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Digby Bell (born Digby Valentine Bell; November 8, 1849 – June 20, 1917) was a popular
Bell studied in Europe to become a concert singer, and became famous for his roles in comic musical productions, such as
Bell was married at least twice. His first wife, Lillian Brooks, divorced him in March 1883. He married his second wife, Laura Joyce Bell (née Hannah Joyce Maskell), a day or so after his divorce from Brooks was finalized. Laura Joyce Bell died in New York in 1904.
Bell was a fervent golfer and New York Giants baseball fan, as was his best friend and frequent co-star
Digby Bell in a recording of ''The Blind Boy in the gallery'' 1909'The Bright Stars of Yesterday-Digby Bell'
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bell, Digby 1849 births 1917 deaths 19th-century American male singers 19th-century American singers 19th-century American male actors American male stage actors Male actors from Milwaukee American vaudeville performers 20th-century American male actors Burials at Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx, New York) 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American singers Members of The Lambs Club
vaudeville
Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...
entertainer and Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...
performer at the beginning of the 20th century.
Early life
Bell was born inMilwaukee
Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
on November 8, 1849.
Performing career
Bell studied in Europe to become a concert singer, and became famous for his roles in comic musical productions, such as Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900) and to the works they jointly created. The two men collaborated on fourteen com ...
comic operas and with the McCaull Comic Opera Company
The McCaull Comic Opera Company, also called the McCaull Opera Comique Company, was an American theatral production company founded by Colonel John A. McCaull in 1880. The company produced operetta, comic opera and musical theatre in New York City ...
. His first starring role was in the musical ''Jupiter'' in 1892. He appeared many times with Lillian Russell
Lillian Russell (born Helen Louise Leonard; December 4, 1860 or 1861 – June 6, 1922) was an American actress and singer. She became one of the most famous actresses and singers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, praised for her beaut ...
in shows such as ''Princess Nicotine'', ''The Queen of Brilliants
''The Queen of Brilliants'' is a comic opera in three acts with music by Edward Jakobowski and a libretto by Brandon Thomas. It was adapted from Jakobowski's German-language operetta ''Die Brillantett-Königin'', with a libretto by Theodore Tawbe ...
'' and ''The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein
''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' ...
''. He introduced the song '" The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo".
Bell gave a concert at Chickering Hall in New York City on April 26, 1878, that was favorably reviewed by the ''New York Times''.
Much of Bell's later career was in nonmusical plays or vaudeville.
Notable stage appearances
Broadway appearances * ''The Begum'', Sep 21, 1887 - Dec 10, 1887, role - Myhnt-Jhuleep * ''The Hoosier Doctor'', Apr 18, 1898 - nknown role - Dr. Willow * ''Mr. Pickwick'', Jan 19, 1903 - May 1903, role - Sam Weller * ''The Education of Mr. Pipp'', Feb 20, 1905 - Apr 1905, role - J. Wesley Pipp * ''An International Marriage'', Jan 4, 1909 - Jan 1909 * ''The Debtors'', Oct 12, 1909 - Oct 1909, role - William Dorritt * ''The Yeomen of the Guard
''The Yeomen of the Guard; or, The Merryman and His Maid'', is a Savoy Opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre on 3 October 1888 and ran for 423 performances. This was the eleventh ...
'', Apr 19, 1915 - May 8, 1915, role - Chorus
* ''The Sorcerer'', May 24, 1915 - Jun 5, 1915, role - Dr. Daly
Film appearances
* '' The Education of Mr. Pipp'' (1914) * ''Father and the Boys
''Father and the Boys'' is a 1915 American silent comedy film directed by Joe De Grasse, written by Ida May Park, and co-starring Lon Chaney and Digby Bell. It is based on a popular 1908 Broadway play produced by Charles Frohman, called ''F ...
'' (1915)
Partial discography
1909 * The Tough Boy on the Right Field Fence * The Blind Boy in the Gallery * The Man Who Fanned Casey (A reply to 'Casey at the Bat'.) * Experiences of a Commuter * Day and Knight * A Discontented EggPersonal life
Bell was married at least twice. His first wife, Lillian Brooks, divorced him in March 1883. He married his second wife, Laura Joyce Bell (née Hannah Joyce Maskell), a day or so after his divorce from Brooks was finalized. Laura Joyce Bell died in New York in 1904.
Bell was a fervent golfer and New York Giants baseball fan, as was his best friend and frequent co-star DeWolf Hopper
William DeWolf Hopper (March 30, 1858September 23, 1935) was an American actor, singer, comedian, and theatrical producer. A star of vaudeville and musical theater, he became best known for performing the popular baseball poem "Casey at the Bat" ...
.
Death
Bell died on June 20, 1917, in New York City.Filmography
*'' The Education of Mr. Pipp'' (1914) *''Father and the Boys
''Father and the Boys'' is a 1915 American silent comedy film directed by Joe De Grasse, written by Ida May Park, and co-starring Lon Chaney and Digby Bell. It is based on a popular 1908 Broadway play produced by Charles Frohman, called ''F ...
'' (1915)
References
External links
*Digby Bell in a recording of ''The Blind Boy in the gallery'' 1909
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bell, Digby 1849 births 1917 deaths 19th-century American male singers 19th-century American singers 19th-century American male actors American male stage actors Male actors from Milwaukee American vaudeville performers 20th-century American male actors Burials at Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx, New York) 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American singers Members of The Lambs Club