List of American women in 19th century theater

This page is currently under construction. Check back regularly for updates.

The "Hamnet Records" are an exhaustive list of items found on Hamnet and do not include items from the card catalog. "Other Resources" is not an exhaustive list, but is information gathered from Folger website pages and outside resources.


A

  • Viola Allen (October 27, 1867 - May 9, 1948) Born Viola Emily Allen in Huntsville, Alabama.
    • Hamnet Records
      • ART File A431 no.2-69 PHOTO
      • ART Box H584 no.1 - 36 (size L)
      • ART Box H584 no.37 - 60 (size L)
      • Scrapbook 265363 -Collection of theatre programs and photographs compiled by Viola Allen
      • Prompt D3 - Daughter of Heaven
      • Prompt H5 - The Hunchback (Viola Allen copy)
      • Prompt I3 - Irene Wycherley (Property of Viola Allen)
      • Prompt L14 - The Lady of Coventry (Written for a Viola Allen production)
      • Prompt P24 - Phaedra (Former Owner)
      • Prompt Cymb. 19 - Cymbeline (As played by Viola Allen)
      • Prompt Mac. 1 - Macbeth (Former Owner)
      • Prompt Merch. 1 - Merchant of Venice (Former Owner)
      • Prompt T.N. 1
      • Prompt T.N. 28 (Viola Allen's version)
      • Prompt Wint. T. 1 (Former owner, inscribed)
      • The Winter's Tale presented by Viola Allen and Co. - PR2839 1950b Copy 1 Sh.Col. / PR2839 1950b Copy 2 Sh.Col. (Gustav Kobbé copy, autograph presentation note by Allen)
      • Manuscripts - Y.c. 29 / Y.c. 46 (1-4) / Y.c. 61 (1-96) / Y.c. 156 (1-2) / Y.c. 222 (1) / Y.c. 223 (1) / Y.c. 245 (1) / Y.c. 260 (1-5) / Y.c. 367 (1) / Y.c. 452 (1-3) / Y.c. 518 (1-2) / Y.c. 531 (1) / Y.c. 558 (1-3) / Y.c. 598 (1) / Y.c. 634 / Y.c. 636 / Y.c. 645 / Y.c. 678 (1-3) / Y.c. 775 (1) / Y.c. 785 (1-3) / Y.c. 806 (1-9) / Y.c. 818 (1) / Y.c. 906 (1-10) / Y.c. 984 (1-5) / Y.c. 1022 (1) / Y.c. 1356 (1) / Y.c. 2138 (1-6) / Y.c. 2186 / Y.c. 2198 / Y.c. 2218 / Y.c. 2294 / Y.c. 2323 / Y.c. 2389 / Y.c. 2451 (1-4) / Y.c. 2536 / Y.c. 3368 / Y.c. 3875 / Y.c. 5388 / Y.c. 5497 (1-2) / Y.c. 5498 / Y.c. 5675-76 / Y.c. 5803 / Y.c. 5895 / Y.c. 6046 / Y.c. 6334 / Y.c. 6686 (1-14) / Y.c. 7265 / Y.c. 7300 (1-18) / Y.c. 7348 (1-8)
    • Other resources


B


  • Kate Josephine Bateman Crowe (October 7, 1842/43 - April 8, 1917) Born Kate Josephine Bateman in Baltimore, Maryland.
    • Hamnet Records
      • ART 254823 (Realia B3b) - Wooden dressing case
      • Manuscripts - Y.c. 665 (1) / Y.c. 2673 (1-3) / Y.c. 2948 (1-6) / Y.c. 6429
      • Prompt Ham. 77 ("Autograph on p. [1]: Mrs. Bateman")
    • Other Resources
  • Sidney Frances Bateman (March 29, 1823 - January 13, 1881) Born Sidney Frances Cowell in England.
    • Hamnet Records
      • Manuscripts - Y.c. 2674 (1-7)
    • Other Resources




