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The online magazine of Theatre Heritage Australia
Elisabeth Kumm

Elisabeth Kumm

Elisabeth is a founding member of the Victoria Theatres Trust. Her series Pets of the Public was a regular feature of On Stage from 1999 to 2005, looking at “forgotten” nineteenth century performers. She continues to contribute articles for the THA website, and from 2018 has been editor of the THA Newsletter. As a theatrical historian and biographer she assisted Viola Tait with her book on pantomime – Dames, Principal Boys…and All That (published by Macmillan in 2001) and also worked with her on her memoirs I Have a Song to Sing (published by THA in 2018). Elisabeth has also undertaken research for the Riley/Hailes Scrapbook and JCW Scene Books projects. Most recently she has been working on the Falk Studios album project including acting as editor of The Falk Studios book (published by THA in 2021). 

English operatic vocalist (bass). Né Robert Farquharson Smith. Born 26 May 1820, London, England. Died 14 February 1880, London, England.

On stage in Australia during the 1850s.

Riley/Hailes Scrapbook, page 232.

Monday, 01 May 2017

FARLEY, Edward (d. 1916)

Welsh operatic vocalist (baritone). Né Edward Hughes. Married Eliza Nichols. Died 11 March 1916, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

On stage in England, Australia and USA.

Riley/Hailes Scrapbook, page 232.

French-English actor & vocalist. Born 23 April 1864/1867, Smyrna, Greece. Son of French father and English mother. Cousin of Jack Cannot (actor). Died 21 March 1916, New York City, New York, USA, aged 52.

On stage in England from 1899.

Riley/Hailes Scrapbook, page 173.

Monday, 01 May 2017

FABIAN, Madge (1883-1958)

English actress. Née Marjorie Alice Wilks. Born 16 August 1883, London, England. Daughter of Washington Fabian Wilks and Alice Everitt. Married (1) Alfred Mansfield (actor), 1905, England (div. 1918), (2) Charles Arthur Hadley (racehorse owner), c.1919, South Africa. Died 1958, South Africa.

On stage in England, South Africa and Australia from 1902. Performing in South Africa and Australia, 1914-1916, under engagement to JC Williamson Ltd. Settled in South Africa from 1916.

Riley/Hailes Scrapbook, page 277.

Monday, 01 May 2017

ESCOTT, Lucy (1828-1895)

American operatic vocalist (soprano). Née Lucy Evans Grant. Born 1828, Springfield, Massachusetts, USA. Married Henry Squires (vocalist). Died 26 November 1895, Paris, France.

On stage in Australia during the 1860s.

Riley/Hailes Scrapbook, page 244.

Monday, 01 May 2017

ELTON, William (1850-1903)

English actor & vocalist. Né William John Shuttleworth. Born 1850, Manchester, England. Son of William Shuttleworth (surgeon). Married (1) Fanny Eliza Lewis, 1 September 1872, (2) ??, 1902. Died 27 January 1903, London, England, aged 51. Father of George Elton (actor) and Fanny Elton.

On stage in England and Australia.

Riley/Hailes Scrapbook, pages 93, 284.

Monday, 01 May 2017

ELLIOTT, Maxine (1868-1940)

American actress. Née Jessie McDermott. Born 5 February 1868, Rockland, Maine, USA. Daughter of Thomas Dermot (sea captain) and Adelaide Hall. Sister of Gertrude Elliott (actress). Married (1) Unknown, (2) Nat C Goodwin (actor), 1898 (div. 1908). Died 5 March 1940, Cannes, France.

On stage in America and England from 1890. Founded the Maxine Elliott Theatre on Thirty-Ninth Street in New York in 1908.

Riley/Hailes Scrapbook, page 275.

Monday, 01 May 2017

EDOUIN, Rose (1844-1925)

English actress. Née Rose Bryer. Born 29 January 1844, Brighton, England. Sister of Willie Edouin (actor). Married G.B.W. Lewis (manager). Died 24 August 1925, Harrogate, England, aged 80.

On stage in Australia, India, China and England from 1851. In Melbourne, 1857-1864, India, 1867-1876, Melbourne, 1876-1907, and England in 1907-1925. Performed in comedy, drama, burlesque, pantomime, etc. Also teacher of elocution. See Circus and Stage by Mimi Colligan.

Riley/Hailes Scrapbook, page 36.

German conductor. Né Herman Richard Eckhold. Born 1855, Schandau, Saxony, Germany.

Worked in Europe, England, South Africa, Australia and USA, notably as conductor of the Carl Rosa Opera Company and Quinlan Opera Company, touring Australia with the latter during the 1910s. In 1913, he conducted the first Ring Cycle in Australia. During WWI he was interned in England as an enemy alien.

Riley/Hailes Scrapbook, pages 185, 269.

Monday, 01 May 2017

DYER, Tom (fl. 1900s)

Australian manager. Ex-boxer?

Riley/Hailes Scrapbook, page 212.

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