Annie Pixley (née Annie Shea, c.1848 – November 8, 1893) was an American stage actress. Pixley was born in Brooklyn, and moved with her family to San Francisco. After her father died, her mother married a California rancher, and Annie took his last name, Pixley. She made her debut performing

comic opera Comic opera, sometimes known as light opera, is a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending and often including spoken dialogue. Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a ne ...

and was well known for her work on stage. She went to Australia in 1876 and performed in comic opera there. Pixley's work in the United States included portraying the widow in ''The Danites'' and Gretchen in ''Rip Van Winkle''. On Broadway, Pixley produced, and portrayed Ruth Homewebb, in ''The Deacon's Daughter'' (1887). Pixley was married to Robert Fulford. Their 12-year-old son, Tommy, died in 1886, after which Pixley "lost her ebullience and her nimble grace". She died November 8, 1893, of

brain fever Brain fever (or cerebral fever) is an outdated medical term that was used as a synonym for phrensy, beginning in early 19th century medical literature. Supposedly the brain becomes inflamed and causes a variety of symptoms, most notably mental co ...

in London, England while visiting family. Her ashes and those of her husband and son are in a mausoleum in the Woodland cemetery in London, Ontario, Canada.

References

External links

*
Annie Pixley; ''North American Theatre Online''
AlexanderStreet.com) *portraits
one

two

three
North American Theatre Online)
Annie Pixley
wonderful girlish portrait of Annie Pixley by B. F. Falk(archived) 1840s births 1893 deaths 19th-century American actresses American stage actresses Actresses from California Actresses from Brooklyn {{US-theat-actor-1840s-stub