  • Agnes Booth (October 4, 1843 - January 2, 1910) Born Marian Agnes Land Rookes in Sydney, New South Wales.
    • Hamnet Records
      • ART File B725.65 no. 1 copy 1 PHOTO (size M)
      • ART Vol. a5 no. 160 PHOTO (after p. 84)
      • ART Vol. b2 no. 36
      • ART Vol. b2 no. 39b
      • Manuscripts - Y.c. 2731 (1-8)
      • PROMPT John 2 (p. 13)
      • PROMPT Lear 2
      • PROMPT Mu. Ad. 1
    • Other Resources




C

  • Marie Cahill (December 29, 1866 - August 23, 1933) Born Mary "Marie" Cahill in Brooklyn, New York.
  • Beatrice Cameron (1868 - July 12, 1940) Born Susan Hegeman in Troy, New York.
  • Leslie Carter (June 10, 1857 - November 13, 1937) Born Caroline Louise Dudley in Lexington, Kentucky.
  • Louise Carver (June 9, 1869 - June 18, 1956) Born Mary Louise Stieger in Davenport, Iowa.
    • Hamnet Records
      • ART File C397 no.1-2 PHOTO (size XS)
      • DVD 281
    • Other Resources
  • Georgia Cayvan (August 22, 1857 - November 19, 1906) Born Georgie Eva Cayvan in Bath, Maine.
  • Henrietta Baker Chanfrau (1837 - 1909) Born Jeannette Davis in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
  • Caroline Chapman (c. 1818 - May 8, 1876) Born in San Francisco, California.
    • Hamnet Records
      • ART Vol. a28 vol.1 (after p.60)
      • Manuscripts - Y.d. 469
    • Other Resources
  • Ada Clare (July, 1834 - March 4, 1874) Born Ada Agnes Jane McElhenney in Charleston, South Carolina.
  • Marguerite Clark (February 22, 1883 - September 25, 1940) Born Helen Marguerite Clark in Avondale, Cincinnati, Ohio.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Kate Claxton (August 24, 1848 - May 5, 1924) Born in Somerville, New Jersey.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Ella Maria Dietz Clymer (January 27, 1847 - January 9, 1920) Born Ella Maria Dietz in New York City.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Ida Conquest (February 26, 1876 - July 12, 1937)
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Sarah Crocker Conway (1834 - April 28, 1875) Born in Ridgefield, Connecticut.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Lotta Crabtree (November 7, 1847 - September 25, 1924) Born Charlotte Mignon Crabtree in New York City.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Maida Craigen (1861 - April 5, 1942)
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Henrietta Crosman (September 2, 1861 - October 31, 1944) Born Henrietta Foster Crosman in Wheeling, West Virginia.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Charlotte Cushman (July 23, 1816 - February 18, 1876) Born Charlotte Suanders Cushman in Boston, Massachusetts.
    • Hamnet Records
      • 255- 431q
      • ART 242806s
      • ART 254964 (size S)
      • ART 260043 (realia)
      • ART 260060 (realia)
      • ART File C986 no. 1 (size L)
      • ART File C986 no. 2a copy 1 - 5 (size XS)
      • ART File C986 no. 2a copy 6 (size XS)
      • ART File C986 no. 2b (size XS)
      • ART File C986 no. 3 copy 1 and 2 (size XS)
      • ART File C986 no. 4 - 8 (size XS)
      • ART File C986 no. 9 copy 1 (size XS)
      • ART File C986 no. 9 copy 2 (size XS)
      • ART File C986 no. 10 - 14 (size XS)
      • ART File C986 no. 15 pt. 1 - 3 PHOTO (size XS)
      • ART File C986 no. 16 PHOTO (size XS)
      • ART File C986 no. 17 pt. 1 and 2 PHOTO (size XS)
      • ART File C986 no. 18 PHOTO (size XS)
      • ART File C986 no. 19 - 21 (size XS)
      • ART File C986 no. 22 copy 1 - 3 (size XS)
      • ART File C986 no. 23 PHOTO (size XS)
      • ART File C986 no. 24 (size XS)
      • ART Inv. 1095 (realia)
      • ART Vol. a2 no. 22 (p. 248)
      • ART Vol. a5 no. 113 (after p. 62)
      • ART Vol. b15 no. 86
      • ART Vol. b17 no. 61v (p.31)
      • ART Vol. b23 no. 96
      • ART Vol. b33 no. 4
      • ART Vol. c1 no. 83 copy 1
      • ART Vol. c4 no. 69 copy 1
      • ART Vol. c4 no. 70 copy 1
      • ART Vol. c4 no. 71 copy 1
      • ART Vol. c4 no. 72 copy 1
      • ART Vol. c4 no. 73 - 74
      • ART Vol. c6 no. 13
      • ART Vol. c6 no. 37
      • ART Vol. c7 no. 34 copy 6
      • ART Vol. c26 PHOTO
      • ART Vol. c53 no. 26 copy 2
      • Fast ACC 271223 (Flat)
      • FPb47
      • FPb49
      • FPm21 (realia)
      • FPm22 (realia)
      • FPm23 (realia)
      • Manuscripts - C.c. 6 / D.a. 52 / M.b. 38 / T.a. 101 - 103 / W.a. 256 / W.b. 511 (after p. 134) / Y.c. 737 (1) / Y.c. 968 (1-40) / Y.c. 1778 / Y.c. 1880 / Y.c. 2954 (1-6) / Y.c. 3342 / Y.c. 3448 / Y.c. 4554 (1-2) / Y.c. 4760 (1-5) / Y.c. 5862 / Y.d. 531 (1-4) / Y.d. 558 (1-8) / Y.d. 754 / Y.d. 829
      • PLAYBILL 265448 - London: Sadler's Wells Theatre, 1854
      • PROMPT AYLI 5 / 23 / 24
      • PROMPT Ham. 10
      • PROMPT Hen. VIII 3 / 4 / 13
      • PROMPT Mac. 10
      • PROMPT Rom. 45
      • Sh.Col. PR2752 1843c copy 1 and 2
      • Sh.Col. PR2759 1884 v.4 (item 7)
      • Sh.Col. PR2803 1848
      • Sh.Col. PR2817 1823
      • Sh.Col. PR2823 1874a
      • Sh. Misc. 539
      • STC 24102 (Charlotte Cushman copy)
      • Open Stacks - E457.2 .A543 2015 / E468.9 .N46 2010 / PN2016 .D7 no. 9 / PN2205 .R55 / PN2259 .C5 / PN2285 .W5 / PN2287 .C8 M47 1999 / PN2287 .C8 L4 / PN2287 .C8 P7 / PN2287 .C8 S7 / PN2287 .C8 W4 / PR2965 .G74 2010 vol. 7 / PR3112 .W45 2015 / PR4419 .C5 Z65 2000 / PR4581 .H3 1871 /
    • Other Resources



