, London, and known professionally as Evelyn Laye, and informally as Boo. Her parents were both actors and her father a theatre manager. She made her first stage appearance in August 1915 at the Theatre Royal,Brighton as Nang-Ping in Mr. Wu, and her first London appearance at the East Ham Palace on 24 April 1916, aged 16, in the revueHoni Soit, in which she subsequently toured.

For the first few years of her career she mainly played in musical comedy and operetta, including Going Up in 1918. Among her successes during the 1920s were Phi-Phi (1922), Madame Pompadour (1923), The Dollar Princess, Blue Eyes (1928) and Lilac Time. She made her Broadway debut in 1929 in the American première of Noël Coward’s Bitter Sweet and appeared in several early Hollywood film musicals. She continued acting in pantomimes such as The Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella.

Evelyn Laye via

Evelyn Laye via

Evelyn Laye via

Evelyn Laye via

Evelyn Laye via