Posted 6 years ago
PostCardCo…
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GERTRUDE HOFFMAN...IN HER ART NOUVEAU COSTUME 1912 SHOW ." BROADWAY TO PARIS" OH1 TO HAVE BEEN THERE!!
No one embodied the restless ambitions of American stage dancing during the first decades of the 20th century like Gertrude Hoffmann. Emerging from the vaudeville song and dance tradition, she developed a love of engaging with her audiences. Her interest in characterization by gesture as well as voice ( attracted Florenz Ziegfeld's attention as an impersonator), Totally immersed in an appreciation of physical comedy, and an ambition to push the limits of what might be expressed her act was always a show-stopper.
THIS IS AN ORIGINAL IN MY COLLECTION, LARGE FORMAT AND HAS HAD SOME EDGE TEARS REPAIRED WITH ARCHIVAL TAPE
FROM THE INSIDE. I BRIGHTENED THE COVER JUST A BIT SO YOU CAN READ THE SONGS CONNECTED WITH THE SHOW.
The MOULIN ROUGE (Paris) was one part of the play list/set and
I'll bet this dress is what she wore in that act. She was a great dancer and maybe did the "Can-Can" in it!
WOW! This is gorgeous!
Thanks betweenthelens. .. I have wanted this for years, so when one came up even with flaws, I decided I wanted it regardless. That dress and that set. makes me so wish I could have seen the show. She wasn't beautiful, but everyhing else was. I notice she even "painted" her lower legs , ankles!! It tickles me that I now have it!!
GOODNESS! New info comes to light!Gertrude helped to make Salome a popular role in the early 1900's. She stated in an Article that she patterned Salome after Maude Allen's (2/26/1909 - Cass City Chronicle.) However, there was quite a stir with her "Vision of Salome costume at many theatre houses. In Kansas City, her show was stopped due to her indecent dancing and costume, or almost lack therof, one Jackson county judge is qouted as saying "Obnoxious to public morals" and "replete with immoral suggestions and ought not to be tolerated in a Christian community."
I wonder what she was wearing??
Congratulations on your acquisition! I'm fascinated by the information you've imparted about this actress. Look up Gertrude Hoffmann as Salome and you'll see what the scandal was about (or not). Unbelievable what passed as scandalous back then.
Annette Kellerman the designer of an early one piece bathing suit...so modest was jailed for wearing it!!
totally delicious a wonderful piece
thanks for sharing lois !!!!!!!!