Minnie Palmer

Minnie Palmer (March 31, 1857[1] - May 21, 1936)[2] was an American actress in dramatic and musical plays.

Minnie Palmer
Palmer circa 1885
BornMarch 31, 1857
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
DiedMay 21, 1936
Bay Shore, Louisiana
NationalityAmerican
OccupationActress
Spouse(s)John R. Rogers
Francis Jerrard

Early years

Born in Philadelphia,[3] Palmer supplemented her convent education by studying languages, dancing, and singing abroad.[4]

Career

Palmer debuted on Broadway in 1876.[1] Her Broadway credits included Lightnin' (1918), My Partner (1879), and Baby (1878).[2] Other productions in which she acted were The Day After the Wedding, The Little Rebel, and The Cricket on the Hearth.[3]

Palmer's performances in My Sweetheart had a lasting effect, as described in an article in the February 1915 issue of Motion Picture Magazine: "The American woman in an English theater is always of the soubret type, due ... to the phenomenal success of Minnie Palmer when she originally produced My Sweetheart in London."[5] A side effect of that success was that Palmer became so identified with girlish roles that she rarely could find success in other roles.[1]

A 1924 newspaper article described Palmer as "a full-fledged star at sixteen", adding that she "played the one role, My Sweetheart for sixteen years."[4] Performances of My Sweetheart in England enhanced her status with the public and with critics.[6] The 1885-1887 touring production also took Palmer and the company to Germany, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, and eight other countries.[7]

Personal life

Palmer married John R. Rogers, her manager, but they later divorced.[4] Her next husband was Francis Jerrard, "a rich Englishman".[3] She left acting and accompanied Jerrard to England, where they lived in "a sumptuous mansion".[3]

Confusion of identies

In the 1910s, some confusion arose when Minnie Marx, of the Marx Brothers family, assumed the name Minnie Palmer. The newer entertainer's use of the name caused confusion to researchers, "who continue to include both in the same files."[3]

Death

On May 21, 1936, Palmer died in Bay Shore, Louisiana.[2]


References
  1. Ganzl, Kurt (2014). William B. Gill: From the Goldfields to Broadway. Routledge. pp. 116–118. ISBN 9781135358310. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  2. "Minnie Palmer". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. 2018-10-05. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  3. Louvish, Simon (2000). Monkey Business: The Lives and Legends of The Marx Brothers. Macmillan. p. 70. ISBN 9780312252922. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  4. "Are Stage Stars Living Too Close to Their Public?". Asheville Citizen-Times. North Carolina, Asheville. January 13, 1924. p. 28. Retrieved July 18, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. Briscoe, Lottie (February 1915). "The Great War". Motion Picture Magazine: 82. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  6. "Minnie Palmer at the Museum". The Boston Globe. Massachusetts, Boston. October 19, 1884. p. 10. Retrieved October 4, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. Lewis, Amelia B. (June 27, 1885). "'My Sweetheart': The Last Appearance of Minnie Palmer". The Era. England, London. Freund's Magazine. p. 13. Retrieved October 5, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.


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