Jessie Mackaye (1879–1967) was an American comic stage actress of the

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardia ...

Early life

Jessie Mackaye was born to an Episcopalian family in

St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

on November 7, 1879. Prior to becoming an actress, she was educated at the Convent of the Sacred Heart. Mackaye is remembered for her role as Micah Dow in ''The Little Minister''. The play was staged at the Olympia Theatre in New York in September 1897.

Victorian actress

She was in the graduating class of the

American Academy of Dramatic Arts The American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) is a private performing arts conservatory with two locations, one in Manhattan and one in Los Angeles. The academy offers an associate degree in occupational studies and teaches drama and related art ...

in April 1896, held at the Lyceum Theatre on Broadway. Mackaye began acting with the Amateur Comedy Club in a production of ''Dandy Dick'', which was staged at the Lyceum Theatre in April 1896. She acted the role of "Sheba" at the entertainment venue at Seventh Avenue and 57th Street. In July 1899, she received positive reviews for her role in

DeWolf Hopper William DeWolf Hopper (March 30, 1858September 23, 1935) was an American actor, singer, comedian, and theatrical producer. A star of vaudeville and musical theater, he became best known for performing the popular baseball poem "Casey at the Bat". ...

's London production of ''

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'', with '' The Era'' stating, "Miss Jessie Mackaye won all hearts and made an immediately favourable impression by her dainty prettiness, unflagging activity, and innocent archness in the part of Estrelda." In January 1900, Mackaye again teamed with Hopper in ''The Mystical Miss'' (aka ''The Charlatan'') in London. She married Robert Frederic Hobbs in New York on July 26, 1900, and announced her retirement from acting that November. In later life, she lived in

Darby, Pennsylvania Darby is a borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The borough is located along Darby Creek southwest of Center City, Philadelphia, Center City Philadelphia. The borough of Darby is distinct from the near ...

. She died from cardiac arrest at Riddle Memorial Hospital in Middletown Township, Delaware County on June 28, 1967.

References

External links

Jessie Mackaye photo
with

Maude Adams Maude Ewing Adams Kiskadden (November 11, 1872 – July 17, 1953), known professionally as Maude Adams, was an American actress who achieved her greatest success as the character Peter Pan, first playing the role in the 1905 Broadway production ...

at Global Performing Arts Database, September 27, 1897 {{DEFAULTSORT:Mackaye, Jessie 19th-century American actresses American stage actresses American women comedians 1879 births 1967 deaths American Academy of Dramatic Arts alumni Comedians from St. Louis