Emily Bancker

Emily Bancker (died June 4, 1897) was an actress in theater from New York City who was active in the late 19th century. She made her first appearance on stage at the age of fifteen ina melodrama entitled "The Pavements of Paris". Her rise as an entertainer in comedy stage was meteoric. ["Announcements", Lincoln, Nebraska Evening News, January 16, 1897, pg. 5.]

Acting career

Her second performance as an actress was in the company of Sol Smith Russell, which she remained with for a single season. She left the troupe following their production of "Voyage en Suisse". She met her future husband, Thomas W. Ryley, while acting in this play. She acted with Rosina Vokes in "slender roles" ["Theatres", New York Times, March 28, 1897, pg. 23.] forseveral seasons before joining Charles Frohman's comedy company. With this group she played one of the widows in the Bisson-Carre-Gillette farce, "Mr. Wilkinson's Widows" (1891). Bancker was paired with George Drew Barrymore who played a bigamist who was married to two different women in two cities at the same moment. Her character was married previously some years before according to the story. A reviewer for the New York Times commented on how young Bancker looked. ["Amusements", New York Times, August 28, 1891, pg. 4.] Afterward she performed roles in such plays as "The Junior Partner", "His Wedding Day", and "Gloriana".

Her final appearance in New York City came in a farce entitled "Our Flat", staged at the Murray Hill Theatre on April 3, 1897."Emily Bancker", New York Times, June 5, 1897, pg. 7.] A few days later she was in Syracuse, New York in "A Divorce Cure" by Victorien Sardou. The entertainment was produced at the Bastable Theatre. ["Amusements", Syracuse Daily Standard, April 6, 1897, pg. 7.]

Death

Bancker died following a brief illness in 1897. She was visiting an aunt in Albany, New York with Ryley, when she became ill.

References

External links

* [http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchresult.cfm?parent_id=141337&word= Emily Bancker] photos at New York Public Library Digital Gallery