Edith Taliaferro (December 21, 1894 – March 2, 1958) was an American stage and film actress of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She was active on the stage until 1935 and had roles in three silent films. She is best known for portraying the role of Rebecca in the 1910 stage production of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.
Taliaferro was born in Richmond, Virginia, the daughter of theatre workers.[1] She was the younger sister of Mabel Taliaferro who also became a stage actress, and the cousin of actress Bessie Barriscale.[2][3] Her ancestors were originally from England, of remote Italian descent (from the 1500s). They were one of the families who settled in Virginia in the 17th century.[4]
Taliaferro made her acting debut at the age of two in the stock stage production of Shore Acres, with James A. Herne.[1] It was rumored that she obtained the part because her sister Mabel was too old to depict the character.[5] Her Broadway debut came in 1900 with the play The Sunken Bell'.[6]
At the age of ten, in 1904, Taliaferro was paid $100 per week by George Tyler of Liebler & Company. She signed a contract for the following season to appear with Ezra Kendall. She was the youngest Shakesperean actress on the stage. She portrayed Puck in a Ben Greet production of A Midsummer Night's Dream before an audience at Princeton University in May 1904.[4] She was lauded by professors there, and they sent her a Princeton University flag and pin. By then, she had performed in six to eight juvenile roles after her professional debut. When she returned to New York, Taliaferro appeared with Clara Bloodgood in The Girl with the Green Eyes.[7]
Edith Taliaferro (right), with her sister Mabel in 1913.
In 1907, Frederic Thompson produced Polly of the Circus, written by Margaret Mayo, for his new wife Mabel Taliaferro, and at times during its run, Edith took on the lead role of the youthful circus rider in her sister's place.[8]
She is most noted for her 1910 performance in Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.[9] It was staged at the Republic Theater (New Victory Theater), 209 West 42nd Street. Her other successful theatrical performances include roles in Young Wisdom (1914), Tipping The Winner (1914), and Mother Carey's Chickens (1917).[6]
Films, later career and retirementedit
Edith Taliaferro age 17
Taliaferro made her silent film debut in Young Romance in 1915.[10] She made only two more films, The Conquest of Canaan (1916) and Who's Your Brother? (1919). She returned to Broadway in 1919 in Please Get Married followed by roles in Kissing Time (1920), A Love Scandal (1923), and as "Amanda Prynne" in the touring company production of Private Lives in 1931.[11] She performed in London, England and in Australia with the Toronto Theatre Guild. In vaudeville she appeared at the Palace Theater in New York City. Most of her later work was with summer theaters and on radio. Taliaferro retired from stage work in the late 1930s after she lost her vision.[12]
Personal lifeedit
Taliaferro's first husband was actor Earl Browne. The marriage was announced in July 1913.[13] Taliaferro's second husband was actor House B. Jameson, whom she married around 1928.[14] Jameson appeared in various stage productions and later became known for his role as Sam "Papa" Aldrich on the radio and television series The Aldrich Family.[15] The couple had no children and remained married until Taliaferro's death.[16]
Deathedit
On March 2, 1958, Edith Taliaferro died at age 63 from undisclosed causes at her home in Newtown, Connecticut.[16]
edith, taliaferro, december, 1894, march, 1958, american, stage, film, actress, late, 19th, early, 20th, centuries, active, stage, until, 1935, roles, three, silent, films, best, known, portraying, role, rebecca, 1910, stage, production, rebecca, sunnybrook, f. Edith Taliaferro December 21 1894 March 2 1958 was an American stage and film actress of the late 19th and early 20th centuries She was active on the stage until 1935 and had roles in three silent films She is best known for portraying the role of Rebecca in the 1910 stage production of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm Edith TaliaferroTaliaferro in 1907Born 1894 12 21 December 21 1894Richmond Virginia U S DiedMarch 2 1958 1958 03 02 aged 63 Newtown Connecticut U S OccupationActressYears active1896 1935SpousesEarl Browne divorced House B Jameson m 1928 wbr RelativesMabel Taliaferro sister Bessie Barriscale cousin Contents 1 Early life and family 2 Career 2 1 Early years 2 2 Films later career and retirement 3 Personal life 4 Death 5 Stage credits 6 Filmography 7 References 7 1 Footnotes 8 External linksEarly life and family editTaliaferro was born in Richmond Virginia the daughter of theatre workers 1 She was the younger sister of Mabel Taliaferro who also became a stage actress and the cousin of actress Bessie Barriscale 2 3 Her ancestors were originally from England of remote Italian descent from the 1500s They were one of the families who settled in Virginia in the 17th century 4 Career editEarly years edit nbsp Taliaferro in Metropolitan Magazine January 1899 Taliaferro made her acting debut at the age of two in the stock stage production of Shore Acres with James A Herne 1 It was rumored that she obtained the part because her sister Mabel was too old to depict the character 5 Her Broadway debut came in 1900 with the play The Sunken Bell 6 At the age of ten in 1904 Taliaferro was paid 100 per week by George Tyler of Liebler amp Company She signed a contract for the following season to appear with Ezra Kendall She was the youngest Shakesperean actress on