Christie MacDonald (February 28, 1875 – July 25, 1962) was a Canadian-born American musical comedy actress and opera singer. She was perhaps best remembered as the Princess of Bozena in the 1910 operetta ''Spring Maid''. The 1913 musical '' Sweethearts'' specifically was written for MacDonald by composer

Victor Herbert Victor August Herbert (February 1, 1859 – May 26, 1924) was an American composer, Cello, cellist and conducting, conductor of English and Irish ancestry and German training. Although Herbert enjoyed important careers as a cello soloist and co ...

. She retired from the stage after appearing in a 1920 revival of the musical comedy ''

Florodora ''Florodora'' is an Edwardian musical comedy. After its long run in London, it became one of the first successful Broadway theatre, Broadway musicals of the 20th century. The book was written by Jimmy Davis under the pseudonym Owen Hall, the mus ...

''.Christie MacDonald Dies at 87. ''New York Times,'' July 27, 1962, p. 25

Early life

MacDonald was born in

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, the daughter of John MacClean MacDonald, a shipbuilder, mariner and inn-keeper in the coastal town of Pictou and Jessie (née MacKenzie). When she was about nine her family relocated to Boston, Massachusetts where she attended Bowdoin and later Boston High School.

Career

MacDonald began in theatre in 1893 in New York when she was cast in Francis Wilson's popular play ''Erminie''. She thereafter found success in the operetta brand of musical theater. MacDonald's first starring role came in 1900 when she assumed the title role in the Kirke La Shelle and

Julian Edwards Julian Edwards (December 11, 1855 - September 5, 1910) was an English composer of light operatic music, who composed many successful Broadway theatre, Broadway shows in the Progressive Era. He attempted to introduce new levels of musical sophistica ...

comic opera ''The Princess Chic'' which also starred Melville Collins as

Louis XI Louis XI (3 July 1423 – 30 August 1483), called "Louis the Prudent" (), was King of France from 1461 to 1483. He succeeded his father, Charles VII. Louis entered into open rebellion against his father in a short-lived revolt known as the ...

. MacDonald starred or co-starred in ''The Belle of Mayfair'' (1906) with Valeska Suratt, ''Miss Hook of Holland'' (1908) with

Bertram Wallis Bertram Wallis (22 February 1874 – 11 April 1952) was an English actor and singer known for his performances in plays, musical comedies and operettas in the early 20th century, first as leading men and then in character roles. He also later ...

and ''The Mikado'' (1910) with

Fritzi Scheff Fritzi Scheff (born Friederike Scheff; August 30, 1879 – April 8, 1954) was an American actress and singer. Biography Born Friederike Scheff in Vienna to Dr. Gottfried Scheff and Anna Yeager, she studied at the Hoch Conservatory in Frank ...

. In 1910 she starred in one of her best-known musicals, ''The Spring Maid'' by

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's ''Sweethearts'' (1913) was written especially for her. MacDonald made several

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records before retiring in 1920. She was married first to William W. Jefferson, a son of the famous actor

Joseph Jefferson Joseph Jefferson III (February 20, 1829 – April 23, 1905), often known as Joe Jefferson, was an American actor. He was the third actor of this name in a family of actors and managers, and one of the most famous 19th century American comedians ...

, in 1901 and ended in divorce several years thereafter. In 1903 she conceived a child with prominent theatrical promoter and New York State Senator

Timothy Sullivan Timothy Daniel Sullivan (July 23, 1862 – August 31, 1913) was a New York politician who controlled Manhattan's Bowery, Manhattan, Bowery and Lower East Side districts as a prominent leader within Tammany Hall. He was known euphemistically as " ...

, who was soon placed in the New York Foundling Hospital. MacDonald did not return to the stage until 1904. In 1911 MacDonald married Henry L. Gillespie, the scion of a wealthy Pittsburgh contracting family and had one daughter, Christie. As of 1950 MacDonald was living with her daughter and grandchildren in Westport, Connecticut. Christie MacDonald died in Fairfield, Connecticut on July 25, 1962.

Selected musicals

* '' Erminie'' (1893) * ''

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'' (1898) * ''

The Man in the Moon In many cultures, several pareidolic images of a human face, head or body are recognized in the disc of the full moon; they are generally known as the Man in the Moon. The images are based on the appearance of the dark areas (known as lunar m ...

'' (1899) * ''

The Toreador ''The Toreador'' is an Edwardian musical comedy in two acts by James T. Tanner and Harry Nicholls (comedian), Harry Nicholls, with lyrics by Adrian Ross and Percy Greenbank and music by Ivan Caryll and Lionel Monckton. It opened at the Gaiety ...

'' (1902) * '' The Sho-Gun'' (1904) * ''

The Belle of Mayfair ''The Belle of Mayfair'' is a musical comedy composed by Leslie Stuart with a book by Basil Hood, Charles Brookfield and Cosmo Hamilton and lyrics by George Arthurs, Hood and William Caine. The story is inspired by the Shakespeare play ''Ro ...

'' (1906) * ''

Miss Hook of Holland ''Miss Hook of Holland'' is an England, English musical theatre, musical comedy (styled a "Dutch Musical Incident") in two acts, with music and lyrics by Paul Rubens (composer), Paul Rubens with a book by Austen Hurgon and Rubens. The show was p ...

'' (1908) * ''

The Spring Maid ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' ...

'' (1910) * ''

The Mikado ''The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, their ninth of fourteen Gilbert and Sullivan, operatic collaborations. It opened on 14 March 1885, in London, whe ...

'' (1910) (revival) * '' Sweethearts'' (1913) * ''

'' (1920) (revival)

References

External links

*
Christie MacDonald portrait NY Public Library Billy Rose CollectionChristie MacDonald portrait at the University of Louisville, Macauley Theatre CollectionChristie MacDonald recordings 1911, 1913Collected Recordings of Christie MacDonald and Reinald WerrenrathComplete Victor label discography of Christie MacDonald
{{DEFAULTSORT:Macdonald, Christie 1875 births 1962 deaths People from Pictou County Canadian emigrants to the United States American musical theatre actresses Musicians from Boston Actresses from Boston Singers from Massachusetts 19th-century American actresses American stage actresses 19th-century American women opera singers 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American women opera singers