Tiger Lily (1892-19??)

On February 6th, 1892, Beatrice Anderson was born in the village of Calhoun in Ouachita County, Louisiana. She was the one of three children to John Anderson. Beatrice, like many members of the Anderson family, was affected by Piebaldism, a rare, inherited disorder of pigmentation characterized by patchy areas of skin and hair that lack melanocytes, the pigment-producing cells. This leads to white patches of skin and hair, most notably a white forelock of hair. Because of this condition, several members of the Anderson family, traveled the United States and Europe with Vaudeville companies and freak shows. Three of Beatrice's aunts, Sadie, Fannie and Rosie were touring Europe as the Three Tiger Graces.

Around 1901, Beatrice and her Aunt Hattie (who was a year older), traveled to New York in the care of retired acrobat, Henry “Harry Mack” McDonough (Apr.22, 1839-Mar.2, 1909) and his German wife, Emilia Marie Margarethe Franke (Jan.1, 1877-Apr.7, 1948). There the girls were given lessons in song, dance and acrobatics. That November, the young duo sailed to France with Barnum and Bailey's Circus, touring for months before the circus returned to the United States. 

However, Beatrice (now Tiger Lily) and Hattie (now Texas Hattie) relocated to Berlin with their caretakers and began touring for the next 13 years around Continental Europe, North Africa and the United Kingdom. In April 1907, while appearing at Rome's Salon Marguerita, were interviewed by Fabio Frassetto (1876-1953), Italian anthropologist and professor at the University of Bologna about the Anderson family history and their pigment condition.

In March 1909, after Harry Mack's death, Margarethe took over as their manager for the next eight years. After the outbreak of the First World War, the duo departed Switzerland for the Russian Empire where they signed a contract with Anatoly Durov's Salamonsky Circus in Moscow. 

In January 1916, after a thirteen month tour across Russia, Finland, Latvia and Estonia, Anatoly Durov suddenly died in the Ukraine. The women began appearing in cinemas, cabarets and variety halls in Petrograd and Moscow until departing for Finland in September for a four month appearance with Helsinki's Circus Olsen. 

Returning to Petrograd in January 1917, the women were engaged again for four months at the Circus Salamonsky (now run by Durov's son). It was during this engagement that the February Revolution broke out. After renewing passports at US Embassy, the women made appearances in Tula, Helsinki and Riga throughout the summer before returning to Petrograd in September.

In October, the women returned to Moscow for another four months at the Circus Salamonsky. During this engagement, they were caught up in the October Revolution. Instead of fleeing, they continued touring Russia and Estonia throughout 1918.

In February 1919, Durov Jr. escaped with the Salamonsky Circus to France, however Beatrice and Hattie Anderson were stopped at the Russian frontier and returned to Moscow. Their manager, Margarethe McDonough was able to return home to Germany. Beatrice Anderson, who was already suffering from an illness, was hospitalized for seven months. Hattie disappears from records and may have perished. After being released from the hospital, Tiger Lily resumed working at the Aquarium Theater in the fall. In February 1920, she received a medical operation and with the help of the Red Cross, was able to relocate to Reval, Estonia seven months later, where she made appearances before sailing to Germany. 

Tiger Lily resided at Cranachstraße 51 in Berlin's Friedenau district with Margarethe McDonough and after a month of rest in a clinic, resumed performing in January 1921. After running a dance school in Berlin briefly, she left for an extended European tour across Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands until 1924. From 1924-25, she traveled Central Europe as a tap dancer with the Bailey Brothers. Afterwards, she joined Louis Douglas's Black Follies company, with whom she traveled as a chorus girl for a year. 

1932 Marriage Certificate

From 1929-1932, Tiger Lily's career began to fade. She toured Eastern Europe, Turkey and Egypt as a member of the Cubanola Trio. On October 22nd, 1932, while appearing in Copenhagen, she married Karl Kristian Olsen and settled in Denmark, becoming a Danish citizen. Unfortunately the marriage was brief, as Tiger Lily was listed as a widow in the 1940 Danish Census. 

