Donna at the Auditorium Theatre, Winston-Salem, NC, – 18-20 Oct 1923.

Posted on October 18, 2023 by Don Taylor

Donna Darling Vaudville
100 Years Ago
by Don Taylor

It doesn’t appear there was any pre-show advertising for Donna’s Revue, as the first ad for her show appeared on opening day, October 18, 1923. The five Keith Acts included:

Clipping showing Donna Darling playing at the Auditorium Theatre.
  • Walter Law & Company – The headliner at the Auditorium. Walter was a movie star who had just starred in the 1923 version of “The Flying Dutchman.”
  • Bill Dooley & Company – Songs, Comedy, Dances.
  • Hickman Bros. – Comedians.
  • “Done in Oil” – A short comedy starring Jimmie Adams.
  • Donna Darling – in her revue with her dancing fool, Murray Earle, and her Beau Brummel[i], Tod Watson in a song and dance romance.
  • An added attraction was AMAC, a magician, who performed “The Elusive Lady.[ii]”

Advertising for the show appeared in both the Winston-Salem Journal and the Twin City Sentinel.

The Winston-Salem Journal ran a photo and short write-up about Donna on October 19th.

Starring with Keith at Auditorium This Week

Miss Donna Darling who starred yesterday afternoon and last evening at the Auditorium theatre in her review, assisted by Murry Earle and Tod Watson. Miss Darling has just returned from the west where she closed the season with the Orpheum circuit. She is the sister of Miss Grace Darling the famous movie star, and like her sister she is also a movie star. Miss Darling was also prima Donna with the famous play “Chin Chin.” She will be at the Auditorium theatre today and Saturday, and her act is certainly worth the time that it takes to see the bill. Everyone who loves good vaudeville should see the bill this week.

Reviews

Johnson Hall wrote a review of the show in the October 19th edition of the Winston-Salem Journal.

Bushels of Fun at Auditorium

Donna Darling’s Review is one of the High Spots of the Show

News clipping - Winston-Salem (NC) Journal, dated 19 Oct 1923.

… It is a program that grips the audience from the beginning to the end, only to find that the best comes last, for there is no questioning the fact that Miss Donna Darling’s review is the highest spot of the show, despite the man good things that have gone before….

… But when Miss Donna Darling brings on her review the audience sits up and takes notice. Here is a real star—a prima donna that played in the original cast of “Chin Chin”, a fore-runner of “Chu Chin Chow.” Miss darling has a sister in the movies, but the movies can’t sing, and Miss Donna Darling can. Besides that, she is winsome, attractive, and—Well go see for yourself—Its worth twice the price for the show.

Auditorium Theatre

Photo of the Auditorium Theatre, Winston-Salem, NC, circa 1918, Courtesy of the Forsyth County Public Library Photograph Collection.
Photo Courtesy of the Forsyth County Public Library Photograph Collection.

The Elks Auditorium, located on the corner of West Fifth and North Liberty Streets, opened in 1903. On 27 April 1916, the hotel next door (The Neil Hotel) caught fire and it and the Elks Auditorium were quickly engulfed in the flames and destroyed.[iii]

The Auditorium theatre opened in 1918 on the same site as the Elks Auditorium. In 1930, it was renamed the State Theatre and operated until its closure in 1952[iv]. It was later demolished; today it is a parking ramp.

Parking ramp where Auditorium Theatre once stood. Image courtesy Google Maps.

Parking ramp where Auditorium Theatre once stood.
Image courtesy Google Maps.

Specifications for the Auditorium Theatre – 1921[v]
C. J. McLane, Manager

Seating Capacity 1,528

  • Proscenium opening: 32 ft
  • Front to back wall: 36 ft
  • Between side walls: 50 ft
  • Between fly girders: 40 ft
  • To rigging loft: 70 ft
  • To fly gallery: 30 ft

Newspapers—Morning Journal – Evening Sentinel.”
Hotels—Zinzendorf, Frances, Phoenix, Winsal Café, Liberty Café.

Endnotes

[i] Beau Brummel – an extremely or excessively well-dressed man.
[ii] See Magicpedia article “Bill Amac” for more information about this act.
[iii] See the Winston-Salem Time Traveler “Elks Auditorium Fire… 100 Years Ago.”
[iv] See Cinema Treasures – “State Theatre, 453 N. Liberty Street, Winston-Salem, NDC 27101.”
[v] James Cahn-Gus Hill theatrical guide and moving picture directory, v.20, 1921 – via HathiTrust Page 275.

