Who is this person?

[Eva Elisabeth]

(02-20-2015 05:56 PM)L Verge Wrote:  I was recently on a site that sells cheap historic repros. One of the items for sale was the life mask -- with two deep holes (sockets) where the eyes would be. It was quite freaky, and I suspect they would only be bought by people who love the macabre.

Reminds me of her - who is this lady?
   

[Eva Elisabeth]

Since I've already some time ago posted the guess-who question with another photo of this lady (and Betty instantly knew) and this time just wanted to comment on Laurie's post - please go here:

http://morbidanatomy.blogspot.de/2010/03...r.html?m=1

[RJNorton]

Great question, Eva! I would never have guessed this lady's name. I could never relax and sleep in such!!

[Eva Elisabeth]

Thanks, Roger! This question has to do with another recent trivia question and Laurie's comment on it.

Who is this gentleman?
   

[L Verge]

(02-21-2015 05:00 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  Great question, Eva! I would never have guessed this lady's name. I could never relax and sleep in such!!

Before his untimely death about five years ago, there was a respected member of the Lincoln field who had purchased his coffin years ago and used it as a coffee table until it was put into its intended use...

[RJNorton]

(02-21-2015 10:44 AM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  Thanks, Roger! This question has to do with another recent trivia question and Laurie's comment on it.

Who is this gentleman?

I have no idea. Frank Washington? Samuel Morgan Smith?

[Eva Elisabeth]

This is sure a good guess, Roger, but my eyes seem having cheated me - I believe the guess I saw a little earlier was Samuel Morgan Smith. I'm sorry this is not the depicted gentleman either, but comes INCREDIBLY CLOSE!!! The gentleman in the photo was probably more famous. Also he "preceded" S. Smith. You are right about the profession!

[RJNorton]

Thanks, Eva. I took Samuel Morgan Smith down because it was such a wild guess, but I just put him back up (along with Frank Washington).

So Smith is a closer guess than Washington? Washington was at one time a slave of Dr. Mudd's, and I don't think I've ever seen a photo of him.

[RJNorton]

Ok, now that I see your new clue about the profession I will go with Ira Aldridge.

[Eva Elisabeth]

BRILLIANT, Roger, that is correct - thank you for guessing on a difficult question!

Ira Aldridge was probably the "greatest" and most successful of the first African-American actors, especially in Shakesperean roles. He made his career largely on the London stage though, and was popular in Prussia and Russia.

Laurie's suspicion that Dr. Anderson Abbott's color would have denied him entrance to Ford's Theatre in 1865 (here: http://rogerjnorton.com/LincolnDiscussio...ge-74.html ) in which I believe she was correct as even Frederick Douglass was almost denied access to the levee following President Lincoln's Second Inauguration because "strict orders have been issued not to admit people of color", made me wonder about the engagement of black actors or admission of black audience at Ford's and finally led me to this trivia question.

Ira Aldridge's first professional acting experience was in the early 1820s with the "African Company" in NYC, a group founded and managed by William Henry Brown and James Hewlett. In 1821, the group built the African Grove Theatre, the first resident African American theatre in the United States, with a short lived existence - obviously only until 1823. Nevertheless, in London, Aldridge was advertised as the American Tragedian from the African Theater New York City. The second playbill refers to him as 'The African Tragedian.'

Back to NYC. When the Park Theatre - New York City's leading theater of the time - put on Richard III starring Junius Brutus Booth, the African Company rented a hall next door for its own production of the same play the same night. Theatrical competition was stiff; Stephen Price, owner of the Park, orchestrated (and paid for) a disturbance over the rival productions so that the police would shut down the African Grove.

[RJNorton]

Who is this man?

[Eva Elisabeth]

Black Hawk?

[RJNorton]

Good job, Eva. I really thought this one would last awhile. The portrait of Black Hawk was done by George Catlin. (My first clue was going to be the word "mosquitoes.")

[L Verge]

Some of today's youth would be in total awe of those ear piercings...

[Eva Elisabeth]

Speaking of piercing, I guess Victorian ladies' ears were not to be pierced? Were Mary Lincoln's earrings clips? (Couldn't wear clips, I got some first when I wanted earnings as a child, but my earlobes almost instantly became inflamed. So I was allowed "real" earrings...)