Mystery Friday Foto #16 Solved: Broadway Actress Elsie Janis Was This Past Weekend’s Mystery Woman
Did you identify Elsie Janis and her connections?
Identify;
- The woman and her profession
Vaudeville and Broadway stage actress Elsie Janis
- How is she linked to the Vanderbilt Cup Races?
By 1906 the Vanderbilt Cup was firmly woven into the fabric of popular culture of the day. A three act musical comedy Broadway play entitled, “The Vanderbilt Cup,” starring a 17 year old sensation, Elsie Janis, cashed in on the public’s new found fascination with big time auto racing.
The play ran for 143 performances at the Broadway Theatre starting January 16, 1906 through June 1, 1906. The production then toured the country for several weeks, playing in other major metropolitan areas. It returned to Broadway in 1907 for an additional 48 performances split between the New York Theatre and the Grand Opera House. This second series of performances ran from January 7, 1907 through April of the same year.
The show featured appearances by track racer Barney Oldfield who developed special effects to simulate the race on stage using a treadmill.
- Which race car drivers is she linked to?
See photo below
Congrats to Steve Lucas for identifying Stage actress Elsie Janis.
Greg O.
Elsie Janis in later years.
The famous promotional photo for the play.
Elsie Janis and The Broadway Show “The Vanderbilt Cup”
Elsie and The Vanderbilt Cup Race drivers
Elsie Janis on stage for the 1906 musical The Vanderbilt Cup. The above recently restored photo was taken during the same night as the drivers and mechanicians posed with Elsie Janis and a 1905 Simplex after the show.
From left to right are: Ralph Mongini (driver in the 1905 and 1906 American trials); Walter Christie (driver in the 1905 and 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Races); George Robertson (driver in the 1905 American Elimination Trial and winner of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race); Elsie Janis; Louis Wagner (driver in the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race and winner of the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race); on the running board, Al Poole (mechanician for Joe Tracy in the 1904,1905 and 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Races); Joe Tracy (driver in the 1904,1905 and 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Races) and, to the far right, Louis Vivet (mechanician for Louis Wagner in the winning 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race car).
Original player piano roll containing songs from the play.
What can be heard on the piano roll.
Elsie Janis Performs "Fo' de Law'd's Sake Play a Waltz"
Elsie Janis sings 'Florrie Was a Flapper,' London, 1914
Comments
That’s Elsie Janis, stage and movie actress from the early 1900’s. She was also a singer, songwriter, screenwriter, and radio announcer. She starred in the Broadway production of “The Vanderbilt Cup” in 1906. After one of her performances of the musical, she invited several Vanderbilt Cup drivers and mechanicians on stage for a photo-op. Among them were: Ralph Mongini, Walter Christie, George Robertson, Louis Wagner, Al Poole, Joe Tracy, and Louis Vivet.
Greg, Check out Elsie Janis activities during WW 1 Quite a story.