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Nida, Robillard, Sawyer, Talbot, (née Wilson).

Posted on October 13, 2023 by Don Taylor

Ethel Wight Collection – Part 150
Photo Friday
By Don Taylor

This week, for Photo Friday, I identified the people in five more envelopes from the Ethel Wight Studio Collection[i]. The envelopes typically contain the name of the person who paid for the photos, not necessarily of the individual portrayed in the image. As such, it is vital to analyze the pictures and information to identify the individual therein.[ii] Ultimately, my goal is to reunite the photos with family members who may have never seen the image.

Carlton, Priscilla, & Bernard Nida, 1936.

The envelope this negative was in says, “Mrs. Doris Nida, Chebeague Island #1009.”

Why I believe this to be these individuals.

Photo of three Nida Children, Carlton, Priscilla, & Bernard
Carlton, Priscilla, & Bernard Nida, circa 1936.
  • The 1940 US Census lists Doris A Nida living on Oxford Street in Portland. Doris is 30 years old, married and has three children. (Her husband does not appear on this page.)
    • Carlton, age 9.
    • Priscilla, age 8.
    • Bernard, age 6.
  • The 1935 Portland City Directory indicates that Doris’s husband is Bernard R Nida and he is in the US Army.

Robert Bernard Nida (1903-1974) married Doris Amelia Doughty (1909-1997) They had three Children. I am confident this photo is of Doris’ three children taken in 1936 when they were five, four, and two respectively.

Carlton R Nida (1931-2018) is found in nine Ancestry public trees.
Priscilla E Nida (1932-2016) is found in 27 Ancestry public trees.
Bernard Edwin Nida (1933-2010) is found in 34 Ancestry public trees.

None of the children have profiles on FamilySearch so I uploaded their photograph to Dead Fred.

Confirmed to be Edwin (bottom left), Priscilla and Carleton (bottom right) by a child of one of the three.

Unknown Child (probably Perreault), circa 1934

<<Show Envelope>>

Envelope showing name of Doris Perreault.

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Doris Perreault, Ogunquit, Me, #353.”

Photo of a child about two years old.

The results of my searches.

  • I was unsuccessful locating anyone with the surname Perreault living in Ogunquit in 1934 (when this photo was taken).

Even a search for any male with the Perreault surname born between 1930 and 1934 and a mother named Doris failed to have any results.

I was unable to identify the individual in this photo sufficiently to upload to either Family Search or Dead Fred, so I only include the individual’s photo here.

Helen Talbot (née Wilson), circa 1934.

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Fred C. Talbot, Woodfords R.D. #5, West Falmouth #32.”

Photo of Helen Talbot (née Wilson), circa 1934.
Helen Talbot (née Wilson), circa 1934.

Why I believe this to be the individual.

  • The 1940 US Census lists Fred C. Talbot living on Gray Road in Falmouth. With him is his 43-year-old, Maine born, wife, Helen. Their inferred residence in 1935 is also Falmouth.

I am confident this photo is of Fred C. Talbot’s wife, Helen Stanwood Wilson (1896-1980), taken about 1934, when she was about 38 years old.

Ancestry has 19 public trees that refer to Helen S Wilson (1896-1980). Family Search has profile LRYN-PLZ for Helen Stanwood Wilson. I uploaded two photos of Helen to her Family Search Memories. I also uploaded four additional photos of her to my Flickr Photostream.

Confirmed to be Helen Talbot by a grandchild.

Eugenia, Charles, and Hall Sawyer, circa 1935.

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Hall Sawyer, So. Windham #970 – DSCN5198.”

Photo of Eugenia, Charles, and Hall Sawyer, circa 1935.
Eugenia, Charles, and Hall Sawyer, circa 1935.

Why I believe this to be these individuals.

  • The 1940 US Census lists Hall Sawyer living in Gorham with his mother Cora, wife Vena, and three children, Hall (age 12), Charles (age 9), and Eugenia (age 7).

This photo, taken in 1935, shows Hall, Charles, & Eugenia.

Hall Chester Sawyer (1927-2011) is found in 11 Ancestry public trees. Neither Charles or Eugenia appear to be in Ancestry Trees. Family Search has profile GMHX-CH4 for Hall Chester Sawyer, Jr. and profile GMHX-684 for Charles Sawyer. Family Search does not have a profile for Eugenia. I uploaded this photo including Hall to Hall’s Family Search Memories.

