Charlotte Josephine Collins (23 May 1887 – 6 December 1958) was an English actress and singer known by her stage name, José Collins, who was celebrated for her performances in musical comedies, such as the long-running ''

The Maid of the Mountains ''The Maid of the Mountains'', called in its original score a musical play, is an operetta or "Edwardian" musical comedy in three acts. The music was by Harold Fraser-Simson, with additional music by James W. Tate, lyrics by Harry Graham a ...

'', and early motion pictures.

Life and career

Charlotte Josephine Collins was born in London 1887 to

music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was most popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850, through the World War I, Great War. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as Varie ...

performer and comedian

Lottie Collins Lottie Collins (16 August 1865 – 1 May 1910) was an English singer and dancer, most famous for introducing the song "Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay!" in England. Early life She was born Charlotte Louisa Collins in the East End of London in 1865. Her fa ...

, who popularized the song "

Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay "Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay" is a vaudeville and music hall song first performed by the 1880s. It was included in Henry J. Sayers' 1891 revue ''Tuxedo (vaudeville), Tuxedo'' in Boston, Massachusetts. The song became widely known in the 1892 version sung ...

!". Her mother later married her music coach, Stephen Patrick Cooney, and Collins took the name Charlotte Josephine Cooney. Collins got her start as a child performer, and by the age of 17 she had appeared in both

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment, generally combining gender-crossing actors and topical humour with a story more or less based on a well-known fairy tale, fable or ...

and

as a singer and actress. She made her West End debut in a principal role in ''The Antelope'' (1908). On Broadway, she appeared in ''Vera Violetta'' (1911), ''The Merry Countess'' (1912), (and sharing a duet with

Al Jolson Al Jolson (born Asa Yoelson, ; May 26, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-born American singer, comedian, actor, and vaudevillian. Self-billed as "The World's Greatest Entertainer," Jolson was one of the United States' most famous and ...

), ''The Whirl of Society'' (1912), among others. Her revue appearances included the

Ziegfeld Follies The ''Ziegfeld Follies'' were a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934, 1936, 1943, and 1957. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as '' The Ziegfeld Foll ...

(1913), and ''

The Passing Show ''The Passing Show'' was a musical revue in three acts, billed as a "topical extravaganza", with a book and lyrics by Sydney Rosenfeld and music by Ludwig Engländer and various other composers. It featured spoofs of theatrical productions ...

'' (1914). Collins recorded the song ''Just You and I and the Moon'', composed by

Dave Stamper David Stamper (November 10, 1883September 18, 1963) was an American songwriter of the Tin Pan Alley and vaudeville eras, a contributor to twenty-one editions of the Ziegfeld Follies, writer for the Fox Film Corporation, and composer of more than ...

with lyrics by

Gene Buck Edward Eugene Buck (August 7, 1885 – February 24, 1957) was an American illustrator of sheet music, musical theater lyricist, and president of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). Early career Buck was born in De ...

, from the

(1913). She also starred in ''

The Happy Day ''The Happy Day'' is a musical comedy in two acts by Seymour Hicks, with music by Sidney Jones and Paul Rubens, and lyrics by Adrian Ross and Rubens. It was produced by George Edwardes's company (by the estate's executor, Robert Evett) and was ...

'' in London and ''Alone at Last'' on Broadway (both in 1916). Collins played the title role of Teresa, the gypsy bandit maid, in the hit musical ''

'' (1917) to great acclaim, and as a result became known by the nickname of "Maid of the Mountains". The musical ran for 1,352 performances. In that show, she introduced the songs "Love Will Find a Way" and "A Paradise For Two." Collins played throughout the long run of this show and in many revivals over the years. Collins later appeared in ''Our Peg'' (1919), ''

A Southern Maid ''A Southern Maid'' is an operetta in three acts composed by Harold Fraser-Simson, with a book by Dion Clayton Calthrop and Harry Graham and lyrics by Harry Graham (poet), Harry Graham and Harry Miller. Additional music was provided by Ivor No ...

