Cecilia Loftus
Encyclopedia
Cecilia "Cissie" or "Cissy" Loftus (22 October 1876 – 12 July 1943) was a Scottish
actress, singer, mimic, vaudevillian and music hall
performer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
, billed as The Sarah Bernhardt of the Halls.
. In July 1893, 17 year-old Cissy Loftus made her début at the Oxford Music Hall
in London. After an early career in music hall
and variety
performing impersonations of well-known actresses of the day, such as Yvette Guilbert
, she appeared at the Gaiety Theatre
in musical comedy for one season.
at the Lyceum Theatre
in New York City
. Loftus toured with the Ada
Rehan Company and the Augustin Daly
Company before she first appeared at Koster & Bial's on January 21, 1895. With the Rehan troupe
she played Washington, DC, St. Louis, Missouri
, and Chicago, Illinois as "Miss Cecile" in a playbill. Her exit from Daly's organization occurred after Loftus was offered larger salaries in New York City
. Other roles she played prior to 1895 were "Winnie" in "The Last Word" and "Audrey" in "Love's Labor's Lost". Critics did not speak kindly of her work in these parts, to her dismay. Loftus became an international favorite in vaudeville along with Vesta Tilley
and Harry Lauder
.
She then began to appear in the legitimate theatre, appearing in The Children of the King at the Royal Court Theatre
, in 1898. The following year she returned to the United States
to tour in vaudeville and was seen by Sir Henry Irving
in 1901 at the Knickerbocker Theatre
. He was so impressed that he engaged her to appear with him in the roles that Dame Ellen Terry
could no longer play. She later toured with Irving, although the earnings were not as great as those on the music hall circuit. In 1905, she successfully essayed the very serious role of Nora in Henrik Ibsen
's A Doll's House
. The next year she toured with The Diamond Express and appeared at the Royal Variety Performance
at the Palace Theatre
in 1912. In1914, Loftus played the part of Desdemona
in Othello
at the Lyric Theatre (New York)
.
, as an accomplished mimic, and on Broadway
, some of the original cast productions she appeared in are The Man of Forty (1900), If I Were King (1901), Dream City (1906), Venus (1927), Three-Cornered Moon (1933), Abide With Me (1935), and Little Dark Horse (1941).
As Cissie Loftus, she wrote lyrics and music for songs in a number of productions, including The Belle of Bridgeport (1900) and The Lancers (1907).
writer, and associate of her friend and admirer Max Beerbohm
. They married in Blackburn, Lancashire
in 1893. The groom was twice as old as the bride. The marriage failed, and the couple divorced.
In 1908, she married Alonzo Higbee Waterman, an American doctor, by 1914 both her marriage and health were in a perilous state, and an acrimonious divorce ensured in 1920. Her health and the premature birth of their son, Peter, had made her increasingly dependent on alcohol and painkillers. In November 1922, she was arrested for possession of morphine and atropine.
Her fellow actress, Eva Moore
bailed her for a surety of £100, and she was put on probation for twelve months at the Great Marlborough Street
Magistrates Court. In 1923, she left Great Britain
for good, and sailed to New York City
to return to Broadway and pursue a career in Hollywood.
, on July 12, 1943, aged 66. Her mother had predeceased her by only three years.
She is buried in Kensico Cemetery
, Valhalla
, Westchester County, New York
, in a plot owned by the Actors' Fund
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
actress, singer, mimic, vaudevillian and music hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
performer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Family
Loftus was born Marie Cecilia Loftus Brown in Glasgow, Scotland. Her father, Ben Brown, was part of the successful variety group, Brown, Newland & Le Clerc. Her mother, Marie Loftus (1857–1940), an actress, pantomimist and music hall performer, who was only 18 years old when Cecilia was born, later became a star of burlesqueBurlesque
Burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects...
, billed as The Sarah Bernhardt of the Halls.
Career
She was given a convent education at St Mary's School, Raikes Parade, Blackpool, England which moved in 1890 to the premises at Layton Hill Convent, Blackpool which it still occupies although now, after various name changes, splits and mergers, it is known as St. Mary's Catholic CollegeSt. Mary's Catholic College (Blackpool)
St. Mary's Catholic College is a school in Layton, Blackpool, Lancashire. The school is a specialist Mathematics and Computing College.With over 1800 pupils, it is the largest Roman Catholic secondary school in Lancashire. The school is on the site of the former Convent of the Holy Child Jesus , on...