Paul Robillard of Gorham, 1938 (age 17).

This negative envelope says, “Paul Robillard, So. Windham – Gorham H. S. 9 Jan 1938.”

Photo of Paul Robillard of Gorham, 1938 (age 17).
Paul Robillard of Gorham, 1938 (age 17).

Why I believe this to be the individual.

  • The US Census indicates there was a Paul Arthur Robillard who lived on Union Street in Gorham in 1930, 1935, and 1940. Ancestry Trees suggest he was born 6 May 1920 in Gorham, the third of five children of Frederick H and Doris A (Coleman) Robillard.
  • The 1938 Gorham Directory indicates Paul was living with his father Fred. Their address was Union PO. The directory indicates Union is South Windham, Gorham side.

Although I cannot find a photo of Paul in Gorham Yearbooks, I am quite sure this photo is of him from 1938.

Ancestry has 19 public trees that refer to Paul Robillard; Family Search has profile LTH8-XZX for Paul Arthur Robillard (1920-1974).

Confirmed to be Paul Robillard by family members. Also, see Paul Robillard in the 1940 Census via Ancestry.

Conclusion

  • I identified eight of the nine individuals in these five negative envelopes. Four have Family Search profiles, so I uploaded their images to their Family Search Memories. Three did not have Family Search profiles, so I uploaded their photos to Dead Fred.
  • I was unable to identify one individual from the photos.  

I would love to hear your reaction if any of these photos are of your family member. Especially if this photo is of a loved one for whom you hadn’t seen this photograph before.

Due to software limitations, the images uploaded to Family Search, Dead Fred, and Flickr have higher quality than those linked here.

For all postings of the Ethel Wight Collection, please see here.

Endnotes

[i] The Wight Studio was in Portland, Maine. Many thanks to Ethel Wight’s family for access to and permission to use the collection of their great aunt.

[ii] These images were converted to positives using a lightbox, a Nikon camera and computer software.

Posted in Ethel Wight Studio, Photo Friday | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Time Before My Memories

Posted on October 8, 2023 by Don Taylor

I don’t remember much before I was 4 or 5, so anything before 1955 is based on what I have been told. In the 1970s, I wrote a page about my early life, residences & schools—most of the information about my schools I’ve posted previously. But I thought I’d try to piece together my early life.

August 1950 – After my birth, my mom and I lived with nice people about ½ block from the hospital. My mom couldn’t remember their names, but she liked them.

Photo of a Northwest Airlines airplane from circa 1950.
Northwest Airplane, circa 1950.

September 1950 – Donna (my grandmother) sent money to my mom for us to fly to Minnesota.

October 1950 – My mom and I stayed with Donna and her friend, Henry “Red” Rossburg at the bar and cabin at Little Rock Lake, Minnesota. During the fall, my mom would wrap me up and row me all around the lake. There wasn’t a crib, so they put me in a dresser drawer to sleep. In the ’60s, when we’d drive up to Motley to see my maternal grandfather, we’d drive past it, and Mom would always comment about the place and how there wasn’t any heat.

January 1951 – My mom left me at the cabins with Grandma Donna and went to Minneapolis to work at Snyder’s drug store at 8th and Hennepin. She would then hitchhike to Little Rock Lake (about 85 miles) twice a week with her tips to get money there for food. Apparently, Donna and “Red” lived there rent-free. They only had to keep things from freezing and discourage vandalism.

May 1951 – Enough money was saved to Donna, “Red,” my mom, and I were able to move to Minneapolis. Everyone stayed at the Marquette Hotel in the $1.50 per day rooms. Donna worked at Nivens Dry Cleaners, and “Red” worked for the street car company.

Summer 1952 – Mom worked as a cook aboard the S.S. Milwaukee Clipper.[i] It was an auto/train car ferry between Muskegon, Michigan, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Again, it was a place she could live and send money back to Minneapolis regularly to support me.

Photo of the San Angelo Hotel, Minneapolis, circa 1955.
1221½ Nicolett, Minneapolis, circa 1955.

Fall 1953 – My mom found herself pregnant and decided it was best to go back to Oregon to have the baby. She hitchhiked from Minneapolis to Portland, Oregon, with three-year-old me along. She had a little girl and named her “Donna” after Grandma. She called Donna and asked if she could keep her. Donna said, “No, keep with the plan.” So, my mom put the baby girl up for adoption.

