Bonnie Maginn – ‘Dashing Bonnie Maginn’ – New York City, 1898

Bonnie Maginn (Bonalin Maginn, active before 1898 – 1906, still living 1931), American burlesque actress, singer and dancer
(cabinet photo: B.J. Falk, New York City, 1898)

‘MAGINN, Miss Bonnie:
‘Actress and dancer, was born in Chicago and made her first appearance there at the Grand Opera House, under the management of David Henderson, when she was a mere child, in ”The Mikado.” She then joined Weber and Fields in New York, with whom she remained nearly six years. In 1903 she played in ”Mr. Bluebeard,” under Klaw & Erlanger, and then joined Frank Daniels in ”The Office Boy.” In 1904 she again joined Joe Weber’s company and remained with him two and a half seasons. She then went into vaudeville.’
(Walter Browne and E. De Roy Koch, editors, Who’s Who on The Stage 1908, New & York, 1908, p. 297)

‘DASHING BONNIE MAGINN.
‘There are few prettier or sprightlier soubrettes on the stage than Bonnie Maginn, who for several years has been one of the idols of Broadway. She made a bit hit as Ines Dasher in ”Mr. Blue Beard” and in the Weber burlesques shared honors with such veterans of comedy as Joe Webr, Edward Connelly and even the redoubtable Marie Dressler. Miss Maginn has a good voice – is a better singer in fact than many of the higher salaried soubrettes – and as a fun maker she has few rivals.’
(Centralia Daily Chronicle, Centralia, Washington, Saturday, 15 August 1908, p. 4b)

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Lillian Russell

Lillian Russell (1861?-1922), American star of comic opera, appears in vaudeville at the Palace Theatre, New York, 1915
(photo: White, New York, circa 1915)

‘Lillian Russell, a prominent resident of Pittsburgh and well known in these parts as a creator of cosmetics, returned to the stage at the Palace. Many gentlemen with double chins and other visible indications of profitable leisure were present and the welcome back was hearty.
‘Lillian Russell and “My Evening Star”
‘Miss Russell sang four numbers, including “Chloe.” Once more she invited “My Evening Star” [recorded circa 1912, from www.archive.org] to come down. These songs are of the Weber and Fields pre-broiler period, when the chorus girls were required to have – let us say – architectural stability.
‘It was, we’ll confess, our first glimpse across the footlights of Miss Russell. When she was at her height we were observing “Superba” and the second company in The Chinese Honeymoon from a perilous and provincial gallery seat. So, of course, our review is devoid of memories.
‘Watching Miss Russell, we couldn’t help but think that – say forty years from now – we’ll be brushing cigar ashes from our waistcoats, and applauding – with elderly difficulty – the youthful Ina Claire and the girlish Elsie Janis.
‘Anyway, Miss Russell is promising.’
(Frederick James Smith, The New York Dramatic Mirror, New York, Saturday, 13 November 1915, p.19a)