Blanche Walsh (January 4, 1873 – October 31, 1915)[citation needed] was a highly regarded American stage actress who appeared in one film, Resurrection based on the novel by Leo Tolstoy and the first three reel treatment of any Tolstoy story.[1]
Walsh's father was Thomas Power "Fatty" Walsh, a Tammany politician and a prison warden.[2] She made her stage debut at 15 in 1888 and acted in Charles Frohman's stock company. Walsh trouped for years in support of bigger names like Marie Wainwright, William Gillette and Nat C. Goodwin. In 1896 she accompanied Goodwin on a tour of Australia in Trilby.[3]
Walsh as Marcelle The International, Volume 9; 1900Blanche Walsh as "Trilby"
Walsh began picking up the emotional roles that Fanny Davenport had been playing, as Davenport was ill for a time prior to her 1898 death. Walsh was much younger than Davenport but bore a strong resemblance to her. After several years apprenticing in the emotional roles, Walsh moved up to more challenging parts such as Maslova the prostitute in Tolstoy's Resurrection and Margaret Rolfe in The Woman in the Case.
In 1901, Walsh did a four-week engagement at the Elitch Theatre in Denver, Colorado. She opened in Under Two Flags the dramatization of Ouida's novel by Denverite, Edward Elsner. The biographer of Mary Elitch Long, the owner of Elitch Theatre, wrote that "when Blanche Walsh is truly interested in a part there is no woman on the stage who plays with more fire and intense realism." For her third week at the theater, Walsh performed in Romeo and Juliet, "she the Romeo and Maude Fealy the Juliet."[4]
Walsh's time at Elitch Theatre was a great success, but Mary Elitch reported that "the management was accused of unheard of liberality when it became public that Miss Walsh was receiving a weekly salary of $750."[4]
She starred in a production of Tolstoy's The Kreutzer Sonata in 1904. An early silent short film from 1905 by Thomas Edison shows a theatre marquee announcing a Blanche Walsh appearance in a play. Walsh's name is in big bold letters but she doesn't appear anywhere in the film. In 1912 Walsh agreed to do one motion picture for an independent film company, a film adaptation of the Tolstoy play she had been acting in on the stage, Resurrection.[5] The film would be distributed through Adolph Zukor's new Famous Players company. This came around the same time that Zukor was showing Queen Elizabeth, a feature-length French film, starring Sarah Bernhardt. Zukor's aim was to lure big name Broadway stars to make feature films, films that are over 50 minutes. Walsh was one of the first major stage stars to make a film over 30 minutes long. Today Resurrection is a lost film.[6]
Personal lifeedit
Walsh was married to Alfred Hickman from 1896 to 1903. Walsh remarried to William Travers in 1906, with whom she remained married to until her death. She had no children.[7]
James J. Walsh, a New York City attorney and member of Congress, was Walsh's first cousin; her father Thomas was the brother of James Walsh's father William.[8]
Deathedit
Walsh, like Fanny Davenport, seemed to be plagued by health problems.[9] Contemporary newspaper accounts register her occasional hospitalizations.[10]
Walsh died on October 31, 1915, after a final bout with her kidney problems. Her sudden death was a shock to theater goers and journalists alike.[11]
Blanche Walsh looking very much the school girl; Univ of Louisville Macauley Collections
Blanche Walsh in Egyptian attire Univ of Louisville Macauley Collections
Blanche Walsh in The Actors Birthday book by Johnson Briscoe
January 01, 1970
blanche, walsh, january, 1873, october, 1915, citation, needed, highly, regarded, american, stage, actress, appeared, film, resurrection, based, novel, tolstoy, first, three, reel, treatment, tolstoy, story, 1901, born, 1873, january, 1873new, york, city, york. Blanche Walsh January 4 1873 October 31 1915 citation needed was a highly regarded American stage actress who appeared in one film Resurrection based on the novel by Leo Tolstoy and the first three reel treatment of any Tolstoy story 1 Blanche WalshBlanche Walsh 1901 Born 1873 01 04 January 4 1873New York City New York U S DiedOctober 31 1915 1915 10 31 aged 42 Cleveland Ohio U S OccupationActressYears active1888 1915SpousesAlfred Hickman m 1896 div 1903 wbr William Travers m 1906 wbr Contents 1 Biography 2 Personal life 3 Death 