Early 1954 – I’ve been told that we moved from the Marquette Hotel to 1221½ Nicollet Avenue and lived there briefly before moving to Hastings. I vaguely remember Hastings, MN, later in 1954 (where I was stung by a bee) and moving again to the Capitol Apartments in Saint Paul, where I entered kindergarten in 1955.[ii]

Endnotes:

[i] See Mom crewed on the S.S. Milwaukee Clipper.
[ii] See Scheffer Elementary School, Saint Paul, Minnesota.

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Photo Friday – Clifford, Johnson, et al.

Posted on October 6, 2023 by Don Taylor

Ethel Wight Collection – Part 149
By Don Taylor

This week, for Photo Friday, I worked to identify the people in five more envelopes from the Ethel Wight Studio Collection[i]. The envelopes typically contain the name of the person who paid for the photos, not necessarily of the individual portrayed in the image. As such, it is vital to analyze the pictures and information to identify the individual therein.[ii] Ultimately, my goal is to reunite the photos with family members who may have never seen the image.

Gerald, Harrison, & Howard Clifford, circa 1934

The envelope this negative was in says, “Dr. Clifford’s Children, Falmouth Fireside #186.”

Photo of Gerald, Harrison, & Howard Clifford, circa 1934.
Gerald, Harrison, & Howard Clifford, circa 1934.

Why I believe this to be the individual.

  • There is only one entry in the 1934 Portland City Directory for individuals with the Clifford surname living in Falmouth Foreside – Gerald P (Flora M), dentist, 211 State, home at Falmouth Foreside.
  • The 1940 US Census indicates that Gerald and Flora Clifford had three sons, Gerald P. Jr. (age 22), Harrison C. (age 19), and Howard (age 17).

Ancestry Trees suggest the three boys are

  • Gerald Packard Clifford, Jr. (1917-1993)
  • Harrison Graham Clifford (1920-1984)
  • Howard Knight Clifford (1921-2006)

This photo, taken in 1934, shows the boys aged about 16, 13, and 11 respectively.[iii]

Ancestry has 14 public trees that refer to Gerald Packard Clifford, Jr., 18 public trees for Harrison Graham Clifford, and seven public trees for Howard Knight Clifford.
Family Search has profile LYGC-NN3 for Gerald, LYVV-4ZK for Harrison, and LYGC-TZ1 for Howard.

I uploaded this photo of the three boys to their Family Search Memories. I also uploaded two additional photos of them to my Flickr Photostream – Photo 1 – Photo 2.

Flora Mae Clifford (née Harrison), circa 1935.

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Gerald Clifford, Falmouth Foreside #638.”

Photo of Flora Mae Clifford (née Harrison) in a beautiful dress, circa 1935.
Flora Mae Clifford (née Harrison), circa 1935.

Why I believe this to be the individual.

  • There is only one entry in the 1934 Portland City Directory for individuals with the Clifford surname living in Falmouth Foreside – Gerald P (Flora M), dentist, 211 State, home at Falmouth Foreside.
  • The 1940 US Census indicates that Flora Clifford was 50 years old and born in Minnesota.
  • Ancestry Trees suggest that Flora Mae Harrison was born in 1888, married Gerald Packard Clifford in 1916, and lived in Falmouth, Maine, in 1940.

I am confident this photo is of Flora Mae Clifford (née Harrison) taken in 1935.

Ancestry has 17 public trees that refer to Flora Mae Harrison (1888-1969). Family Search has profile MCKX-Z4N for Flora. I uploaded a photo of Flora to her Family Search Memories. I also uploaded an additional photo of her to my Flickr Photostream.

William C Johnson, circa 1935.

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Grace Johnson, So. Windham, ME #864.”

Photo of William C Johnson as a babu, circa 1935.
William C Johnson, circa 1935.

Why I believe this to be the individual.

  • The 1940 US Census lists Grace B. Johnson, age 31, living in Windham, Cumberland County, Maine. She lives with her husband, Elmer, two daughters (ages 11 & 3), and a son William C, age 5.
  • Ancestry Trees suggest that Grace’s maiden name was Jordan.

I am confident this photo is of William C. Johnson, circa 1935.

I have not found William in Ancestry trees. However, his mother, Grace B. Johnson (née Jordan), is found in 7 Ancestry public trees. Family Search does not appear to have a profile for William either. I uploaded this photo of William photo to Dead Fred.