D

  • Fay Davis (December 15, 1873 – February 27, 1945) Born in Boston, Massachusetts.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Julia Dean (actress) (July 22, 1830 – March 6, 1868) Born in Pleasant Valley, New York.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Kate Denin (1837 - February 5, 1907) Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Laura Don (February 20, 1852 – February 10, 1886) Born Anna Laura Fish in Glens Falls, New York.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Virginia Dreher (1857/59- November 11, 1898) Born Jennie Cummings Murphy in Kentucky.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Louisa Lane Drew (January 10, 1820 – August 31, 1897) Born Louisa Lane in London, England.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Maud Durbin (November 9, 1871 – December 25, 1936) Born in Moberly, Missouri.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources


E

  • Virginia Earle (August 6, 1873 – September 21, 1937) Born Virginia Earl in Cincinnati, Ohio.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Maxine Elliott (February 5, 1868 - March 5, 1940) Born Jessie Dermott in Rockland, Maine.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Effie Ellsler (September 17, 1855 – October 8, 1942) Born Euphemia Ellsler in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Agnes Ethel (May 1, 1846 – May 26, 1903) Also known as Agnes Ethel Tracy, she was born in New York City.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Rose Eytinge (November 21, 1835 – December 20, 1911) Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources


F



  • Minnie Maddern Fiske (December 19, 1865 - February 15, 1932) Born Marie Augusta Davey in New Orleans, Louisiana. Also went by Mrs. Fiske.
  • Harriet Ford (1863 - December 12, 1949) Born Harriet French Ford in Seymore, Connecticut. She also went by the name Mrs. Forde Morgan.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources


