Lydia Yeamans Titus

Lydia Yeamans Titus (1866? - December 29, 1929) was an Australian singer and actress of the stage and motion pictures. She was the daughter of Mrs. Annie Yeamans. Her mother was a noted stage performer on two continents.

International Star

As a vaudeville attraction in 1900, Titus was made an honorary member of the Buffalo, New York Elks Lodge. She was later made an honorary member of the San Francisco, California lodge.

Titus became a screen performer for Samuel Goldwyn Studio, starring in films with Lillian Gish and Geraldine Farrar. With the latter she made "The World And Its Woman" (1919). The story was about a Russian peasant who rises to fame as an operatic diva. In the movie Titus sang some of the songs she performed for English royalty in the 1890s.

Titus made popular the song "Sally In Our Alley" and performed it for Edward VII. She was presented a gold bar pin by the king with the first notes of the song written in diamonds.

The actress gave life to a variety of characters and was especially skilled in playing "child life" roles. Her imitations were "masterpieces" of the art of mimicry. She captivated audiences with the personality she brought to each theatrical production.

She was married to the pianist Frederick J. Titus.

Death

Lydia Yeamans Titus died in 1929 from a paralytic stroke in 1929. She was given hospital care by the Motion Picture Relief Fund.Her remains were cremated and the ashes were thrown into the waves of the Pacific Ocean.

Question of Age

Though IMDb lists her birth year as 1866, many sources list her birth year as 1833, a very extreme age vary. Guinness Book of World Records stated she was 84 when she made In the Grasp of the Law in 1915 which would give her year of birth as 1830 or 1831, if that is true she would probably be the earliest born film actor.

External links

*imdb name|id=0864559|name=Lydia Yeamans Titus

References

*New York Times, "To Dodge Germs", August 2, 1903, Page 46.
*Oakland Tribune, "Film Players Mourning For Noted Actress", Wednesday Evening, January 1, 1930, Page 29.
*Olean, New York Herald, "Enter Lydia Yeamans Titus", Thursday, June 26, 1919, Page 5.
*Reno Evening Gazette, "Record Attendance At Wigwam Theater", September 14, 1914, Page 2.