Lottie Gilson

Lottie Gilson (1862 – June 10, 1912) was a popular comedian and vaudeville singer of the 1880s and 1890s. She was billed as "The Little Magnet" in recognition of her ability to attract and engage audiences. Due to her popularity, she was much sought-after by Tin Pan Alley publishers to boost sheet music sales. Songs particularly associated with Gilson include "The Sunshine of Paradise Alley", "The Little Lost Child", and "My Mother Was a Lady".

She was born Lydia Deagon in Basel, Switzerland. Details of her early life are unknown including when she first came to the United States and when she made her stage debut. The first record of her performing is in 1884, at the Bowery's Old National Theatre, where she became a regular act. Her success at Old National led eventually to engagements at top New York theaters of the day: Tony Pastor's, Henry Miner's, and Hyde & Behman's. She was soon established as one the top soubrettes of vaudeville. She appeared at Miner's Theatre and Tony Pastor's new 14th Street Theatre in Lower Manhattan and Hyde & Behman's in Brooklyn.

Like many vaudeville stars, Gilson was known not for her singing talent, but for her personality and showmanship. Her rapport with her audience and talent for attracting customers earned her the nickname "The Little Magnet", which became part of her billing. In the beginning, her act was mainly ballads and tear-jerkers; the sentimental ballad "The Sunshine of Paradise Alley" (1895) was especially identified with her. After a few years she expanded into bawdy comical songs, such as "You're Not the Only Pebble on the Beach" (1896). She pioneered methods of engaging the audience that were so widely copied they became cliches. One was the use of a hand-mirror to reflect the spotlight into the audience, shining it on likely male customers and thus making them a part of her act. The practice of cajoling the audience to sing along on the chorus was another of Gilson's trademarks. A staged variation of audience participation involved a teenage boy in the balcony—ostensibly a customer, but really a shill—who is suddenly inspired to sing with or to the performer.Gus Edwards was one such balcony-singer who contributed to Gilson's act.

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