G



H

  • Laura Nelson Hall (July 11, 1876 – July 11, 1936) Born Laura Barnhurst in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Pauline Hall (February 26, 1860 – December 29, 1919) Born Pauline Fredrika Schmidgall in Cincinnati, Ohio.
    • Hamnet Records
      • Y.c.3858 (1-7)
    • Other Resources
  • Virginia Harned (May 29, 1868 – April 29, 1946) Born Virginia Hicks in Boston, Massachusetts.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Percy Haswell (April 30, 1871 - June 14, 1945) Born in Austin, Texas. She was also billed as Miss Percy Haswell and Mrs. George Fawcett.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Chrystal Herne
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Bijou Heron
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Matilda Heron
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Edna Wallace Hopper
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Jean Hosmer
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Jobyna Howland
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Caroline Miskel Hoyt
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources


I

  • Isabel Irving (February 18, 1871 - September 1, 1944) Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
    • Hamnet Records
      • 255- 234q v. 2
      • ART Box S635 no. 1 (size L)
      • ART File I72.3 no.1-3 PHOTO (size XS)
      • ART Vol. a8 no. 39 (Opp. p. 74)
      • ART Vol. b18 no. 16v (For original drawing see ART Box S653 no. 1)
      • ART Vol. b18 no. 64v
      • ART Vol. b23 no. 336 PHOTO
      • ART Vol. b23 no. 381 PHOTO
      • ART Vol. b23 no. 384 PHOTO
      • ART Vol. b23 no. 386 PHOTO
      • ART Vol. b23 no. 395 PHOTO
      • ART Vol. b23 no. 397 PHOTO
      • ART Vol. b23 no. 402 PHOTO
      • ART Vol. b24 no. 25a and 25b
      • Manuscript - Y.c. 3368 / Y.c. 4340 (1-11)
    • Other Resources


J

  • Fanny Janauschek (July 20, 1829 – November 28, 1904) Born Franziska Romana Magdalena Janauschek in Prague, Austrian Empire.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Marie Jansen (November 18, 1857 – March 20, 1914) Born Harriet Mary Johnson in Boston, Massachusetts.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Maud Jeffries (December 14, 1869 - September 26, 1946) Born Maud Evelyn Craven Jeffries at Willow Farm, Coahoma County, Mississippi.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Avonia Jones (July 12, 1839 – October 4, 1867) Born in New York City.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources


K


  • Jennie Kimball (June 20, 1848 – March 23, 1896) Born in Portland, Maine, she was also known by the names Jennie Kimball Flaherty and Jennie Kimball Schaefer.
    • Hamnet Records
      • ART File K49 no. 1 PHOTO (size XS)
    • Other Resources


L


M


N

O

  • Elita Proctor Otis (1851/1860 - August 10, 1927) Born in Cleveland, Ohio.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources


P


Q

R


S


T


U

  • Geraldine Ulmar (June 23, 1862 - August 13, 1932) Born Annie Geraldine Ulmar in Charlestown, Massachusetts.
    • Hamnet Records
      • Manuscripts - Y.c. 5109 (1-2)
    • Other Resources


V

  • Marie van Zandt (October 8 1858 - December 31, 1919) Born in Manhattan, New York City.
    • Hamnet Records
      • Art File V285.5 no.1 PHOTO (size xs)
    • Other Resources


W

  • Marie Wainwright (May 8, 1853 - August 17, 1923) Born Marie Page Wainwright in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Blanche Walsh (January 4, 1873 – October 31, 1915) Born in New York City.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Helen Ware (October 15, 1877 – January 25, 1939) Born Helen Remer in San Francisco, California.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Ida Waterman (March 10, 1852 – May 22, 1941) Born Ida Shaw in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Mary E. Webb (1828 – June 17, 1859) Born Mary Espartero Webb in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Blanche Whiffen (1845–1936) Born Blanche Galton, and also known as Mrs. Thomas Whiffen, in London, England.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources
  • Jennie Worrell (1850 - August 11, 1899) Born in Cincinnati, Ohio.
    • Hamnet Records
    • Other Resources


XYZ


For more 19th century American actresses not included in the Folger Collection, see the following list:

Wikipedia American Shakespearean Actresses of the 19th Century