The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1907-07-06
EVOLUTION OF NEW
:> TYPE OF SHOW GIRL.
Chorus Girls Que Monument James Davis, the
Creator of F2orodora.

A~~~~~~~~~A~~~%~~
If chorus girls we're properly CRATE
full they would subscribe and build a
monument to the memory of the re-
Gently deceased James Davis, better
known by his pen name of Owen Hall.
1t is not because he has the books
of "A Gaiety Girl 'The Geisha" and
''The Silver Slipper" to his credit that
Mr.. Hall has claim on the gratitude
of the show girl. These productions
stamp him as the best librettist since
Gilbert, but my lady of the foot lights
cares nothing about that.
The thing that gives Mr.. Hall his
claim on her is the fact that he wrote
"FlOrOdOra" and evolved a new style
of chorus girl.
Prior to "Florodora" the chorus girl
wore the same kind of fleshings that
had been in vogue since the days
when "The Black Crook" first shocked
the country. No one had ever had the
originality to suggest a change. It
had gone out of the fashion to fall
captive to this creature of pads and
paint.
Only a few insipid Johnnies chung to
the stage door in admiration of this
venerable type.
But suddenly a metamorphosis was
effected.
The show girl was lifted to a pedes-
tai such as she had never occupied be-
fore. Diamonds, automobiles, flowers,
Wall street winnings and millionaire
husbands were proffered to her.
The "Florodora" fever had done its
work and the new chorus girl was
launched on her glittering career.
What Mr. Hall did was simple
enough, perhaps, but it remained for
him to be the one to think of it.
I First he decided that beauty una
dorned was not necessarily beauty
most adorned, so he began by giving
the chorus girl some clothes. In place
of the tights of tradition she was
equipped with superb Paris gown
and hat that the wealthiest woman in
the world need not have been
ashamed to wear. Then he picked out
six tall, willowy girls of a similar type,
the very opposite of the old-time ele.
phantine favorites. To these he gave
most attractive and melodious air.
Not in the annals of the stage has
such an enthusiasm been recorded for
any one number in an opera.
1t is a frequent mistake to say that
Nan Patterson and Evelyn Nesbit-
Thaw were members of that famous
'original" sextet, but they were not
Nan Patterson did sing in the sextet,
but only in No. company. She had
no part whatever in the first produc.
/ ton. ,-~:;...
Evelyn Nesbit-Thaw was in the
opening New York production Of the
opera, but she never attained to the
dignity of being in the sextet that
made the success of the work. Nature
had never adapted her for such role
She lacked the height and distinction
The best she got was the small role OF
flower maiden, who danced in the
background and scattered flowers.
Since the fame of "Florodora" went
round the country it has become a
| fashion to class every girl who figures
| in a sensational incident as one of the
| original six. Let woman shoot or be
shot, let her make rich marriage, be
named as correspondent, and "Floro
dora" instantly got the credit of an
| other sensation. Had there been six
| thousand instead of six girls in the
first crop they would not have taken
| part in all the incidents credited to
| them.
| Just to keep the records straight il
may be we'll to set down the names
of the six young ladies who first daz
zled the country in the Paris gown
and big hats of the number
They were:
| Marie Wilson.
Margaret Walker.
| Waugh Texsmith.
| Marjorie Relyea.
Agnes Sayre.
Daisy Green.
If any one of this six ever has to dc
any further piouetting before the foot
| lights it is because she was already