Giuseppina Morlacchi

Giuseppina Morlacchi (1846 - July 25, 1886) was an Italian ballerina and dancer, who introduced the can-can to the American stage, and married the scout and actor Texas Jack Omohundro. She was born in Milan, and attended dance school at La Scala. She debuted on the stage in 1856 at Genoa. In short time she became a well-known dancer, touring the continent and England. In Lisbon, she met noted artist and manager John DePol, who persuaded her to go to America.

In October 1867, she made her American debut at "Banvard's Museum" in New York City, performing "The Devil's Auction". She became an immense success, and DePol took the show to Boston. During her rise to fame DePol insured her legs for $100,000 after which newspapers claimed Moriacchi was 'more valuable than Kentucky'. ["Buffalo Gals: Women of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show", Chris Enss, Globe Pequot, 2005 ISBN 0762735651, 9780762735655, p.4]

From 1867 though 1872 Giuseppina traveled the United states dancing in various venues with "Morlacchi Ballet Troupe" which she formed performing before various politicians, dignitaries and the Grand Duke of Russia. [Enss, p.5] On January 6, 1868, the company played at the "Theatre Comique" and premiered a new type of dance, billed as "...Grand Gallop Can-Can, composed and danced by Mlles. Morlacchi, Blasina, Diani, Ricci, Baretta,... accompanied with cymbals and triangles by the coryphees and corps de ballet." The new dance received an enthusiastic reception.

From then, her fame and success increased, and she played a succession of popular performances. On December 16, 1872, she was billed as a feature attraction in Ned Buntline's western drama, "Scouts of the Prairie", with Buffalo Bill Cody and Texas Jack Omohundro. She and Texas Jack fell in love, and were married on August 31, 1873. The couple settled in a country estate in Lowell, Massachusetts and an additional home Leadville, Colorado, though she continued to perform, both with her husband in western dramas, and solo.

Following the death of her husband in 1880 in Leadville, she returned to Lowell and lived quietly with her sister. She died of cancer in 1886, and is buried in Lowell.

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