Gertrude Glyn as she appeared as Sonia during the run of The Merry Widow, Daly’s Theatre, London, 1907-1909

Gertrude Glyn (1886-1965), English musical comedy actress, as she appeared as understudy to Lily Elsie in the role of Sonia during the first London run of The Merry Widow, produced at Daly’s Theatre, Leicester Square, on 8 June 1907 and closed on 31 July 1909.
(photo: Bassano, London, probably 1908 or 1909; postcard no. 1792M in the Rotary Photographic Series, published by the Rotary Photographic Co Ltd, London, 1908 or 1909)

Gertrude Glyn began her career in 1901 at the age of 15 with Seymour Hicks when he cast her in one of the minor roles in the ‘musical dream,’ Bluebell in Fairyland (Vaudeville Theatre, London, 18 December 1901), of which he and his wife, Ellaline Terriss were the stars. Miss Glyn was subsequently under contract to George Edwardes, appearing in supporting roles at the Gaiety and Daly’s theatres in London and where she was also one of several understudies to both Gabrielle Ray and Lily Elsie. She also seen from time to time in other United Kingdom cities. Her appearances at Daly’s in The Merry Widow, The Dollar Princess (1909-10), A Waltz Dream (1911), and The Count of Luxembourg (1911-12) were followed during 1912 or 1913 by her taking the role of Lady Babby in Gipsy Love (also played during the run by Avice Kelham and Constance Drever), in succession to Gertie Millar.

On 10 April 1914, Gertrude Glyn and Elsie Spain sailed from London aboard the SS Otway bound for Sydney, Australia. Their first appearances there were at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Sydney, on 6 June that year in Gipsy Love in which they took the parts respectively of Lady Babby and Ilona, the latter first played in London by Sari Petrass.

Gipsy Love, Her Majesty’s Theatre, Sydney, 6 June 1914
‘A thoroughly artistic performance is that offered by Miss Gertrude Glyn, another newcomer, in the role of Lady Babby. Although her singing voice is not a strong point in her equipment of talent, this actress artistically makes one forget this fact in admiration for the skilful interpretation of her lines and lyrics, and also the gracefulness of her dancing and movements. Another point of excellence about Miss Glyn’s work is that she acts easily and naturally, always keeping well within the pictures and confines of the character she impersonates.’
(The Referee, Sydney, NSW, Wednesday, 17 June 1914, p. 15c)

Gertrude Glyn’s last appearances were as Lady Playne in succession to Madeline Seymour and Mary Ridley in Paul Rubens’s musical play, Betty, which began its long run at Daly’s Theatre, London, on 24 April 1915 and ended on 8 April 1916.

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Gertrude Glyn’s real name was Gertrude Mary Rider. She was the youngest daughter of James Gray (or Grey) Rider (1847/49-1900), a civil servant, and his wife, Elizabeth. She was baptised on 24 October 1886 at St. Mark’s, Hanwell, Middlesex. She married in 1918.
‘CAPTAIN BULTEEL and MISS GERTRUDE GLYN (RIDER).
‘The marriage arranged between Captain Walter Beresford Bulteel, Scottish Horse, youngest son of the late John Bulteel, of Pamflete, Devon, and Gertrude Mary Glyn (Rider), youngest daughter of the late James Grey Rider, and of Mrs. Rider, 6, Windsor Court, Bayswater, will take place at St. Paul’s Church, Knightsbridge, on Thursday, May 9, at 2.30.’
(The Times, London, 7 May 1918, p. 9c)
Bulteel, one of whose maternal great grandfathers was Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey (1764-1845), was born in 1873 and died in 1952; his wife (Gertrude Glyn) died on 16 October 1965.

Marguerite Sylva, Belgian-born American actress and vocalist

Marguerite Sylva (1876-1957),
Belgian-born American actress and vocalist
(photo: unknown, probably USA, circa 1897)

This real photograph cigarette card is no. 810 from one of the Guinea Gold Cigarettes series issued by Ogden’s of Liverpool, England, about 1900. The subject is the mezzo-soprano Marguerite (Marguerita) Sylva whose appearances on Broadway included parts in the musical comedy The French Maid (1897), a revival of Erminie with Francis Wilson (1903), and Franz Lehar’s Gipsy Love (1911). In the latter she starred with Arthur Albro with whom she contemporaneously recorded for Edison (28002) ‘Love is Like the Rose.’ Her several appearances in films are said to have included a silent version of Carmen.

‘Paris, 21 July 1906.
‘As we are just now indulging in these kindly sentiments, wishing good luck and prosperity to people we do not know and possibly may not care much about, let us go a little nearer home and wish that a real and a big success may attend a charming American singer who is to make her debut here at the Opéra Comique in September. I refer to Madame Marguerita Sylva (Mrs. W.D. Mann), who has been engaged as a star at the Opéra Comique here during the coming season, which is a great triumph for her considering how many competitors there always are in the field. Madame Sylva has just had a splendid success at a concert given in the Kursaal at Ostend, where she was the only soloist accompanied by the well-known orchestra of 125 instruments. An Ostend paper gave her the following notice: ”The young cantatrice possesses a very beautiful voice and sang for her first number the sorrowful romance of Santuzza from Cavalleria Rusticana, and followed this by rendering the air from Etienne Marcel, ‘O Beaux Rêves Evanious.’ In response to a most enthusiastic encore she gave the ‘Chant d’Amour’ by Hollman, with ‘cello obligato, and it is only fair to say that the instrument so dear to the composer of this number blended so perfectly with the voice of Madame Sylva that the result was most charming and harmonious.” Americans will feel proud of Madame Sylva, and will congratulate her on being so readily engaged as a star at the Opéra Comique, the foremost theatre of its kind in the world.’
(The New York Dramatic Mirror, Saturday, 4 August 1906, p.8d)

Marguerite Sylva’s death on 21 February 1957 at Glendale, California, was the result of a road accident.