Mabel Rowland (February 8, 1879 – February 21, 1943) was an American

monologist A monologist (), or interchangeably monologuist (), is a solo artist who recites or gives dramatic readings from a monologue, soliloquy, poetry, or work of literature, for the entertainment of an audience. The term can also refer to a person wh ...

, actress, writer, director, editor, and the founder of the Metropolitan Players in New York City.

Early life

Mabel Laura Levi was born in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, to Abraham D. Levi and Adelina (Lloyd) Levi. Her father was a printer and engraver. Her younger sister was the actress and singer

Adele Rowland Adele Rowland (born Adele P. Levi; July 10, 1883 – August 8, 1971) was an American actress and singer. Biography She was born on July 10, 1883 as Adele P. Levi in Washington, D.C., the youngest daughter of Abraham D. Levi and Addie (Lloyd) ...

Career

Rowland wrote a weekly column, "Mabelle's Letter on Fashion and Frivolity" for '' The Cincinnati Enquirer'' newspaper as a young woman. Rowland was a monologist, who gave short, comic character sketches. She also did publicity, and managed her actress sister's career. In 1916 Rowland organized a wartime fundraiser, a cookbook, with recipes contributed by over 200 actors and actresses. She also edited ''Bert Williams: Son of Laughter'' (1923), a collection of tributes to Bert Williams, a fellow comedian and actor, written by notable performers and others, including

David Belasco David Belasco (July 25, 1853 – May 14, 1931) was an American theatrical producer, impresario, director, and playwright. He was the first writer to adapt the short story ''Madame Butterfly'' for the stage. He launched the theatrical career of m ...

Eddie Cantor Eddie Cantor (born Isidore Itzkowitz; January 31, 1892 – October 10, 1964) was an American comedian, actor, dancer, singer, songwriter, film producer, screenwriter and author. Familiar to Broadway, radio, movie, and early television audiences ...

W.C. Fields WC or wc may refer to: * Water closet or flush toilet Arts and entertainment * ''W.C.'' (film), an Irish feature film * WC (band), a Polish punk rock band * WC (rapper), a rapper from Los Angeles, California * Westside Connection, former h ...

W. E. B. Du Bois William Edward Burghardt Du Bois ( ; February 23, 1868 – August 27, 1963) was an American-Ghanaian sociologist, socialist, historian, and Pan-Africanist civil rights activist. Born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, Du Bois grew up in ...

, and

Ring Lardner Ringgold Wilmer Lardner (March 6, 1885 – September 25, 1933) was an American sports columnist and short story writer best known for his satirical writings on sports, marriage, and the theatre. His contemporaries Ernest Hemingway, Virginia ...

. In 1925, Rowland was founder and director of the Metropolitan Players in New York City. In 1926, she was founder of the Institute of the Woman's Theatre, to increase and improve professional opportunities for women in theatre. Rowland was a benefactor of the Bide-a-Wee Home for Friendless Animals, and received a medal for her support of the organization.

Personal life

Mabel Levi married three times. Her first husband was John B. Rowland, head of an advertising agency; they married in 1900, and he died from

typhoid fever Typhoid fever, also known as typhoid, is a disease caused by '' Salmonella'' serotype Typhi bacteria. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often there is a gradual onset of a high fever over severa ...

in 1908. Her second husband was Robert Emmet Mason Goolrick, a lieutenant in the United States Army; they married in 1911, and later divorced. Her last husband was a fellow theatre professional, Jay Strong; they separated in 1940. She died on February 21, 1943, aged 64 years, at her sister's home in

Hollywood, California Hollywood is a neighborhood in the Central Los Angeles, central region of Los Angeles, California. Its name has come to be a metonymy, shorthand reference for the Cinema of the United States, U.S. film industry and the people associated with i ...

. Her book ''Bert Williams: Son of Laughter'' was reprinted in 1969.

References

External links

* *
A photograph of Mabel Rowland
in the Billy Rose Theatre Collection,

New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second largest public library in the United States (behind the Library of Congress) ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Rowland, Mabel Monologists American stage actresses 20th-century American actresses Actresses from Philadelphia 1879 births 1943 deaths