MISS LILY ELSIE : PRETTY STAGE ACTRESS : ROTARY PHOTO : RPPC c 1916 For Sale

This elegant real photo postcard (RPPC) features the celebrated Edwardian stage actress Miss Lily Elsie, captured in a classic head-and-shoulders studio portrait. The image presents Lily at her most luminous—her large, expressive eyes and calm, knowing expression beautifully illuminated against a soft, dark background.She wears a textured knit cloche-style hat, slightly tilted and framing her softly waved hair. Her costume includes a tailored jacket with ribbed texture, layered over a delicate lace-trimmed blouse and finished with a silk bow at the neckline. Long strands of pearls drape gracefully across her front, completing the sophisticated yet understated ensemble typical of early-20th-century fashion. The portrait’s composition—close, direct, and refined—reflects both the photographer’s skill and the quiet magnetism that made Lily Elsie one of the great icons of Edwardian theater photography.Her expression is gentle and serene, with just a hint of mystery. The tonal range of this sepia-toned photograph highlights her soft features, lending the image a sense of poise and timeless elegance.The following is a review of Elsie\'s performance in the \"Merry Widow\".Acritic forThe Pelican(1907) wrote that “the youthfulness, the dainty charm and grace, the prettiness and the exquisite dancing with which Miss Elsie invests the part…. I share the opinion of most of the first-nighters, who considered it could not have been in better hands, and could not have been better handled…. The night was a genuine triumph for Miss Elsie, and she well deserved all the calls she received”. Elsie began her career as a child actress and before her big break had appeared in a number of Edwardian musical comedies. She was charming and beautiful and became one of the most photographed actresses of her time. Lily Elsie’s dad was a theater worker and her aunt was well known actress Ada Reeve. Shortly after the turn of the century she joined George Edwardes’ company at the Daly Theater. Some of her early appearances included “A Chinese Honeymoon”, “Lady Madcap”, “The Little Michus (1905)”. In the years between 1900 and 1906 she appeared in 14 shows. After the “Merry Widow” she appeared in 26 more shows including “The Dollar Princess” (1909) and “A Waltz Dream” (1911). She clearly was an actress who was in demand. Men paid her much attention but apparently she did not enjoy the attention. Lucile, her costume designer for “The Merry Widow” stated that Elsie was “absolutely indifferent to men and had once said that she disliked “the male character”. She added that men would only behave well if a woman “treated them coldly”. Now, some words about her marriage. In 1911 she he left the cast of a play in which she was performing to marryMajor John Ian Bullough (1885–1936). Major Bullough was the son of a wealthy textile manufacturer. He was formerly married to actress Maude Darrell who only survived one year after their 1909 marriage. The marriage between Elsie and Bullough was reported to be very unhappy. Elsie’s health began to deteriorate and her husband pressured her to quit the stage and she was ready to do so. She returned to the stage during the war years (World War I) and was active in fund raising for the war effort. She next took a ten year break from the stage only to return once again. Her final performance took place in the Daly Theater in the play “The Truth Game” (1929). In addition to her theater career, Elsie made recordings, and appeared in two films, including D. W. Griffith’s “The Great Love” (1918). Also appearing in that film was Lillian Gish. In 1930 Elsie’s marriage ended in divorce. Her health began to deteriorate more and she developed hypochondriasis causing her to spend much time in nursing homes and sanitariums. Due to her psychological problems she had brain surgery. Her final years were spent at St. Andrews hospital in London. This postcard was published by Rotary Photo and is part of a series (no.11799A). The photographer of this crisp image of this beautiful actress is the well known celebrity photographic studio, Foulsham & Banfield. Lily Elsie was incredibly popular in her day and postcards and photographs of her remain popular today. There are 171 photographs of Lily Elsie held by United Kingdom\'s National Portrait Gallery. This postcard is from circa 1916.The postcard is in overall good condition with strong contrast, sharp detail, and minimal edge or corner wear. The image surface is clean and retains a glossy finish. The back shows very light toning with no writing or postmarks.

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