1909 Broadway ~ Musical Comedy: A Stubborn Cinderella ~ Soprano Elizabeth Wheeler (1909)

American soprano Elizabeth Wheeler (1875-1971) / Don't be cross with me / A Stubborn Cinderella (Joseph E. Howard; Frank R. Adams; Will M. Hough) / Recorded: May 14, 1909 --

A STUBBORN CINDERELLA (January 25, 1909 ~ Broadway Theatre): Lady Leslie (Sallie Fisher), an amazingly unworldly young Scot, is traveling with a bodyguard through America on her way to a marriage with a Russian Grand Duke. She stops at Columbus College, where she agrees to unveil a statue. At the ceremony she meets Mac, and assuming he is the sculptor, asks him to make a statue of her. They head to California after being delayed by a landslide in Colorado. To while away the time, Mac tells her the story of Cinderella, and she decides he can be her Prince Charming, even though he has botched the statue. A Stubborn Cinderella's run of 88 performances was the longest the Howard-Adams-Hough team ever enjoyed in New York. One reason may have been the actor who played Mac. Several critics singled him out, predicting a bright future for him in musical comedy. He was John Barrymore. (From "American Musical Theatre: A Chonicle - 2nd Edition" by Gerald Boardman / Oxford University Press -1992)

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Elizabeth Wheeler (pseudonym: Jane Kenyon)

Jim Walsh of Hobbies Magazine in 1961 described Elizabeth Wheeler and William Wheeler as "the most successful husband and wife duet pair in the history of the phonograph." She was born Bess Nicholson in Kokomo, Indiana, in 1875; he was born in Shawano, Wisconsin in 1879. They married in 1904, and performed widely, doing standard ballads, light opera, and hymns. Mr. Wheeler made some solo recordings for Leeds & Caitlin, Edison and others, and then the two began their duet recordings in 1910 for Victor. "Beautiful Isle of Somewhere" was an early hit, though it did not reach the 1917 Victor catalog, where there were 17 other titles by the pair. Their final Victor recording was the most popular one, "What a Friend We have in Jesus." Mrs. Wheeler made many solo Victors beginning in 1909; she sang ballads and children's songs, and also "Elizabeth's Prayer" from Tannhauser. William Wheeler did some solo work for Pathe. They did not record after the acoustic period, and "What a Friend" was the only one of their titles to reach the 1927 Victor catalog. Elizabeth Wheeler died in 1971; William Wheeler died in 1967. (From "The Encyclopedia of Recorded Sound in the United States" / edited by Guy A. Marco / Garland Publishing, Inc. - 1993)

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Category:

Music

Tags:

• American
• Soprano
• Elizabeth
• Wheeler
• Broadway
• Musical
• Stubborn
• Cinderella
• John
• Barrymore
• Acoustic
• 78
• rpm
• CurzonRoad

[AulicExclusiva]

What a charming clear voice. And I was just in the mood for a cakewalk, too!

[CurzonRoad]

She really is a delightful singer. THANKS!

[ginnykaren]

Doug,

This was great...a nice clear sound and a sweet song too :-)

[CurzonRoad]

Hi Ginny: Elizabeth Wheeler did have a very, v-e-r-y sweet voice. On with the resurrection... more to come! THANK YOU! Doug --

[Bivolari]

What a great find from the past. She is very vivid and one can almost see her singing this on stage. Thanks Doug!!

[CurzonRoad]

Stephen: Exactly... but don't think the Wheelers ever actually performed on stage. Believe church & small concert venues more to their style. Thank YOU! Doug --

[RentandWicked]

HOW LOVELY

[meltzerboy]

Sweet and charming voice from a new singer for me. I'm only a hundred years late!

[genia106]

Doug,

A Darling Song and a Beautiful vocal.

Merci.

[65attila]

Doug

Another gem- what a lovely voice and style.

The music is delightful and totally new to me.

Regards-John

[althazarr]

A great recording. So nice and clear with lots of rolling rrrrrrrrrr's. :-)