Corinne Malvern
Encyclopedia
Corinne Malvern was an American commercial artist, active as a fashion advertising artist and illustrator of children's books between the early 1930s and her death in 1956. She painted magazine covers and worked as Art Editor of Ladies Home Journal magazine. She is best known for her illustrations in the Little Golden Books
series, including Heidi, Frosty the Snow Man (also known, incorrectly, as Frosty the Snowman), The Night Before Christmas, Doctor Dan the Bandage Man, and Nurse Nancy. She illustrated 32 books, 17 for Little Golden Books. She also wrote and illustrated at least one children's book (How Big, later republished as How Big Are You, Little Golden Books, 1949). Her last book, Five Pennies To Spend, was published in 1955.
. Her mother, Cora Malvern, worked as wardrobe mistress for theater companies, and Corinne and her older sister Gladys Malvern
(born July 17, 1903, or 1897) worked as child actresses in plays vaudeville, and operas. She claimed to have been born in 1906, but the 1920 United States Census, photographs of her on stage in 1907 (portraying a character supposed to be three years old), a 1907 New York Evening Telegram article and ships' passenger records, make it clear she was born in 1901.
Malvern performed in the Henry W. Savage New English Grand Opera Company in the American premiere of Puccini's opera Madama Butterfly
in the role of the child "Dolore" ("Sorrow," or "Trouble" in English), Butterfly's son, in front of an audience that included the Viscount Aoki, Japanese Ambassador to the United States, and John Luther Long
, author of the novella on which the opera was based, on October 15, 1907, and subsequently toured with the production across the United States and Canada.
By 1910 the two sisters were working regularly in traveling vaudeville productions, as well as in the burgeoning New York
movie industry, Gladys as an ingenue and Corinne as "fairies, babies, witches, and other funny little people." In 1915 Corinne appeared in a motion picture, The Luring Lights, as the character Rose Malleen.
After being injured in a railroad accident during a vaudeville tour, probably when she was in her early teens, she retired from her stage career and was sent to a boarding school while her mother and sister continued their itinerant careers. Encouraged by her family, she studied for four years at the Art Students League of New York In 1930 Corinne (now an advertising illustrator for a milliner and single), Gladys (now a sales manager for a department store and divorced), and their mother (listed in the census as a widow, employed as a stage costumer) were living together in Los Angeles, where Corinne worked as a fashion illustrator and continued her art studies as a pupil of Theodore Lukits
. By 1932, she was working as a commercial artist and establishing her reputation as an illustrator. Working primarily in tempera, pencil, pastel, and watercolor, she created magazine covers and fashion illustrations, and exhibited her work, mostly portraits and figure studies, in galleries. She collaborated with her sister, Gladys, who was becoming established as a professional writer, and the two of them launched their careers in the field of children's books.
Corinne Malvern never married. She moved to New York sometime between 1934 and 1936 with Cora and Gladys, and continued to collaborate professionally with Gladys. They published Land of Surprise in 1938, Brownie, the Little Bear Who Liked People in 1939, and The Land of Look And See in 1940 with McLoughlin Bros., Inc.
Their 1943 book Valiant Minstrel, a biography of the Scottish entertainer Sir Harry Lauder, won the $1250 Julia Ellsworth Ford Prize. Corinne illustrated Nursery Songs, one of the initial offering of twelve Little Golden Books, issued in 1942 (but not the cover painting, which was by Louise Alston
). She worked as Art Editor for the Ladies Home Journal, and was a prolific and influential advertising illustrator who helped create the iconic 'fifties "look." She and Gladys shared a studio overlooking the Hudson River. They were living together at Slumber Corners in Weston, Connecticut
when Corinne's health failed. She moved to a convalescent home in Weston, where she died on November 9, 1956, after a long illness.
Little Golden Books
Little Golden Books is a popular series of children's books. The first 12 titles were published on October 1, 1942:#Three Little Kittens#Bedtime Stories#Mother Goose#Prayers for Children#The Little Red Hen#Nursery Songs...
series, including Heidi, Frosty the Snow Man (also known, incorrectly, as Frosty the Snowman), The Night Before Christmas, Doctor Dan the Bandage Man, and Nurse Nancy. She illustrated 32 books, 17 for Little Golden Books. She also wrote and illustrated at least one children's book (How Big, later republished as How Big Are You, Little Golden Books, 1949). Her last book, Five Pennies To Spend, was published in 1955.
Biography
Malvern was born in Accomac County, Virginia, and raised in Newark, New JerseyNewark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
. Her mother, Cora Malvern, worked as wardrobe mistress for theater companies, and Corinne and her older sister Gladys Malvern
Gladys Malvern
Gladys Malvern was an American vaudeville and Broadway actress, radio script writer, and author. As a child actress, she famously appeared in the 1908 Broadway production of The Man Who Stood Still. Gladys often collaborated on stage with her younger sister Corinne Malvern, who also illustrated...
