Anna Wheaton

Anna Meeker Wheaton (November 26, 1894 – December 25, 1961) was an American musical theatre actress and singer of the early 20th century.

Anna Wheaton
Cover of published sheet music to "The Bacchanal Rag" by Louis A. Hirsch, 1912
Born
Anna Meeker Wheaton

(1894-11-26)November 26, 1894[1]
Savannah, Georgia, United States[1]
DiedDecember 25, 1961(1961-12-25) (aged 67)[2]
Pasadena, California, United States[3]
Occupationactor
Years active1900s–1920s

Biography

Wheaton was born on November 26, 1894 (some sources indicate 1893[4] or 1896[3]), in Savannah, Georgia.[1][5] As a young child, the family moved to Washington, D.C.[4] While still a youngster, she made her Broadway debut in the American premiere of Peter Pan starring Maude Adams in 1905.[3]

She is perhaps best known for her role as Jackie Simpson in the original production of Oh, Boy! in 1917. The hit musical featured the music of Jerome Kern with lyrics by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse. In the show, she performed "Till the Clouds Roll By" with Tom Powers. She subsequently recorded the song on Columbia Records with James Harrod, where it climbed to the top of the American music charts for six weeks.[6]

Earlier that year, she had a solo hit with "M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I" from the revue, Hitchy-Koo. The song reached number two on the popular music charts.[6]

Personal

Wheaton married Walter Thomas Collins in New York City on June 18, 1919.[7] The couple had one child, Walter Kendall Collins (1921–1996).

Death

She died from a cerebral hemorrhage on December 25, 1961, in a Pasadena, California hospital.[2][3]

Theatre credits
Tom Powers, Anna Wheaton and Hal Forde in Oh, Boy!
Year Production Theatre(s) Role
1921 Ziegfeld 9 O'Clock Frolic[8] Danse de Follies
1920 Three Showers[9] Harris Theatre / Plymouth Theatre Roberta Lee "Bob" White
1917 Oh, Boy![10] Princess Theatre / Casino Theatre Jackie Simpson
1914 Miss Daisy[11] Shubert Theatre / Lyric Theatre Elsie Swigget
1913 When Dreams Come True[12][13] Lyric Theatre / 44th Street Theatre Margaret Smith
Iolanthe[14][15] Casino Theatre Celia
The Mikado[16] Casino Theatre Pitti-Sing
The Beggar Student[17][18] Casino Theatre Bronislava
1912 The Passing Show of 1912[19][20] Winter Garden Theatre The Quaker Girl
1910 Madame Troubadour[21] Lyric Theatre / Nazimova's 39th Street Theatre Georgette
Up and Down Broadway[22] Casino Theatre Miss Frite
1909 The Rose of Algeria[23] Herald Square Theatre / West End Theatre Mrs. Billings F. Cooings
1906 Cape Cod Folks[24][25] Academy of Music Sophronia
1905 Peter Pan[26] Empire Theatre Liza

Selected discography
Year Single Label and number US Chart[6]
1917 "M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I" Columbia 2224 2
"Till the Clouds Roll By" (w/ James Harrod) / "Drip, Drip, Drip, Went the Waterfall"[27] Columbia 2261 1
"Help, Help, I'm Sinking"[28] Columbia 2295 -
"There's a Million Reasons Why I Shouldn't Kiss You" (w/ Sam Ash)[28] Columbia 2303 -
"How Can Any Girlie Be a Good Little Girl (When She Loves a Naughty Little Boy?)[28] Columbia 2334 -
"I Don't Want to be Loved a Little by a Lot of Little Boys (But by One Little Boy a Lot)" (from the musical, His Little Widows)/"I'd Love to be a Monkey in the Zoo"[27][28] Columbia 2384 -

References
  1. "National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; NARA Series: Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 – March 31, 1925; Roll #: 241; Volume #: Roll 0241 – Certificates: 54058-54900, 01 Apr 1915-14 Apr 1915". United States: The Generations Network. 2007. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  2. "California, Death Index, 1940–1997 [database on-line]". United States: The Generations Network. 2000. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  3. Theatre World. New York: Crown. 1962. p. 244.
  4. "Twelfth Census of the United States (1900) [database on-line], Washington, District of Columbia, Enumeration District: 76, Page: 6A, Line: 17, household of Georgie E. Stewart". United States: The Generations Network. June 7, 1900. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  5. Dickinson, Justus (January 1915). "Anna Wheaton Interviews Mr. Dickinson". The Green Book Magazine. Chicago: Story-Press Corporation. XIII (1): 279–283. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  6. Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890–1954: The History of American Popular Music. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research, Inc. 1991. p. 446.
  7. "New York City, Extracted Marriage Index, 1866–1937 [database on-line]". United States: The Generations Network. 2014. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  8. "Ziegfeld 9 O'clock Frolic". New York City: Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  9. "Three Showers". New York City: Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  10. "Oh, Boy!". New York City: Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  11. "Miss Daisy". New York City: Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  12. "When Dreams Come True". New York City: Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  13. Hines, Dixie; Hanaford, Harry Prescott, eds. (1914). "Who's Who in Music and Drama". New York: H. P. Hanaford: 481. Retrieved January 25, 2018. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  14. "Iolanthe". New York City: Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  15. Hines, Dixie; Hanaford, Harry Prescott, eds. (1914). "Who's Who in Music and Drama". New York: H. P. Hanaford: 478. Retrieved January 25, 2018. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  16. "The Mikado". New York City: Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  17. "Beggar Student". New York City: Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  18. Hines, Dixie; Hanaford, Harry Prescott, eds. (1914). "Who's Who in Music and Drama". New York: H. P. Hanaford: 473–474. Retrieved January 25, 2018. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  19. "The Passing Show of 1912". New York City: Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  20. Hines, Dixie; Hanaford, Harry Prescott, eds. (1914). "Who's Who in Music and Drama". New York: H. P. Hanaford: 440–441. Retrieved January 25, 2018. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  21. "Madame Troubadour". New York City: Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  22. "Up and Down Broadway". New York City: Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  23. "The Rose of Algeria". New York City: Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  24. "Cape Cod Folks". New York City: Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  25. "The Players". Everybody's Magazine. North American Company. XV (5): 681. November 1906. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  26. "Peter Pan". New York City: Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  27. "Anna Wheaton Discography". Discogs. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  28. Brooks, Tim; Rust, Brian. "The Columbia Master Book Discography: Principal U.S. matrix series, 1910–1924". Retrieved January 25, 2018.
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