Unknown Man (possibly Goodridge), circa 1934.

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. R. N. Goodridge, No. Windham, ME #57.”

Envelope showing name: Mrs. R. N. Goodridge – No. Windham, ME.

What I discovered when researching this individual

Photo of a mustashed man in a mexican hat.
A mustashed man in a mexican hat, circa 1934.
  • I have been unable to find anyone with the surname Goodridge in the 1934 Windham Directory.

Alternate Individuals.

In Westbrook, Joshua H. and Florence L. Goodridge lived at 89 Spring, Westbrook.

I have not identified the individual in this photo sufficiently to upload to either Family Search or Dead Fred, so I only include the individual’s photo here.

Unknown Child (probably Harris) circa 1934.

Photo of a girl from 3 to 5 years old.
Unknown girl, age 4-5, (probably the daughter of Walter and Martha Harris) circa 1934.

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. W. F. Harris, RFD Yarmouth #314.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

  • The 1931 Yarmouth City Directory lists Walter F. (& Martha N.) as a farmer on North Road, RFD 1.
  • The 1930 US Census lists Walter T. and Matha Harris living on North Road, Yarmouth. Thirty-five-year-old Walter was born in Maine, and 35-year-old Matha in Texas.
  • I have not found Walter and Martha in the 1940 US Census, Ancestry Trees, or FamilySearch.

I have not identified the individual in this photo sufficiently to upload to either Family Search or Dead Fred, so I only include the individual’s photo here.

Conclusion

  • I identified five of the seven individuals. Four have Family Search profiles, so I uploaded their images to their Family Search Memories. One did not have a Family Search profile, so I uploaded his photo to Dead Fred.
  • I was unable to identify the individuals in two photos. I only uploaded those photos here.

I would love to hear your reaction if any of these photos are of your family member. Especially if this photo is of a loved one for whom you hadn’t seen this photograph before.

Due to software limitations, the images uploaded to Family Search, Dead Fred, and Flickr have higher quality than those linked here, except for the two photos only uploaded here.

For all postings of the Ethel Wight Collection, please see here.

Endnotes

[i] The Wight Studio was in Portland, Maine. Many thanks to Ethel Wight’s family for access to and permission to use the collection of their great aunt.

[ii] These images were converted to positives using a lightbox, a Nikon camera and computer software.

[iii] Gerald is the oldest and is clearly on the right. I’m not confident which of the other two boys is Harrison and which is Howard.

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Donna Darling Collection – Part 38b

Posted on October 5, 2023 by Don Taylor

Treasure Chest Thursday
Family Photos (1370)

Five years ago (2018), in the Donna Darling Collection – Part 38, I looked at images from the Donna Darling Collection, #1370. In it, I mentioned a photo of Donna’s name up in lights, and I had not seen Andrew Mack in any playbills with Donna during her Bathing Girls days. This week, I thought I’d look again and see if I’ve added material that might shed light on this particular photo.

Photo of an attractor board showing "Andrew Mack, Donna Montran, & Bathing Girls."
Attractor Board showing “Andrew Mack, Donna Montran, & Bathing Girls” playing at a theatre.

Donna started her California Bathing Girls in July 1920. The show ran until May or June of 1921.

The Evening Public Ledger and the Philadelphia Inquirer, dated October 2nd through October 8th, 1920, showed Andrew Mack and played at the Globe Theater (Market St. at Juniper) with California Bathing Beauties, including Donna Montram [sic].

Cinema Treasures indicate there were three Globe Theatres in Philadelphia:

  1. 1136 S 17th Street – Opened in 1914 as a movie theater and was closed in 1929. Comments for the theatre suggest the dates are incorrect, and this theatre ran until 1969 and converted to retail by 1973.
  2. 5901 Market Street – Opened in 1910. It closed about 1930 and reopened as an African-American theatre.
  3. N. Juniper Street and Market Street – It also indicates it was opened in 1914 and closed in 1929. It was demolished in 1930. Cinema Treasures has a photo of the Attractor Board of the Globe Theatre circa 1924, and it appears to be the same board as is in this photo.

Conclusion

A further review of Newspapers.com, NewspaperArchive, and Genealogy Bank failed to find another venue where Andrew Mack and the Bathing Girls played together. Additionally, because the attractor board appears identical, I am confident this photo was taken at the Globe Theatre in Philadelphia in October 1920.

Posted in Bathing Beauty Revue, Vaudeville | Tagged , , | Leave a comment