Dorothy Donnelly
| Dorothy Donnelly | |
|---|---|
| File:Dorothy Donnelly 005.jpg | |
| Born | January 28, 1880 New York City, New York |
| Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. New York City, New York |
| Occupation | actress writer lyricist |
| Years active | 1898-1928 |
Dorothy Donnelly (January 28, 1880 - January 3, 1928) was an actress, playwright, librettist, producer and director. After a decade-long acting career that included several notable roles on Broadway, she turned to writing plays, musicals and operettas, including more than a dozen on Broadway including several long-running successes. Her most famous libretto was The Student Prince (1924), in collaboration with composer Sigmund Romberg.
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Life and career
Donnelly was born in New York City to Thomas Lester Donnelly, the manager of the Grand Opera House in New York, and his wife Sarah (née Williams). Donnelly attended the Convent of the Sacred Heart in New York.[1]
She began acting on Broadway in 1901, playing such roles at the title role in Candida. She made famous the play Madame X on the Broadway stage in 1910 and in a 1916 silent film. She is the subject of a 1999 book by Lorraine McLean Dorothy Donnelly: A Life in the Theatre. She then made a few silent films before turning to playwriting.
Her first big hit on Broadway was Blossom Time, a 1921 adaptation of a German operetta fictionalizing the romantic life of composer Franz Schubert, using his music and adapting his music. This ran for 516 performances and was revived five times over the next 22 years. She then wrote and directed an original musical, Poppy (1923) that had a successful run and was adapted for film, boosting the career of W. C. Fields. Her most famous libretto was for The Student Prince (1924), with music by Sigmund Romberg. Her last Broadway hit was My Maryland in 1927.[2]
She never married and died in New York City. She died the same day as Emily Stevens. State Senator and judge Thomas F. Donnelly (1863–1924) was her brother.[3]
Selected works
- Flora Bella (operetta), book adaptation (Broadway 1916)
- Johnny, Get Your Gun (play), script revision (Broadway 1917)
- Six Months' Option (play), producer (Broadway 1917)
- Fancy Free (musical), book (Broadway 1918)
- The Riddle: Woman (play; Broadway 1918)
- Forbidden (play; Broadway 1919)
- Blossom Time (operetta), adapted English libretto (Broadway 1921; 1924, 1926, 1931, 1938 and 1943 revivals)
- Poppy (musical), book, lyrics and direction (Broadway 1923)
- The Student Prince (operetta), libretto (Broadway 1924; 1931 and 1943 revivals)
- Hello, Lola (musical), books and lyrics (Broadway 1926)
- My Maryland (musical), book and lyrics (Broadway 1927)
Theatre roles
- Nell Gwyn in Nell Gwyn (1901, Broadway play)
- Madam Alvarez in Soldiers of Fortune (1902, Broadway play)
- Candida in Candida (1903 Broadway play; 1915 revival)
- The Lady in The Man of Destiny (1904 Broadway play)
- Mrs. Maia Rubek in When We Dead Awake (1905 Broadway play)
- Ruth Jordan in The Little Gray Lady (1906 Broadway play)
- Louise Stolbeck in The Daughters of Men (1906 Broadway play)
- Marion Manners in The Movers (1907 Broadway play)
- Jacqueline in Madame X (1910 Broadway play)
- Janet Van Roof in The Right to Be Happy (1912 Broadway play)
Filmography
- The Thief (1914)
- Sealed Valley (1915)
- Madame X (1916)
References
- ↑ Who Was Who in the Theatre 1912-1976, originally published annually by John Parker, 1976 edition by Gale Research
- ↑ Dorothy Donnelly at IBDb.com database
- ↑ McLean, Lorraine. Dorothy Donnelly: A Life in the Theatre
External links
- Dorothy Donnelly at IMDb.com
- portrait gallery(Univ. of Washington, Sayre)
- portrait cabinetcardgallery
