Flora Walsh (July 25, 1870 – January 22, 1893) was an American stage actress during the 19th century. Her career started around the age of 9 as part of a juvenile theatre company, where her
soprano
A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...
voice earned her recognition and opportunities to act in leading roles on stage. Her mother Alice would frequently appear in productions alongside her up until the early 1890s. She married actor-playwright
Charles H. Hoyt
Charles Hale Hoyt (July 26, 1859 – November 20, 1900) was an American dramatist and playwright. He was married twice, to stage actresses Flora Walsh and Caroline Miskel Hoyt, both of whom died young. The shock of the death of his second w ...
in 1887.
During what would be her last theatrical appearance on January 12, 1893, at age 22, she fell ill, soon developed pneumonia, and died on January 22, 1893 in Boston, Massachusetts, with her husband and mother present. Her funeral took place in the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston.
Early life
Walsh was born on July 25, 1870, in San Francisco, California. Her father Edward Walsh was a civil engineer, and her mother Alice was a character actress famous on the
Pacific Coast
Pacific coast may be used to reference any coastline that borders the Pacific Ocean.
Geography Americas
Countries on the western side of the Americas have a Pacific coast as their western or southwestern border, except for Panama, where the Pac ...
, who appeared in plays alongside her daughter until around 1891, at which point she joined her as a companion. Her father was born in Canada and her mother in England. According to the
1880 census
The United States census of 1880 conducted by the Census Bureau during June 1880 was the tenth United States census.
Career
Walsh first became noticed as part of a juvenile production of "
H.M.S. Pinafore
''H.M.S. Pinafore; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It opened at the Opera Comique in London, on 25 May 1878 and ran for 571 performances, which ...
" where in 1879, aged 9, she was described as being "the most extraordinary performer of her age that we have ever seen" with high praise for her acting and singing abilities. One of her earlier successful performances was at the Tivoli in San Francisco, where a singing role earned her wider recognition. Her appetite for the stage developed from an early age, and although her first part was intended only to be a minor one, her natural singing voice earned her the leading role at the age of 12. She subsequently traveled the western circuit singing opera and later featured in a production of ''Muldoon's Picnic''. Walsh was the recipient of a
benefit performance
A benefit performance is a type of live entertainment which is undertaken for a cause. In its original usage, benefit performances were opportunities for an actor to supplement his/her income. In its modern usage, benefit performances are given to ...
in 1882 at the Baldwin Theater in San Francisco when ''Dot, or the Cricket on the Hearth" was presented.
By the age of 15, despite having appeared on the local stage only occasionally, Walsh was described by '' The Boston Globe'' as a natural "remarkable dancer", having never had any formal tuition; she was also described as a "chubby child". In the fall of 1885, her dramatic company was playing in towns in Colorado when they got stranded in the Rocky Mountains, 60 miles away from the nearest railroad. With little chance of leaving, they spent the winter in the mountain town of Aspen. Walsh became a popular performer there, making many friends among the local people. Amateur actors and actresses in the town would occasionally entertain in the town's only opera house, the ''Rink Opera House'', and producers would consider the success of their performance a near certainty if they engaged Walsh. During her stay, several benefit performances were provided by the local population to show their appreciation to Walsh and her contribution to their entertainment.
Her last theatrical appearance was on January 12, 1893, at the Tremont Theatre, where she played Bossy Brander in ''A Texas Steer''. She had been performing in this play for over a year, including at the New Park Theatre on Broadway in 1891.
Death
During her last performance, Walsh was described as being "distressed by a severe cold" and had difficulty speaking. As her cold progressed, an abscess appeared on her neck, and she endured excruciating pain for several days. The abscess was lanced but, instead of healing, she developed pneumonia and ultimately succumbed to the disease.
Walsh died on January 22, 1893 in Boston, Massachusetts, at the Parker House following a ten-day illness. She was 22 years old. In her presence were her husband and mother. The funeral took place in the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston. Her death "cast a gloom" over her company, and her widower husband ceased watching the play following her death. Tim Murphy, who had performed alongside Walsh, noted she would not be forgotten by the acting company, nor her manner of moving "about like a ray of sunshine, cheering everyone by the geniality of her kindly disposition".
Personal life
Walsh married author and playwright
Charles H. Hoyt
Charles Hale Hoyt (July 26, 1859 – November 20, 1900) was an American dramatist and playwright. He was married twice, to stage actresses Flora Walsh and Caroline Miskel Hoyt, both of whom died young. The shock of the death of his second w ...
on July 12, 1887, in Hoyt's country home, two weeks before her 17th birthday. The occasion was an intimate affair of friends and close family due to the ill health of Hoyt's father. Among the guests was actor and comedian
Otis Harlan
Otis Harlan (December 29, 1865 – January 21, 1940) was an American actor and comedian. He voiced Happy, one of the Seven Dwarfs in the Disney animated film ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs''.
Early years
Harlan was born in Zanesville, Ohio ...
. Hoyt met Walsh when she was engaged to appear in a production of ''Rag Baby'' around October 1885, starring Hoyt at Bush Street Theater in San Francisco, after one of the actresses on the opening night, Annie Leslie, withdrew due to illness. Hoyt was impressed by her performances and wrote a play, ''A Tin Soldier'', specifically to provide her with better acting opportunities. While studying her acting methods he fell in love with her, and they were engaged to marry before the play was complete. They married soon afterwards, with Walsh earning an "enviable position among the leading soubrettes of the day". She was the first wearer of Hoyt's private collection of jewels, valued at nearly $50,000 in 1902 following his death.