Edna May

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Cordially (Sincerely) Edna May
Edna May around 1916

Edna May Pettie (born September 2, 1878 in Syracuse , † January 1, 1948 in Lausanne ) was an American actress and singer in the first half of the 20th century .

Life

Edna May Pettie was the daughter of Edgar Pettie, a postman, and his wife Cora. At the age of five she played Little Willie Allen in the production of Dora . As a seven year old Edna May starred in a children's opera, produced and written by Gilbert and Sullivan , in Syracuse. Her younger sisters, Marguerite and Jane, also played a small role in the play.

In the early 1890s, Edna May studied music at the New York Conservatory and made her debut as a trained actress and singer in her hometown in 1895. A short time later she went to New York City to get an engagement in Oscar Hammerstein's productions ( Santa Maria ) . In the same year she married the cyclist Frederick "Fred" Titus, who currently held a world record. The marriage ended in divorce in 1904. In 1897 Edna May played the role of Violet Gray in the musical The Belle of New York with only moderate success. The following year production went to England - the piece was performed 700 times in London alone. At that time, Edna May played the main role of the salutationist and became a celebrated star.

Because of her beauty, Edna May received the attention of male admirers. She had a relationship with the Indian Prince Raj Narayan Bahadur from the Kingdom of Cooch Behar - but his family was against this connection. In 1907 she accepted Oscar Lewisohn's marriage proposal. Her husband had inherited several million dollars from his father, the "Copper King", a few years earlier. The marriage remained childless. The couple settled in the City of Westminster , London . During the First World War , the couple lived in the New York luxury hotel Waldorf-Astoria . Oscar Lewisohn died in 1917, leaving his widow $ 5 million.

Edna May died in a clinic in Lausanne of complications from cancer .

Productions (selection)

  • 1900 An American Beauty in London
  • 1901 The Girl from Up There in New York and later in London
  • 1902 Three Little Maids in London and New York
  • 1903–1914 The School Girl in London and New York
  • 1904 La poupée in London
  • 1905 The Catch of the Season in New York
  • 1906 The Belle of Mayfair in London

Filmography

  • 1911: Forgotten; or, An Answered Prayer
  • 1913: David Copperfield
  • 1916: Salvation Joan
  • 1928: The Bargain Hunt

Web links

Commons : Edna May  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files
personal data
SURNAME May, Edna
ALTERNATIVE NAMES May Pettie, Edna (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American actress and singer
DATE OF BIRTH September 2, 1878
PLACE OF BIRTH Syracuse
DATE OF DEATH January 1, 1948
Place of death Lausanne