page_title: Margaret Anglin
section_title: Biography
hierarchical_section_title: Margaret Anglin / Biography
caption_attribution_description: English: Title Portrait photograph of Margaret Anglin as Electra Contributor Names Genthe, Arnold, 1869-1942, photographer Created / Published between 1910 and 1942; from a negative taken between 1910 and 1925. Subject Headings - Anglin, Margaret,--1876-1958--Performances. Format Headings Lantern slides. Portrait photographs. Notes - Title devised. - Purchase; Genthe Estate; 1942 or 1943. - ID: LC-1303-C-002 (related image); between 1910 and 1925 Medium 1 slide&#160;: lantern&#160;; 4 x 5 in. or smaller. Call Number/Physical Location LC-G4085- 0383 [P&amp;P]
context_page_description: Mary Margaret Warren Anglin was a Canadian-born Broadway actress, director and producer. Encyclopædia Britannica calls her "one of the most brilliant actresses of her day."
context_section_description: Anglin was born in Ottawa, Ontario, the youngest of nine children of newspaper editor and politician Timothy Warren Anglin (1822–1896) by his second wife, Miss Ellen MacTavish. At the time of her birth in Ottawa, April 3, 1876, he was the Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada. Her older brother, Francis Alexander Anglin (1865–1933) served as Chief Justice of Canada from 1924 to 1933.
  She was educated at Loretto Abbey, Toronto, and at the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Montreal. She graduated from the Empire School of Dramatic Acting, New York, in 1894, where she studied under Nelson Wheatcroft. Her acting skills brought the attention of theatre impresario Charles Frohman who enabled her professional stage debut in 1894 in the Bronson Howard production of Shenandoah.
  An injury sustained while out riding laid her up for some months. In 1896 she became leading lady with James O'Neill, and toured with him in the United States and Canada. Her first professional appearance occurred as Madeline West in Shenandoah She subsequently played with the Sothern Company, and scored a great success as Lady Ursula. In 1896 she played Ophelia opposite James O'Neill. She made her Broadway debut in the 1898 production of Lord Chumley then achieved considerable fame in 1898 on tour portraying "Roxane" in the Edmond Rostand play, Cyrano de Bergerac starring Richard Mansfield. She became leading lady with Charles Frohman in California in 1899. She performed with the  Empire Theatre Company, New York.
  By 1905 she had gained wide recognition for her acting skills and in December of that year The New York Times reported that, following a benefit matinee for the Jewish sufferers in Russia, the doyenne of the stage Sarah Bernhardt asked Anglin to perform with her in the Maurice Maeterlinck play Pelléas et Mélisande. The blessing by the great Bernhardt sealed Margaret Anglin's reputation as the new star of American theatre.
  Anglin became known for her "striking capacity to move effectively and swiftly through the often contradictory emotions felt by heroines" and her ability "to wring tears from the audience while she did so. At the same time Anglin was also praised for avoiding excessive sentimentality" (Meyers 28). Anglin's compelling performances and unique acting style, alongside her Greek productions would become her most noteworthy contributions to the American stage.
  Anglin was 33 when she moved back to America after her grand tour in Australia. Upon her arrival in the summer of 1909, she began "taking her first steps towards the production of Greek tragedy" (Le Vay 121), which started with an "intensive study of… Greek plays" (Le Vay 121) and is "generally considered her most noteworthy contribution to the life of the American theatre" (Le Vay 121). Anglin's first role in a Greek tragedy was as Antigone in a single performance at the Hearst Greek Theatre at U.C. Berkeley. Although Anglin had virtually no prior experience performing in Greek tragedies or classic verse plays of any kind, she was enticed by William Dallam Armes invitation, which stated that this opportunity would provide "ample opportunity for the display of your great ability as an emotional actress" (Meyers 30).  She immediately accepted the offer, and would embrace all areas of the project's production. On her own shoulders Anglin loaded the multiple responsibilities of directing, staging, selecting a chorus (Greek, not musical comedy), arranging and rearranging 'business', choosing costumes, supervising electricians, actors, musicians, and stage hands, up to the last detail relating to the performance" (Young 36); leaving only the publicity and advertisement to her husband who acted as her business manager. Anglin believed that "the classical play is the highest expression for the player" (Meyers 28) and her passion for the form fueled her professionalism and attention to detail. From 1910 to 1928, she would go on to produce, under her own management, Antigone, Electra, Iphigenia in Aulis, and Medea at the Greek Theatre at Berkeley, Carnegie Hall, and the Metropolitan Oper
caption: Portrait photograph of Margaret Anglin as Electra, between 1910 and 1925
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