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Edison Phonograph Monthly, Nov., 1911 9
HENRY SANTREY
CHARLES R. HARCRFAVES
The big event in her theatrical career was her first appearance at Tony Pastor's little theatre in East Fourteenth Street, where the polite, advanced vaudeville of the present day had its real beginnings.
An "old timer" who went to the Fifth Avenue Theatre, May 15, 1911, sent to Miss Gilson a programme of that initial performance at Pastor's, December 16, 1889, and she treasures it as one of her most precious possessions.
It was Lottie Gilson who first invited an audience to join in the choruses of the songs she was interpreting, and "Little Annie Rooney" was the first song popularized in this manner. Her phrases — "Now, all together, boys," "if you can't sing it, whistle it," etc., were soon borrowed by other singers, but her methods were uncopiable.
During the early part of 1890 Miss Gilson introduced in New York City, W. C. Robey's "Mary and John," which Minnie Cunningham brought over from England.
Alan Dale, then dramatic critic of the New York Evening World, was one of the many thousands who heard her sing "Mary and John" at Pastor's, and he straightway christened her "The Little Magnet."
Between 1890 and 1900 Miss Gilson, in addition to her special engagement at Pastor's, was a conspicuously popular figure in various traveling vaudeville, farce comedy, and burlesque organizations, among them Weber and Fields'
Company, with whom she was a head-line feature for five seasons. She blazed a trail of fame for herself throughout the United States, and became known as the acknowledged leading serio-comic singer of the day as well as a premiere stage and box office attraction. At the close of three seasons during this decade she made successful visits to England and the Continent.
After an absence of over a year, she returned to win new American triumphs, bringing with her a German version of "Elsie and Chelsea," and a dozen or more trunks rich with the spoils of Parisian dressmaking shops.
In 1901, 1902, 1903 and 1904, Miss Gilson and J. K. Emmet, Jr., toured in "The Outpost," "Jane," and other plays. They revived three of the comedies which made a fortune for the latter's father: "Fritz in a Madhouse," "Fritz in Ireland," and "Fritz in Love."
A few years ago, Miss Gilson fell a victim to nervous prostration, and had to give up stage work. To-day, one could hardly believe that she ever had so much as a headache, for she seems as charming and magnetic as in the old Tony Pastor days. Only a few singers reach the topmost round of the vaudeville ladder, a high one to reach. "The Little Magnet" reached it long ago, and still holds it.
Harger and Blish, Edison Jobbers at Des Moines, Iowa, have bought the jobbing interests of the Early Music House, Fort Dodge and Sioux City, Iowa, and will continue a complete jobbing branch at the latter point.