4 References 5 External linksBiography editWalsh s father was Thomas Power Fatty Walsh a Tammany politician and a prison warden 2 She made her stage debut at 15 in 1888 and acted in Charles Frohman s stock company Walsh trouped for years in support of bigger names like Marie Wainwright William Gillette and Nat C Goodwin In 1896 she accompanied Goodwin on a tour of Australia in Trilby 3 nbsp Walsh as MarcelleThe International Volume 9 1900 nbsp Blanche Walsh as Trilby Walsh began picking up the emotional roles that Fanny Davenport had been playing as Davenport was ill for a time prior to her 1898 death Walsh was much younger than Davenport but bore a strong resemblance to her After several years apprenticing in the emotional roles Walsh moved up to more challenging parts such as Maslova the prostitute in Tolstoy s Resurrection and Margaret Rolfe in The Woman in the Case In 1901 Walsh did a four week engagement at the Elitch Theatre in Denver Colorado She opened in Under Two Flags the dramatization of Ouida s novel by Denverite Edward Elsner The biographer of Mary Elitch Long the owner of Elitch Theatre wrote that when Blanche Walsh is truly interested in a part there is no woman on the stage who plays with more fire and intense realism For her third week at the theater Walsh performed in Romeo and Juliet she the Romeo and Maude Fealy the Juliet 4 Walsh s time at Elitch Theatre was a great success but Mary Elitch reported that the management was accused of unheard of liberality when it became public that Miss Walsh was receiving a weekly salary of 750 4 She starred in a production of Tolstoy s The Kreutzer Sonata in 1904 An early silent short film from 1905 by Thomas Edison shows a theatre marquee announcing a Blanche Walsh appearance in a play Walsh s name is in big bold letters but she doesn t appear anywhere in the film In 1912 Walsh agreed to do one motion picture for an independent film company a film adaptation of the Tolstoy play she had been acting in on the stage Resurrection 5 The film would be distributed through Adolph Zukor s new Famous Players company This came around the same time that Zukor was showing Queen Elizabeth a feature length French film starring Sarah Bernhardt Zukor s aim was to lure big name Broadway stars to make feature films films that are over 50 minutes Walsh was one of the first major stage stars to make a film over 30 minutes long Today Resurrection is a lost film 6 Personal life editWalsh was married to Alfred Hickman from 1896 to 1903 Walsh remarried to William Travers in 1906 with whom she remained married to until her death She had no children 7 James J Walsh a New York City attorney and member of Congress was Walsh s first cousin her father Thomas was the brother of James Walsh s father William 8 Death editWalsh like Fanny Davenport seemed to be plagued by health problems 9 Contemporary newspaper accounts register her occasional hospitalizations 10 Walsh died on October 31 1915 after a final bout with her kidney problems Her sudden death was a shock to theater goers and journalists alike 11 References edit Blanche Walsh North American Theatre Online William C Young ca 1975 Famous Actors and Actresses On The American Stage vol 2 K Z Who Was Who in the Theatre 1912 1976 c 1976 Gale Research Company a b Dier Caroline L 1932 The lady of the Gardens Mary Elitch Long Hollycrofters Inc Ltd pp 65 67 OCLC 307807 PICTORIAL HISTORY OF THE SILENT FILM by Daniel Blum c 1953 pg 27 Resurrection at silentera com Young page 1128 Obituary Magistrate James J Walsh New York Tribune New York NY May 9 1909 p 9 via Newspapers com New York Times BLANCHE WALSH ILL Nervous Collapse in St Louis Prevents Matinee Thursday December 27 1906 New York Times BLANCHE WALSH LEAVES HOSPITAL Tuesday March 2 1909 New York TimesBLANCHE WALSH DIES AFTER OPERATION Expires in a Cleveland Hospital Monday November 1 1915External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Blanche Walsh Blanche Walsh at the Internet Broadway Database Blanche Walsh at IMDb Blanche Walsh looking very much the school girl Univ of Louisville Macauley Collections Blanche Walsh in Egyptian attire Univ of Louisville Macauley Collections Blanche Walsh in The Actors Birthday book by Johnson Briscoe Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Blanche Walsh amp oldid 1192836797, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