(born July 17, 1903, or 1897) worked as child actresses in plays vaudeville, and operas. She claimed to have been born in 1906, but the 1920 United States Census, photographs of her on stage in 1907 (portraying a character supposed to be three years old), a 1907 New York Evening Telegram article and ships' passenger records, make it clear she was born in 1901.
Malvern performed in the Henry W. Savage New English Grand Opera Company in the American premiere of Puccini's opera Madama Butterfly
Madama Butterfly
Madama Butterfly is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. Puccini based his opera in part on the short story "Madame Butterfly" by John Luther Long, which was dramatized by David Belasco...
in the role of the child "Dolore" ("Sorrow," or "Trouble" in English), Butterfly's son, in front of an audience that included the Viscount Aoki, Japanese Ambassador to the United States, and John Luther Long
John Luther Long
John Luther Long was an American lawyer and writer best known for his short story "Madame Butterfly", which was based on the recollections of his sister, Jennie Correll, who had been to Japan with her husband—a Methodist missionary.Born in Hanover, Pennsylvania, Long had been admitted to the bar...
, author of the novella on which the opera was based, on October 15, 1907, and subsequently toured with the production across the United States and Canada.
By 1910 the two sisters were working regularly in traveling vaudeville productions, as well as in the burgeoning New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
movie industry, Gladys as an ingenue and Corinne as "fairies, babies, witches, and other funny little people." In 1915 Corinne appeared in a motion picture, The Luring Lights, as the character Rose Malleen.
After being injured in a railroad accident during a vaudeville tour, probably when she was in her early teens, she retired from her stage career and was sent to a boarding school while her mother and sister continued their itinerant careers. Encouraged by her family, she studied for four years at the Art Students League of New York In 1930 Corinne (now an advertising illustrator for a milliner and single), Gladys (now a sales manager for a department store and divorced), and their mother (listed in the census as a widow, employed as a stage costumer) were living together in Los Angeles, where Corinne worked as a fashion illustrator and continued her art studies as a pupil of Theodore Lukits
Theodore Lukits
Theodore Nikolai Lukits was a California portrait and landscape painter. His initial fame came from his portraits of some of the most glamorous actresses of the Silent Film era, but since his death, his Asian-inspired works, figures drawn from Hispanic California and his pastel landscapes have all...
. By 1932, she was working as a commercial artist and establishing her reputation as an illustrator. Working primarily in tempera, pencil, pastel, and watercolor, she created magazine covers and fashion illustrations, and exhibited her work, mostly portraits and figure studies, in galleries. She collaborated with her sister, Gladys, who was becoming established as a professional writer, and the two of them launched their careers in the field of children's books.
Corinne Malvern never married. She moved to New York sometime between 1934 and 1936 with Cora and Gladys, and continued to collaborate professionally with Gladys. They published Land of Surprise in 1938, Brownie, the Little Bear Who Liked People in 1939, and The Land of Look And See in 1940 with McLoughlin Bros., Inc.
McLoughlin Brothers
McLoughlin Bros., Inc. was a New York publishing firm active between 1828 and 1920. The company was a pioneer in color printing technologies in children's books. The company specialized in retellings or bowdlerizations of classic stories for children. The artistic and commercial roots of the...
Their 1943 book Valiant Minstrel, a biography of the Scottish entertainer Sir Harry Lauder, won the $1250 Julia Ellsworth Ford Prize. Corinne illustrated Nursery Songs, one of the initial offering of twelve Little Golden Books, issued in 1942 (but not the cover painting, which was by Louise Alston
Louise Alston
Louise Alston is a Sydney-based film director and producer. Born in Wagga Wagga she studied at the Australian Film Television and Radio School after which she created and produced two television series, The Variety Show at the End of the World and Brilliant Lives...
). She worked as Art Editor for the Ladies Home Journal, and was a prolific and influential advertising illustrator who helped create the iconic 'fifties "look." She and Gladys shared a studio overlooking the Hudson River. They were living together at Slumber Corners in Weston, Connecticut
Weston, Connecticut
Weston is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut. The population was 10,179 at the 2010 census. The town is served by Route 57 and Route 53, both of which run through the town center. About 19% of the town's workforce commutes to New York City, about to the southwest.Like many towns in...
when Corinne's health failed. She moved to a convalescent home in Weston, where she died on November 9, 1956, after a long illness.
External links
- Corinne Malvern as a child actress, after a photograph that can be found in the J. Willis Sayer collection, University of Washington Libraries, Seattle. http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/jshoaf/Jdolls/jdollwestern/photos/butterflyw.jpg, http://content.lib.washington.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/sayrepublic&CISOPTR=998&CISOBOX=1&REC=2
- Golden Books collectors site
- The Artist's Bluebook
- The Corinne Malvern Papers
- McLoughlin Bros., Inc.
- Jane Werner Watson
- http://ct.broadwayworld.com/bwidb/productions/The_Man_Who_Stood_Still_314429/ Corinne and her sister Gladys performed on Broadway in The Man Who Stood Still, during October through December, 1908.
