Allys Dwyer

Allys Dwyer (August 10, 1903 – October 15, 1998)[1] was an American actress who became a college educator.

Early years

Dwyer was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Augustin Dwyer of New York. Her father was vice-president of the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company. She graduated cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree from the College of New Rochelle.[2] She also acted in a student production while she was there.[3]

Career

Acting

Dwyer debuted as a professional actress in the play The Fool, performing with a touring company, after which she joined the Henry Jewett Players in Boston.[2] In 1925, she performed with the Dowling and Anhalt troupe.[4] In 1926, she acted with the Fulton Players in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.[5] In August 1929, she became the leading actress with the Bainbridge Players[6] at the Shubert Theater in Minneapolis.[7] Her work there included portraying Nina in a production of Eugene O'Neill's Strange Interlude.[8] Her tenure with the Bainbridge Players ended in December 1929,[9] when she left to work in motion pictures under a contract with Fox Film Corporation.[6]

On Broadway, Dwyer appeared in The Five O'Clock Girl (1927), A Regular Guy (1931), and Hot Money (1931).[10]

Academics

By 1936, Dwyer (going by her married name, Allys Dwyer Vergara) had become a lecturer in speech at the College of New Rochelle.[11] By 1939, she had become an associate professor of speech.[12] She also continued her own education at Columbia Teachers College, where in 1946 she wrote the dissertation A Critical Study of a Group of College Women's Responses to Poetry.[13]

Personal life

Dwyer was married to George Vergara, a former professional football player who later owned an insurance agency in New Rochelle, New York, and was mayor there from 1956 to 1960.[14]

Recognition

The College of New Rochelle established the Allys Dwyer Vergara Award to recognize students for excellence in speech.[15]

References
  1. "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VS6V-DPX : 7 January 2021), Allys Vergara, 15 Oct 1998; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
  2. "Society deb gets 'wild stage' idea; wealthy parents proud". The Pittsburgh Press. N. E. A. Service. November 17, 1927. p. 2. Retrieved October 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Students present plays at Fordham to-night". The Standard Union. New York, Brooklyn. August 12, 1921. p. 5. Retrieved October 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Allys Dwyer Coming In 'Man Among Women'". The Daily Record. New Jersey, Long Branch. July 16, 1925. p. 4. Retrieved October 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Boy officials visit theatre". Lancaster New Era. Pennsylvania, Lancaster. May 5, 1926. p. 5. Retrieved October 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Leading Woman at Shubert Will Enter 'Talkies'". The Minneapolis Star. December 19, 1929. p. 1. Retrieved October 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Allys Dwyer Sees Spoken Drama Driving On To a New and Greater Goal". The Minneapolis Star. October 5, 1929. p. 36. Retrieved October 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Two Divide Nina Role at Shubert". The Minneapolis Star. October 19, 1929. p. 34. Retrieved October 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Drama: Shubert". The Minneapolis Star. December 23, 1929. p. 12. Retrieved October 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Allys Dwyer". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on October 17, 2020. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  11. Annales. College of New Rochelle. 1936. p. 29. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  12. "To Lecture at New Rochelle". The New York Times. February 5, 1939. p. D 8. ProQuest 102757948. Retrieved October 18, 2020 – via ProQuest.
  13. Rubin, Joan Shelley (30 June 2009). Songs of Ourselves: The Uses of Poetry in America. Harvard University Press. pp. 162–163. ISBN 978-0-674-04296-4. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  14. Herman, Robin (August 17, 1982). "George Vergara, Ex-Mayor of New Rochelle". The New York Times. p. B 4. ProQuest 122031761. Retrieved October 18, 2020 – via ProQuest.
  15. "175 are graduated at New Rochelle". The New York Times. June 9, 1959. p. 40. ProQuest 114828527. Retrieved October 18, 2020 – via ProQuest.
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