Emmy Wehlen
Encyclopedia
Emmy Wehlen was a German-born Edwardian musical comedy
and silent film
actress who vanished from the public eye while in her early thirties.
performing in musical theatre
productions in Stuttgart, Munich and Berlin. She was later brought to London as a possible successor to Lily Elsie
. In 1909 she played the lead role, Sonia, in The Merry Widow at Daly's Theatre
. and later that year, at the same venue, played Olga, in the hit musical, The Dollar Princess
, which had a run of 428 performances.
Soon she was in New York playing Rosalie in the musical comedy Marriage a la Carte
that opened January 2, 1911 at the Casino Theatre on Broadway
(music by Ivan Caryll
). In 1912 she played Mrs. Guyer in A Winsome Widow at the Loew's New York Theatre, then known as the Moulin Rouge. The next year she appeared at the Gaiety Theatre, London
and then at the 44th Street Theatre
in The Girl on the Film as Winifred. The Playgoer and Society Illustrated wrote in May 1913, "Miss Emmy Wehlen used a distinctly pleasant voice to advantage". Her last Broadway performance came in the 1914/15 season playing June in To-Night's the Night
at the Shubert Theatre
.
Not long after To-Night's the Night ended its run, Wehlen abandoned the stage for film, only to return briefly in late 1918 to perform with the traveling Little Theatre in New York to benefit the Stage Women's War Relief Organization. Wehlen first played Ruth King in the 1915 film When a Woman Loves and would go on to perform leading roles in nearly twenty movies over the next five years. During this time she was often billed as Emily Wehlen. Her last film was Lifting Shadows, released in 1920, in which she played the lead character, Vania.
A 1911 article in Everybody’s Magazine commented that Wehlen was “very pretty, very graceful, extraordinarily clever as an actress, and she has learned how to use a naturally fine voice. Moreover, she has the indescribable charm of personality, of making audiences like her and want to have her on the stage all the time."
Edwardian Musical Comedy
Edwardian musical comedies were British musical theatre shows from the period between the early 1890s, when the Gilbert and Sullivan operas' dominance had ended, until the rise of the American musicals by Jerome Kern, Rodgers and Hart, George Gershwin and Cole Porter following World War I.Between...
and silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
actress who vanished from the public eye while in her early thirties.
Biography
Wehlen was born in Mannheim, Germany, where, as a teenager, she received her musical training at the Mannheim Conservatory. She began her career with the Thalia-Theater companyThalia Theater (Hamburg)
The Thalia Theater is one of the three state-owned theatres in Hamburg, Germany. It was founded in 1843 by Charles Maurice Schwartzenberger and named after the muse Thalia...
performing in musical theatre
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
productions in Stuttgart, Munich and Berlin. She was later brought to London as a possible successor to Lily Elsie
Lily Elsie
Lily Elsie was a popular English actress and singer during the Edwardian era, best known for her starring role in the hit London premiere of Franz Lehár's operetta The Merry Widow....
. In 1909 she played the lead role, Sonia, in The Merry Widow at Daly's Theatre
Daly's Theatre
Daly's Theatre was a theatre in the City of Westminster. It was located at 2 Cranbourn Street, just off Leicester Square. It opened on 27 June 1893, and was demolished in 1937.-Early years:...
. and later that year, at the same venue, played Olga, in the hit musical, The Dollar Princess
The Dollar Princess
The Dollar Princess is a musical in three acts by A.M. Willner and Fritz Grünbaum , adapted into English by Basil Hood , with music by Leo Fall and lyrics by Adrian Ross. It opened in London at Daly's Theatre on 25 September 1909, running for 428 performances...
, which had a run of 428 performances.
Soon she was in New York playing Rosalie in the musical comedy Marriage a la Carte
Marriage a la Carte
Marriage a la Carte was a three-act Broadway musical comedy composed and written by C. M. S. McClellan and scored by Ivan Caryll.The play was staged by Austen Hurgon with musical direction provided by J. Sebastian Hiller and Carl H. Engel...
that opened January 2, 1911 at the Casino Theatre 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...
(music by Ivan Caryll
Ivan Caryll
Félix Marie Henri Tilkin , better known by his pen name Ivan Caryll, was a Belgian composer of operettas and Edwardian musical comedies in the English language...
). In 1912 she played Mrs. Guyer in A Winsome Widow at the Loew's New York Theatre, then known as the Moulin Rouge. The next year she appeared at the Gaiety Theatre, London
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...
and then at the 44th Street Theatre
44th Street Theatre
The 44th Street Theatre was a New York City Broadway theatre from 1912 to 1945 in the United States of America. It was located on Broadway, at West 44th Street. Architect was William A. Swansea. Built by the Shuberts, and first named Weber and Fields' Music Hall, its name was changed when the...
in The Girl on the Film as Winifred. The Playgoer and Society Illustrated wrote in May 1913, "Miss Emmy Wehlen used a distinctly pleasant voice to advantage". Her last Broadway performance came in the 1914/15 season playing June in To-Night's the Night
To-Night's the Night (musical)
To-Night's the Night is a musical comedy composed by Paul Rubens, with lyrics by Percy Greenbank and Rubens, and a book adapted by Fred Thompson. Two songs were composed by Jerome Kern. The story is based on the farce Les Dominos roses .The musical was produced by George Grossmith, Jr. and Edward...
at the Shubert Theatre
Shubert Theatre
Shubert Theatre or Shubert Theater may refer to:Theatres*Shubert Theatre , New York City, built in 1913.*Shubert Theatre , Connecticut, built in 1914.*Shubert Theatre , California, demolished in 2002....
.
Not long after To-Night's the Night ended its run, Wehlen abandoned the stage for film, only to return briefly in late 1918 to perform with the traveling Little Theatre in New York to benefit the Stage Women's War Relief Organization. Wehlen first played Ruth King in the 1915 film When a Woman Loves and would go on to perform leading roles in nearly twenty movies over the next five years. During this time she was often billed as Emily Wehlen. Her last film was Lifting Shadows, released in 1920, in which she played the lead character, Vania.
A 1911 article in Everybody’s Magazine commented that Wehlen was “very pretty, very graceful, extraordinarily clever as an actress, and she has learned how to use a naturally fine voice. Moreover, she has the indescribable charm of personality, of making audiences like her and want to have her on the stage all the time."