Digby Bell

Digby Bell
Background information
Birth name	Digby Valentine Bell
Born	August 11, 1849(1849-08-11)
Died	June 20, 1917(1917-06-20) (aged 67)
Genres	vaudeville, Broadway

Digby Bell (born Digby Valentine Bell) (November 8, 1849 - June 20, 1917) was a popular vaudeville entertainer and Broadway performer at the beginning of the 20th century.

Early life

Bell was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on November 8, 1849.^[1]

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 comic operas and with the McCaull Comic Opera Company. His first starring role was in the musical Jupiter in 1892. He appeared many times with Lillian Russell in shows such as Princess Nicotine and The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein. He introduced the song '"The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo".

Bell gave a concert a Chickering Hall in New York City on April 26, 1878 that was favorably reviewed by the New York Times.^[2]

Much of Bell's later career was in nonmuscial plays or vaudeville.

Notable stage appearances

Broadway appearances^[3]

• The Begum, Sep 21, 1887 - Dec 10, 1887, role - Myhnt-Jhuleep
• The Hoosier Doctor, Apr 18, 1898 - [unknown], 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, Apr 19, 1915 - May 8, 1915, role - Chorus
• The Sorcerer, May 24, 1915 - Jun 5, 1915, role - Dr. Daly

Film appearances

^[4]

• Father and the Boys (1915)
• The Education of Mr. Pipp (1914)

Partial discography

1909^[5]

• 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 Egg

Personal life

Bell was married twice. His first wife, Lillian Dunton, died in 1902. His second wife, Laura Joyce Bell (née Hannah Joyce Maskell), was a popular contralto‐character actress on the musical stage.^[1][6]

Bell was a fervent golfer and New York Giant baseball fan, as was his best friend and frequent co-star DeWolf Hopper.^[1]

Death

Bell died on June 20, 1917, in New York City.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068152/bio
2. ^ http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9504E7DA113AE63BBC4F51DFB2668383669FDE
3. ^ http://www.ibdb.com/person.php?id=31549
4. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0932694/
5. ^ http://victor.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/talent/detail/46105/Bell_Digby_speaker
6. ^ http://www.answers.com/topic/digby-bell

External links

• Digby Bell in a recording of The Blind Boy in the gallery 1909

Persondata
Name	Bell, Digby
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	August 11, 1849
Place of birth
Date of death	June 20, 1917
Place of death