Julia Sanderson

Julia Sanderson (1887-1975), American actress and vocalist at about the time of her appearance in the musical comedy The Hon’ble Phil, Hicks Theatre, London, October to December 1908. G.P. Huntley, Herbert Clayton, Horace Mills, Denise Orme, Eva Kelly and Elsie Spain were the other principals.
(photo: The Dover Street Studios, London, 1908/09)

‘Two English Musical Plays At Rival Theaters This Week.
‘Two of George Edwardes’ London musical comedy successes will be the leading novelties of the week at the theaters, both The Quaker Girl and The Sunshine Girl being seen in Washington for the first time, the former after noteworthy engagements in London, New York, and Boston, and the latter coming to the Capital for its American debut after a continuous run of more than a year in the English metropolis, where it is till on view nightly at the Gaiety.
‘Washington will be particularly interested in the premiere of The Sunshine Girl at the Columbia tomorrow night, for upon this occasion a new Charles Frohman star will be evolved from the will be evolved from the nebulosity of chorus girl, soubrette, and leading lady. The honor is to be bestowed upon the talented and piquant Miss Julia Sanderson, who has been a Washington musical comedy favorite since the days of the ill-fated Dairymaids, whose cast she deserted during an engagement five years ago in the theater where she is now to become start.
‘Miss Sanderson’s career is not marked by many of those hardships which are usually related as warnings to the stage-struck girl. Her father, Albert Sackett, is an actor, and through his influence she secured an engagement with the Forepaugh stock company in her home city, Philadelphia. Here she divided her time between playing maid and pursuing her grammar school studies, for she made her debut in the theatre when she was 15.
‘As a member of the chorus with Paula Edwardes’ company in Winsome Winnie. Miss Sanderson entered the musical comedy field. She had an opportunity to play the title role when Miss Edwardes retired from the cast on account of illness. The understudy was at that time advertised as the youngest prima donna in the world.
‘But the sudden elevation did not result in any permanent advancement for Miss Sanderson. She went back to the ranks in A Chinese Honeymoon and in Fantana, but was given a hit when De Wolf Hopper revived Wang, after which she joined The Tourists.
‘Miss Sanderson has appeared in London in two successes, first with G.P. Huntley in The Honorable Phil and later with Ellaline Terriss in The Dashing Little Duke. ‘While not so recognized in the size of billboard and program type, Miss Sanderson has been a star in popular appreciation for two years, her graceful dancing, harm of manner, and small, but dulcet voice having won generous approbation in both The Arcadians and The Siren.
‘Mr. Frohman has engaged a capable musical comedy cast to support his new satellite. Joseph Cawthorn has for several seasons been a comedy mainstay for Elsie Janis, and Alan Mudie will be recalled as the agile dancer in The Arcadians.’
(The Washington Post, Washington, D.C., Sunday, 26 January 1913, Magazine Section, p.2a)

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Millie Hylton, English actress and singer

a cabinet photograph of Millie Hylton (1870-1920), English actress and singer (photo: James Bacon & Sons, 81 Northumberland Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne, circa 1900)

Millie Hylton, Horace Mills, Lydia Flopp, Coralie Blythe et al on UK tour of The Circus Girl, August 1897

‘Considerable excitement was caused at the Portsmouth Town Station on Sunday last by the discovery that the chief baggage van of the special train conveying Mr George Edwardes’s Circus Girl company had caught fire through an over-heated axle. Expensive costumes were hurriedly thrown out on to the platform, and the principal properties were saved. The ladies were very much upset, and Miss Millie Hylton and [her sister] Miss Lydia Flopp both fainted. Messrs Page, Horace Mills, and Charles Stevens were conspicuous in their activity in saving the property of the company.’ (The Era, London, Saturday, 14 August 1897, p. 10b)

The Circus Girl touring company at the Theatre Royal, Portsmouth, week beginning Monday, 9 August 1897

‘… Of the ladies Miss Millie Hylton invested the part of Mrs Drivelli [created by Connie Ediss when The Circus Girl was first produced at the Gaiety Theatre, London, on 5 December 1896]with clever low comedy, speaking with a true cockney twang, though scarcely looked plump enough for the part, but always charming and refreshing, her song ”Oh, what a wet, wet day,” and ”The proper way to treat a lady” being vociferously redemanded. Miss Lydia Flopp as Dora Wemyss [created in the original production by Ellaline Terriss] was naïvely natural, and acted and sang delightfully, her ”Little bit of string” being a great favourite… . Miss Coralie Blythe delighted everyone with her fresh conception of the part of Lucille [a circus slack wire walker, created by Katie Seymour].’ (The Era, London, Saturday, 14 August 1897, p. 11d)