. In July 1893, 17 year-old Cissy Loftus made her début at the Oxford Music Hall
Oxford Music Hall
Oxford Music Hall was a music hall located in Westminster, London at the corner of Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road. It was established on the site of a former public house, the Boar and Castle, by Charles Morton, in 1861. The hall was converted into a legitimate theatre in 1917, but the...
in London. After an early career in music hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
and variety
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
performing impersonations of well-known actresses of the day, such as Yvette Guilbert
Yvette Guilbert
Yvette Guilbert was a French cabaret singer and actress of the Belle Époque.-Biography:...
, she appeared at the Gaiety Theatre
Gaiety Theatre, London
The Gaiety Theatre, London was a West End theatre in London, located on Aldwych at the eastern end of the Strand. The theatre was established as the Strand Musick Hall , in 1864 on the former site of the Lyceum Theatre. It was rebuilt several times, but closed from the beginning of World War II...
in musical comedy for one season.
American theater
In 1894, she appeared in vaudevilleVaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
at the Lyceum Theatre
Lyceum Theatre (New York)
The Lyceum Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 149 West 45th Street in midtown-Manhattan.It has the distinction of being the oldest surviving Broadway venue , the oldest continuously operating legitimate theatre in New York City, and the first Broadway theatre ever to be granted landmark status...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Loftus toured with the Ada
Rehan Company and the Augustin Daly
Augustin Daly
John Augustin Daly was an American theatrical manager and playwright active in both the US and UK.-Biography:Daly was born in Plymouth, North Carolina and educated at Norfolk, Va...
Company before she first appeared at Koster & Bial's on January 21, 1895. With the Rehan troupe
she played Washington, DC, St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, and Chicago, Illinois as "Miss Cecile" in a playbill. Her exit from Daly's organization occurred after Loftus was offered larger salaries in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Other roles she played prior to 1895 were "Winnie" in "The Last Word" and "Audrey" in "Love's Labor's Lost". Critics did not speak kindly of her work in these parts, to her dismay. Loftus became an international favorite in vaudeville along with Vesta Tilley
Vesta Tilley
Matilda Alice Powles , was an English male impersonator. At the age of 11, she adopted the stage name Vesta Tilley becoming the most famous and well paid music hall male impersonator of her day...
and Harry Lauder
Harry Lauder
Sir Henry Lauder , known professionally as Harry Lauder, was an international Scottish entertainer, described by Sir Winston Churchill as "Scotland's greatest ever ambassador!"-Early life:...
.
She then began to appear in the legitimate theatre, appearing in The Children of the King at the Royal Court Theatre
Royal Court Theatre
The Royal Court Theatre is a non-commercial theatre on Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is noted for its contributions to modern theatre...
, in 1898. The following year she returned to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to tour in vaudeville and was seen by Sir Henry Irving
Henry Irving
Sir Henry Irving , born John Henry Brodribb, was an English stage actor in the Victorian era, known as an actor-manager because he took complete responsibility for season after season at the Lyceum Theatre, establishing himself and his company as...
in 1901 at the Knickerbocker Theatre
Knickerbocker Theatre (Broadway)
The Knickerbocker Theatre — previously known as Abbey's Theatre and Henry Abbey's Theatre — was a Broadway theatre located at 1396 Broadway in New York City. It operated from 1893 to 1930...
. He was so impressed that he engaged her to appear with him in the roles that Dame Ellen Terry
Ellen Terry
Dame Ellen Terry, GBE was an English stage actress who became the leading Shakespearean actress in Britain. Among the members of her famous family is her great nephew, John Gielgud....
could no longer play. She later toured with Irving, although the earnings were not as great as those on the music hall circuit. In 1905, she successfully essayed the very serious role of Nora in Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
's A Doll's House
A Doll's House
A Doll's House is a three-act play in prose by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It premièred at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 21 December 1879, having been published earlier that month....
