Description: American actress Ruth Gillette (1906-1994) inscribed and signed this photo of herself in costume, bedecked with a jeweled gown and a powdered wig. She inscribed the photo to Evan Southwell, the stage name of fellow actress Mildred Ritter, and wrote: “I shall miss you much! Oodles of Success Sincerely Ruth Gillette Passing Show 1926”. The Passing Show was a musical revue in three acts designed to compete with the popular Ziegfeld Follies and featured spoofs of the past season’s theatrical productions. Gillette was a part of the 1924 and 1926 Passing Shows.

 

Gillette debuted on Broadway in The Passing Show of 1924 and went on to act in numerous plays and films, notably The Great Ziegfeld (1936), The Gentleman from Louisiana (1936), In Old Chicago (1938),and Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1938).

 

Photographer’s imprint of James Hargis Connelly, a photographer who specialized in Broadway photographs. Deckle edge photo paper measures: 13 ¼” x 10 ¼”. Item #A01039.

 

Condition: Perimeter silvering, a few spots, small edge tears at upper left and bottom right corners, otherwise in good condition with a large, bold signature.