Ida Conquest

Ida Conquest (1876 "-" July 12, 1937) was a leading lady of Broadway in the late 19th century and early 20th century.

Appearance & family

Conquest was blonde, with big blue eyes, and a creamy complexion. Her height was medium. She was from Boston, Massachusetts. Her parents were Alfred John and Eliza Curpless Moriner of Centre Street in Brookline, Massachusetts. Her heritage was English.

Theater actress

Conquest's enthusiasm for theater dated from her childhood when she was in a production of "Pinafore" at the Boston Museum. She began at the bottom of the ladder and according to a writer in 1900 "her advancement was thoroughly legitimate, meaning good hard work with every rung." The same reporter noted her charm, intelligence, and fine education.

She was the leading woman for John Drew, Richard Mansfield, and William Gillette. Conquest appeared in many roles in
New York City and London, England before retiring from thestage in 1911.

She made her stage debut at Miner's Theater on Fifth Avenue (Manhattan) on January 25, 1893. She played the role of "First Girl Friend" in "The Harvest". In 1894 she actedin support of Olga Nethersole in "The Transgressor" at Palmer's Theater, 485 Broadway near Broome Street. Conquest also worked with Nethersole in Camille, portraying "Nanine".

She traveled to London's Garrick Theatre in 1898 with Gillette, in "Too Much Johnson". At the Empire Theatre in New York City Conquest was successful in "The Second In Command" (1901) with Drew. Together with Drew she starred in "Richard Carvel", a play based on a best-selling novel written by Winston Churchill. Drew and Conquest again teamed to make "The Tyranny of Tears". Conquest succeeded Isabel Irving as the leading lady of the John Drew Company.

She played numerous parts at the Empire Theatre. She depicted characters in "Under The Red Robe", "Bohemia", "A Man And His Wife", and "The Conquerors". In 1895 Conquest became leading lady of the Empire Theatre Company of Charles Frohman.

Conquest became associated with the English actor Mansfield at the New Amsterdam Theatre in 1904. In "Ivan the Terrible" she acted the character of the "Empress". Paired with Mansfield she appeared in "Old Heidelberg", "Beau Brummel", "A Parisian Romance" and "Beaucaire". According to friends of Conquest, theactor never demonstrated his characteristic irascibility while working with her.

Additional theatrical productions in which Conquest participated are"The Girl With The Green Eyes", written by Clyde Fitch, "TheMoney Makers", "Man and Superman", "Little Brother of the Rich","Wolf", and "The Talker".

Her final New York appearance was with
Alla Nazimova in "Little Eyolf" (1910). Written by Henrik Ibsen,the play was staged at the Nazimova 39th Street Theatre.

Jeweler

Conquest made jewelry as a hobby. To acquire proficiency she spenta number of weeks in the factory of Roman Bronze Works in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. She married the head of the company, Riccardo Bertelli, at Trinity Church, Boston, in October 1911. Bertelli, a graduate of the University of Turin, established himself in New York in the decade before he married Conquest. He was the oldest son of Admiral Luigi Bertelli of
Genoa. Conquest left the stage after she wed Bertelli.

She wore a coronet which she crafted hearself in the role of "Sylvia" in "The Little Brother of the Rich". It was copied from a spray of mistletoe. She designed jewelry while she traveled, using a sketch pad and pencil as she became inspired. Conquest worked with rings, cameos, and lapis lazuli. She became skilled in setting stones and employing California abalone shells to make headpieces.

Death

In 1937 Ida Conquest died at her home, 320 East 72nd Street, Manhattan (New York). She was 61 years old.

Her funeral was conducted from St. James Episcopal Church, Madison Avenue and 71st Street. Her husband was in Europe and did not attend the service. A daughter, Gigiotta Bertelli, was the only member of the immediate family present.

Conquest was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx.

References

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