. The next year she toured with The Diamond Express and appeared at the Royal Variety Performance
Royal Variety Performance
The Royal Variety Performance is a gala evening held annually in the United Kingdom, which is attended by senior members of the British Royal Family, usually the reigning monarch. In more recent years Queen Elizabeth II and The Prince of Wales have alternately attended the performance...
at the Palace Theatre
Palace Theatre, London
The Palace Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster in London. It is an imposing red-brick building that dominates the west side of Cambridge Circus and is located near the intersection of Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road...
in 1912. In1914, Loftus played the part of Desdemona
Desdemona
Desdemona is a character in William Shakespeare's play Othello.Desdemona may also refer to:People* Desdemona , a soprano role in the 1816 opera Otello by Gioachino Rossini...
in Othello
Othello
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
at the Lyric Theatre (New York)
Lyric Theatre (New York)
The Lyric Theatre was a prominent Broadway theatre built in 1903 in Manhattan, New York City in the 42nd Street Theatre District. It had two entrances, one at 213 West 42nd Street and another at 214-26 West 43rd Street and was one of the few New York houses that had two formal entrances. In 1934,...
.
Films
Loftus also appeared in cinema from the 1910s to the 1940s, with roles that included Clorinda Widairs in A Lady of Quality (1913), Mrs. Sinclair in Young Sinners (1931) and Granny Tyl in The Bluebird (1940).Burlesque, Broadway, and lyricist
She had a successful career both in burlesqueBurlesque
Burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects...
, as an accomplished mimic, and on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
, some of the original cast productions she appeared in are The Man of Forty (1900), If I Were King (1901), Dream City (1906), Venus (1927), Three-Cornered Moon (1933), Abide With Me (1935), and Little Dark Horse (1941).
As Cissie Loftus, she wrote lyrics and music for songs in a number of productions, including The Belle of Bridgeport (1900) and The Lancers (1907).
Personal life
When she was seventeen, she eloped with Justin Huntly McCarthy (1859–1936), an IrishIrish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
writer, and associate of her friend and admirer Max Beerbohm
Max Beerbohm
Sir Henry Maximilian "Max" Beerbohm was an English essayist, parodist and caricaturist best known today for his 1911 novel Zuleika Dobson.-Early life:...
. They married in Blackburn, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
in 1893. The groom was twice as old as the bride. The marriage failed, and the couple divorced.
In 1908, she married Alonzo Higbee Waterman, an American doctor, by 1914 both her marriage and health were in a perilous state, and an acrimonious divorce ensured in 1920. Her health and the premature birth of their son, Peter, had made her increasingly dependent on alcohol and painkillers. In November 1922, she was arrested for possession of morphine and atropine.
Her fellow actress, Eva Moore
Eva Moore
Eva Moore was an English actress. Her career on stage and in film spanned six decades, and she was active in the women's suffrage movement.-Early life and career:...
bailed her for a surety of £100, and she was put on probation for twelve months at the Great Marlborough Street
Great Marlborough Street
Great Marlborough Street runs west to east through the western part of Soho in London. At its western end it joins Regent Street. Streets intersecting, or meeting with, Great Marlborough Street are, from west to east, Kingly Street, Argyll Street, Carnaby Street, and Poland Street...
Magistrates Court. In 1923, she left Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
for good, and sailed to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to return to Broadway and pursue a career in Hollywood.
Death
Cecilia Loftus died from a heart attack and the effects of alcoholism at the Lincoln Hotel in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, on July 12, 1943, aged 66. Her mother had predeceased her by only three years.
She is buried in Kensico Cemetery
Kensico Cemetery
Kensico Cemetery, located in Valhalla, Westchester County, New York, was founded in 1889, when many New York City cemeteries were becoming full, and rural cemeteries were being created near the railroads which served the city...
, Valhalla
Valhalla, New York
Valhalla is an unincorporated hamlet and census-designated place that is located within the town of Mount Pleasant, New York, in Westchester County. Its population was 3,162 at the 2010 U.S. Census...
, Westchester County, New York
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
, in a plot owned by the Actors' Fund
Actors' Fund
The Actors Fund of America is a nonprofit umbrella charitable organization that assists American entertainment and performing arts professionals through a broad spectrum of programs, including comprehensive social services, health services, supportive and affordable housing, employment and training...
.
External links
- Cecilia Loftus photo gallery NY Public Library Billy Rose Collection
- Cecilia Loftus University of Washington, Sayre collection
- Cissie Cecilia Loftus; PeriodPaper.com 1910