Emily Stevens (actor)

Emily Stevens (1883–January 3, 1928) was a theatrical performer in Broadway plays in the first three decades of the 20th century.

Family lineage

Stevens was born in New York City, the daughter of Robert E. Stevens. She was from a theatrical family. She was educated at theInstitute of the Holy Angels in Fort Lee, New Jersey and St. Mary's Hall-Doane Academy in Burlington, New Jersey.

She was a cousin of Minnie Maddern Fiske. Stevens bore a strong physical resemblance to Mrs. Fiske. This likeness was accentuatedby her style of acting. Stevens' mother, Emma Maddern, was a sister of Mrs. Fiske's mother.

Theater actress

She made her theatrical debut as a "maid" in "Becky Sharp" in Bridgeport, Connecticut on October 8, 1900. Stevens was in the cast of "Miranda of the Balcony" produced by the Manhattan Theatre, Broadway (Manhattan) and 33rd Street, New York City, in September 1901. The drama was the first presentation at the venue under the management of Harrison Grey Fiske. Stevenshad the part of "Lady Ethel Mickleham". As "Miranda Warriner", Mrs. Fiske was praised for her interpretation of theprincipal character. In November the company of Mrs. Fiske staged "The Unwelcome Mrs. Hatch" at the Manhattan Theatre. The authorof the play is either Constance Cary Harrison or David Belasco. The theme of the work has to do with a woman who becomes a social outcast because of marital problems. Stevens plays the role of "Gladys Lorimer".

In May 1902 Mrs. Fiske put on a revival of Tess of the D'Urbervilles at the Manhattan Theatre. Stevens was among the players ina recreation of this production of Mrs. Fiske first staged in 1897. She became a permanent member of the company of Mrs. Fiske in 1904, followingthree seasons on stage. She acted the role of "Miriam" in "Mary of Magdala" in 1904.

The Manhattan Theatre presented "Becky Sharp" in September 1904. Based on Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackery, the comedy in four acts, was written by Langdon Mitchell. Mrs. Fiske and the Manhattan Company brought it before audiences with Stevens and George Arliss as cast principals.

A revival of "Hedda Gabler" was staged in November 1904 with Mrs. Fiske in the title role and Stevens as "Berta". The Henrik Ibsen work played for one week in 1903 with near capacity attendance for each performance. "Leah Kleschna" was written especially for Mrs. Fiske by C.M.S. McClellan (Hugh Morton). The Manhattan Theatre presented the play about the daughter of a thief in December1904. The production marked the first original role Fiske had depicted in two years. Stevens, Arliss, John Mason, and Marie Fedor were among the players.

Stevens remained with the Fiske company for eight years. "The Eyes of the World" is another production she participated in withher cousin's acting troupe. She played minor roles with Arliss and Bertha Kalich before her first true New York success. This was in "Septimus" (1909) at the Halleck Theatre, which became Walleck's Theatre. Her achievement was followed by a performance as leading lady in "The Boss" for Holbrook Blinn.

Stevens depicted the character of "Mary Turner" in "Within The Law" in Chicago, Illinois, in 1912. This was several months before Jane Cowl made the character famous with a run of the play in New York. After "Within The Law" Stevens' noteworthy roles came in productions of "Today", "The Garden of Paradise", "The Unchastened Woman" (1915 "-" 1916, and the title role in "Hedda Gabler" (1926).

She received very positive reviews for her acting in"The Fugitive" (1916) by John Galsworthy. After the Galsworthy tragedy of the "hunted woman" was performed in London, England, there had been speculation regarding an Americanactress playing the same role.

The Times wrote that "last night's performance only deepened a conviction that the first choice could be Emily Stevens. She plays with a power, a penetration, and an unerring precision that are an unfailing delight. Her performance is one of the finest achievements of the season."

She scored a marked success in March 1924 with "Fata Morgana", a Theatre Guild production, presented at the Garrick Theatre. Stevens' final role was that of the "widow" in a Theatre Guild production of "The Second Man". She succeeded Lynn Fontanne in this part in July 1927. Stevens played the character until the production closed in October.

Death

Emily Stevens died in her apartment at 50 West 67th Street, New York City, in 1928. She was 45 and unmarried. She was survived by abrother, Robert, who was a stage director in Rochester, New York. Stevens was to have begun rehearsals for a revival of "Diplomacy", by Victorien Sardou, in the near future. George C. Tyler was play's producer.

A medical examiner, Dr. Charles Norris, said he found indications that Stevens had taken an overdose of a drug. Dr. Milton J. Wilson believed that Stevens had taken a sedative which did not contain an opiate. Wilson was called to Stevens' apartment the day before her death after she wasfound in a coma. He contended that pneumonia was the cause of the actress' death. Pneumonia developed after she lapsed intoa coma.

Stevens was under the care of a neurologist for a year before she died. She had been treated for a nervous breakdown. Wilson attended Stevens over the Christmas and New Year's holidaysin the absence of her neurologist. He found Stevens in a "highly nervous state" about a week before her demise. Wilson administereda hypodermic injection to which Stevens responded successfully.

An autopsy revealed the official cause of death to be "congestion of the viscera", which may have occurred from pneumonia thatdeveloped suddenly.

Stevens' funeral was conducted from her apartment. She was given an
Episcopal service after which her body was taken to New Jersey for cremation.

References

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