the stage She portrayed Puck in a Ben Greet production of A Midsummer Night s Dream before an audience at Princeton University in May 1904 4 She was lauded by professors there and they sent her a Princeton University flag and pin By then she had performed in six to eight juvenile roles after her professional debut When she returned to New York Taliaferro appeared with Clara Bloodgood in The Girl with the Green Eyes 7 nbsp Edith Taliaferro right with her sister Mabel in 1913 In 1907 Frederic Thompson produced Polly of the Circus written by Margaret Mayo for his new wife Mabel Taliaferro and at times during its run Edith took on the lead role of the youthful circus rider in her sister s place 8 She is most noted for her 1910 performance in Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm 9 It was staged at the Republic Theater New Victory Theater 209 West 42nd Street Her other successful theatrical performances include roles in Young Wisdom 1914 Tipping The Winner 1914 and Mother Carey s Chickens 1917 6 Films later career and retirement edit nbsp Edith Taliaferro age 17 Taliaferro made her silent film debut in Young Romance in 1915 10 She made only two more films The Conquest of Canaan 1916 and Who s Your Brother 1919 She returned to Broadway in 1919 in Please Get Married followed by roles in Kissing Time 1920 A Love Scandal 1923 and as Amanda Prynne in the touring company production of Private Lives in 1931 11 She performed in London England and in Australia with the Toronto Theatre Guild In vaudeville she appeared at the Palace Theater in New York City Most of her later work was with summer theaters and on radio Taliaferro retired from stage work in the late 1930s after she lost her vision 12 Personal life editTaliaferro s first husband was actor Earl Browne The marriage was announced in July 1913 13 Taliaferro s second husband was actor House B Jameson whom she married around 1928 14 Jameson appeared in various stage productions and later became known for his role as Sam Papa Aldrich on the radio and television series The Aldrich Family 15 The couple had no children and remained married until Taliaferro s death 16 Death editOn March 2 1958 Edith Taliaferro died at age 63 from undisclosed causes at her home in Newtown Connecticut 16 Stage credits editDate Production Role 1896 Shore Acres Millie Berry March 26 April 1900 The Sunken Bell September 23 November 1901 The Bonnie Brier Bush December 25 1902 Closing date unknown The Girl with the Green Eyes Susie 1904 Uncle Tom s Cabin Little Eva September 17 October 1906 Mrs Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch Lovey Mary September 30 October 1907 The Evangelist Ione Nuneham October 3 1910 April 1911 Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm Rebecca January 5 March 1914 Young Wisdom Gail Claffenden September 23 October 1914 Tipping the Winner Dorothy Gay 1915 A Breath of Old Virginia Mary Davis November 13 1916 March 1917 Captain Kidd Jr Mary MacTavish September 25 October 1917 Mother Carey s Chickens Nancy Carey June 1918 The Best Sellers June 10 29 1918 Muggins February 10 1919 Closing date unknown Please Get Married Muriel Ashley October 11 December 4 1920 Kissing Time Clarice July 18 28 1924 Fashions of 1924 Neil Barton November 17 December 1923 A Love Scandal Bettina Tilton 1931 Private Lives Amanda Prynne May 7 May 1935 The Hook up Mary BainbridgeFilmography editYear Title Role Notes 1915 Young Romance Nellie Nolan 1916 The Conquest of Canaan Ariel Tabor 1919 Who s Your Brother Esther Field Alternative title Keep It to the Right 17 References edit Theater Talk Mansfield News April 16 1909 p 7 Theatres The New York Times October 10 1897 p 5 Ten Years Old 100 A Week The New York Times May 24 1904 p 9 Edith Taliaferro Of Stage Was 64 The New York Times March 3 1958 p 27 Wieting Polly of the Circus Syracuse Herald Journal November 15 1908 p 30 Footnotes edit a b Fisher James Hardison Londre Felicia 2009 The A to Z of American Theater Modernism Rowman amp Littlefield p 465 ISBN 978 0 810 86884 7 Hischak Thomas S 2003 Enter the Players New York Stage Actors in the Twentieth Century Scarecrow Press p 304 ISBN 0 810 84761 2 Lowe Denise 2014 An Encyclopedic Dictionary of Women in Early American Films 1895 1930 Routledge p 1865 ISBN 978 1 317 71896 3 a b Women in History Month ItalianTribune com March 12 2020 Retrieved September 2 2023 Star Dust Star Tribune March 27 1927 p 46 Retrieved September 2 2023 a b Edith Taliaferro BroadwayWorld Retrieved September 2 2023 The Girl with the Green Eyes Broadway Original Cast BroadwayWorld Retrieved September 2 2023 Munsey s Magazine Volume 39 1908 Page 846 Munsey s Magazine Volume 4 1913 Page 560 Young Romance 1915 CenturyFilmProject org Century Film Project June 20 2015 Retrieved September 2 2023 Gaines William July 20 1931 Sidelights In New York Gettysburg Times p 6 Rebecca Dies The Spokesman Review March 2 1958 p 15 19 Jul 1913 Page 3 The Rock Island Argus and Daily Union at Newspapers com Retrieved August 6 2016 Wolters Larry March 14 1953 Father Aldrich In Harem Class Has 4 TV Wives Oliver Wayne January 25 1953 The Lone Ranger Gallops Into Third Decade This Week The News and Courier p 10 D a b Edith Taliaferro Daytona Beach Morning Journal March 3 1958 p 3 See photograph at http www shorpy com node 13082 which omits It External links edit nbsp Biography portal nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Edith Taliaferro Edith Taliaferro at the Internet Broadway Database nbsp Edith Taliaferro at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Edith Taliaferro amp oldid 1194090820, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
