Della Fox
| Della Fox | |
|---|---|
Della Fox
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| Born |
Della May Fox October 13, 1870 St. Louis, Missouri |
| Died | June 15, 1913 (age 42) New York City, New York |
| Resting place |
Bellefontaine Cemetery St. Louis, Missouri |
| Occupation | Actress/Singer |
| Spouse(s) | Jacob David Levy (m. 1901) |
Della May Fox (October 13, 1870 - June 15, 1913) was an American singing comedian, whose popularity peaked in the 1890s when the diminutive Fox appeared opposite the very tall DeWolf Hopper in several musicals. She also toured successfully with her own company.
Fox was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the daughter of Andrew J. Fox, a leading St. Louis photographer who had a specialty of theatrical subjects, and Harriett Swett. She made her first appearance on stage at age 7 as the Midshipmate in a St. Louis production of H.M.S. Pinafore and subsequently played children's roles with Marie Prescott's company. In 1880 she appeared as Adrienne in A Celebrated Case and came to the attention of Augustus Thomas and his Dickson Sketch Club.
When Thomas dramatized Frances Hodgson Burnett's story Editha's Burglar, he engaged Fox to play the leading role, her first professional engagement. Thomas had the play expanded from one to a three-act play which gave Fox more prominence. From 1883 through 1885, the play toured the U.S. Midwest and Canada, and Fox was chaperoned by Nellie Page (a leading lady) and tutored by Thomas. Although her parents wanted her to attend boarding school, Fox was determined to become an actress. In the late 1880s, she appeared with Comley Barton and the Bennett and Moulton Opera Company, with which she played soprano roles in operettas such as Fra Diavolo, The Bohemian Girl, The Pirates of Penzance, Billee Taylor and The Mikado.
In February 1889, she appeared for the first time in New York, at Niblo's Garden. Her operetta roles brought her to the attention of Heinrich Conried, who had her play Yvonne, the soubrette part in The King's Fool, singing the song "Fair Columbia". Conried also provided Fox with the only acting lessons she received. When the newly formed DeWolf Opera Company was seeking a supporting cast, George W. Lederer of the New York Casino Theatre suggested Fox. In May 1890, Hopper opened in Gustave Kerker's Castles in the Air, with Fox playing Blanche. Her first big success occurred in 1891 when she played Prince Mataya together with Hopper in his production of Wang, singing "Another Fellow". The show was so popular that Fox and Hopper continued to play in it through 1892. In 1893, Fox re-teamed with Hopper in Panjandrum, followed by The Lady or the Tiger in 1894.
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