I present Miss Lily Elsie (1886-1962) and Mr Joseph Coyne (1861-1947) in The Merry Widow in 1907
This Edwardian production in which Lily Elsie made her name, was the beginning of a glittering career for the actress on the musical stage. Everyone wanted to see the show which had music by Franz Lehar and lyrics by Adrian Ross. Based on the Viennese operetta Die Lustige Witwe by Victor Leon and Leo Stein, it was adapted from Henri Meilhae’s play L’Attaché d’Ambassade. Apparently, King Edward VII saw it four times. LilyElsie.com
Joseph Coyne was an American-born musical actor who started his career in Vaudeville. He first went to London to appear in 1901 and spent most of his career on the British stage. “It is no good their pretending to be any one else. We go to see themselves, and all we ask is that the authors and others shall give them every chance of being themselves in the most pronounced and personal fashion,” said one critic about Coyne. Wikipedia
The Merry Widow Bicycle Playing Cards by FirstNightDesign
I’m particularly fond of the image because I love the damage that age has wrought and was not inclined to repair it digitally when I first added to my Zazzle store a few years ago.
The Merry Widow iPhone 5 Case by FirstNightDesign
Available at the following galleries:
Zazzle US
Zazzle UK
Take care and keep laughing!
What a very merry widow, Sarah. Such panache.
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I’m very pleased you like it, Tish!
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I love this vintage images. Thanks, Sarah!
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Thank you, Olga. Happy to please!
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You do conjour up some names from the past Sarah. Haven’t heard those in years.
xxx Massive Hugs xxx
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I’m one of those sad people who live in the past to a great extent! Hugs. xxx
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I can’t say anything since my favourite mode of dress is still my Edwardian frock coat and top hat.
xxx Hugs xxx
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And so it should be! Marvellous.
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Lovely as always and I now see the cute Peter Pan haircut!
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Ha ha! Glad you like Merry Widow, Kerry.
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😉
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An unusual and touching old photo. I like the way it has been ‘colourised’, and it suits the items very well.
Best wishes, Pete. x
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If by colourise you mean the red framing, then thank you. The colour in the actual Play Pictorial cover is original!
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I am happy to stand corrected , Sarah. I had presumed the original photo was B&W, and had been painted. (The red framing is very good too!) x
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That’s not to say that the Play Pictorial bods didn’t colour it themselves!
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This is so cool!
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Thank you, Ray!
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This is vintage at its best Sarah – fabulous work on this one. Glad you didn’t repair and let the piece stand on it’s own.
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Thank you, Mary. I’m glad you agree with me about not repairing that fabulous damage!
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