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Part of the American
History & Genealogy Project |
Mary Anderson Navarro 1859 ~ 1940
Mary Anderson Navarro
Madame Navarro is one of the most
accomplished actresses and gifted women America has ever
produced. She was born in Sacramento, California, July 28, 1859.
Her maiden name was Mary Antoinette Anderson. Her parents were
of foreign descent. She soon decided to make the stage her
profession, and neither the discouragements of her parents or
friends deterred her from her purpose. On witnessing the
"performance of Edwin Booth as "Richard the Third," she gave a
repetition of this in her own home, which so impressed her
parents that a private performance was given before her friends,
and here she achieved her first success.
She was a student at the Ursuline Convent, in Louisville, and
was given private lessons in music, dancing and literature with
a view of training her for her dramatic career. Charlotte
Cushman advised her to study under Vanderhoff, in New York, and
ten lessons from this dramatic teacher were her only real
training; the rest she accomplished for herself, which makes her
the more notable. On the 27th of November, 1875, she made her
first appearance as Juliet, in the Macaulay Theatre, Louisville,
Kentucky. She won a most pronounced success.
After this she had no more difficulties to overcome. She was
welcomed everywhere, and everyone was now willing to acknowledge
her great talent and natural genius as an actress. Her dignity
and high standard as a woman, gave her a most enviable social
position, which she has held all through her life. In 1879 she
made her first trip to Europe. In 1880 she received an offer to
play at the Drury Lane Theatre, London, but declined it fearing
she was not quite equal, as yet, to such heights of fame, also
refusing an engagement at the London Lyceum, but in 1885 she
accepted an offer at the Lyceum in "Parthenia." Her
triumph was instantaneous. From this time on during her entire
stage career she knew nothing but success until her name was
placed at the head of American actresses of her day. In 1889 she
was obliged to retire from the stage owing to a severe illness,
and in 1890 withdrew permanently to the sincere regret of every
American citizen. Soon afterward she married M. Antonio Navarro,
a citizen of New York. They have lived, ever since their
marriage, in England, where her social position is second to
none.
Women of
America
Source: The Part Taken by Women in
American History, By Mrs. John A. Logan, Published by The Perry-Nalle
Publishing Company, Wilmington, Delaware, 1912.
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