'' (1920), ''Sybil'' (1921), ''

The Last Waltz ''The Last Waltz'' was a concert by the Canadian-American rock group the Band, held on American Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1976, at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. ''The Last Waltz'' was advertised as the Band's "farewell concert a ...

'' (1922), ''Catherine'' (1923), ''

Our Nell ''Our Nell'' is a musical with a book by Louis N. Parker and Reginald Arkell and music by Harold Fraser-Simson and Ivor Novello. It is based on the life of the English actress Nell Gwynn, mistress of Charles II. It was inspired by an earlier musi ...

'' (1924) and ''Frasquita'' (1925). She spent the remainder of her career in revues, variety and non-musical roles, as well as in films. In her film career, she starred as Bessie, the vengeful model, in ''The Light That Failed'', (1916, based on

Rudyard Kipling Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)''The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English journalist, novelist, poet, and short-story writer. He was born in British Raj, British India, which inspired much ...

's poem), and she appeared in ''The Imposter'' (1915), ''A Woman's Honor'' (1916), and ''

The Sword of Damocles Damocles is a character who appears in an ancient Greek anecdote commonly referred to as "the sword of Damocles", an allusion to the imminent and ever-present peril faced by those in positions of power. Damocles was a courtier in the court of Di ...

'' (1920),The Sword of Damocles (1920)
IMDb among others. Her only musical film was '' Facing the Music'' (1933). Jose Collins was married three times: firstly, in 1911, to Leslie Chatfield; secondly in 1920 to Lord Robert Edward Innes-Ker (brother of

Henry John Innes-Ker Henry John Innes-Ker, 8th Duke of Roxburghe (25 July 1876 – 29 September 1932) was a Scottish peer and courtier. Early life Henry John Innes-Ker was born on 25 July 1876. He was the son of James Henry Robert Innes-Ker, 7th Duke of Roxburghe ...

, 8th Duke of Roxburghe); and lastly to Dr Gerald Kirkland. Collins had no children by any of her marriages; her second marriage ended in divorce in 1935. She is commemorated by a

blue plaque A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom, and certain other countries and territories, to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving a ...

at Loughton. When erected, the plaque was on the actual house in which she lived towards the end of her life. This was demolished, and replaced by a block of flats called Collins Court.

Filmography

* ''The Impostor'' (1915) * ''A Woman's Honor'' (1916) * ''

The Light That Failed ''The Light That Failed'' is the first novel by the Nobel Prize-winning English author Rudyard Kipling, first published in ''Lippincott's Monthly Magazine'' in January 1891. Most of the novel is set in London, but many important events through ...

'' (1916) * ''

Victory and Peace ''Victory and Peace'' is a 1918 British silent war film directed by Herbert Brenon and starring Matheson Lang, Marie Lohr, and James Carew. The film was produced by the National War Aims Committee that was set up in 1917 to focus on domestic ...

'' (1918) * '' Nobody's Child'' (1919) * ''

'' (1920) * ''The Velvet Woman'' (1923)*short * ''The Last Stake'' (1923)*short * ''The Courage of Despair'' (1923)*short * ''The Battle of Love'' (1923)*short * ''The Shadow of Death'' (1923)*short * ''Secret Mission'' (1923)*short * '' Facing the Music'' (1933)

References

Sources

*Collins, José. ''The Maid of the Mountains: Her Story. The reminiscences of José Collins''. With 60 Illustrations. (1932, Hutchinson) *Gammond, Peter. ''Oxford Companion to Popular Music'' (1993, Oxford University Press) *Larkin, Colin Ed. ''Guinness Who's Who of Stage Musicals''

External links

* * *
Profile of Collins portrait gallery
City Museum of New York)
Jose Collins portraits
archived) {{DEFAULTSORT:Collins, Jose 1887 births 1958 deaths English child actresses English silent film actresses English people of Irish descent British music hall performers Actors from Loughton Actresses from London 20th-century English actresses 20th-century English singers 20th-century English women singers Actresses from Essex