1940 Danish Census

She lived quietly in Denmark, surviving the German occupation until April 1953, when she sailed from Copenhagen aboard the SS Oslofjord to New York. She listed 312 Manhattan Avenue as her destination. 

Her trail goes cold afterwards. It's possible she joined her Aunt Sadie Anderson (June 20, 1886-July 1965) in Harlem, who had returned to the US in 1925 and was still touring across America in the 1950s as Sadie: The Leopard Skinned Woman. Another aunt, Rosie Meschi-Anderson (December 28, 1877-December 10, 1955) had retired and was living quietly in Syracuse with her daughter Victoria. 

Miss Zelia Moss: Brazil's first Black Vedette

 Miss Zelia Moss

Details about Zelia Moss' origins and early life are currently shrouded in mystery. She was born in Virginia (according to a 1925 interview with the Brazilian "A Gazeta" newspaper) around c. 1882 according to her death certificate. 

At some point, she migrated north to New York, eventually finding employment as a cook. Some time later, she found employment as the maid of a visiting Russian ballerina, who was appearing in a vaudeville revue. After the show closed, the Russian entertainer returned to Europe, convincing her new Black maid to accompany her. While in Paris, the wealthy French boyfriend of her Russian employer began sponsoring Zelia's dance lessons.

By 1903, Zelia had begun touring as a song-and-dance act, appearing in theatres, circuses, hotels and cabarets around France, performing in French (her most popular song was "Viens Poupole" while dancing a ten minute Cake Walk). In the summer of 1905, she was one of the leading artists at the Casino de Montmartre.

Valencia (May 1906)

In March 1906, she departed for Spain, appearing for four months in Barcelona and Valencia, singing, performing the Cake Walk and the Brazilian Maxixe.

In 1907, Zelia was a regular headliner at the Rat Mort Club, when she given a role as Fleur de Lys in the vaudeville-revue, "La Milieme Constant" at the Folies-Dramatiques, alongside with Paris' Queen of the Musichall, Mistinguett. Created by Henry de Gorsse and Louis Forest, the show opened on October 18th and ran for six months, closing early April 1908. 

During the summer of 1909, Zelia sailed to Brazil for the first time with a two-week contract with Italian impresario, Paschoal Segreto. In June 1909, she arrived in Rio de Janeiro for a week at the Concert Avenida do Pavilhão Internacional. That summer, Rio was swarming with other foreign Black entertainers during the summer of 1909, particularly an Afro-American orchestra from London and Afro-British singer, Josephine Morcashani. Alongside Morcashani, Zelia Moss was one of the earliest foreign Black female performers to grace Brazilian stages (after Sissieretta Jones who visited in the mid-1890s). The Brazilian press hardly paid her much attention, treating her as another visiting foreign artist, however she was enamored with the massive South American republic and was determined to establish herself there. In July, she traveled 274 miles down the coast to Sao Paulo, for another successful week at the Moulin Rouge cabaret. By October, she had returned to France, appearing at a casino in Vincennes, dancing to the sounds of the Fortunia orchestra

Poster for "Claudine" (1910)

In January 1910, Zelia performed for a month at the Theatre des Deux-Masques with a troupe directed by Henri Vaudry. Ten months later, on November 10th, she starred in the three-act operetta-revue (written by Colette Willy & Henry Gauthier-Villars), "Claudine" at the Moulin Rouge with Polaire, Marise Fairy and Claudius heading the cast. Under the direction of M. Faubert and music provided by Rodolphe Berger, the operetta (a musical adaptation of Colette's immensely popular Claudine series) ran for several successful month. Zelia appeared in the third act, as a singer at the L'Abbaye de Theleme performing "Chanson Americaine", a comical song about how the singer dances and sings for her lover Tommy around their little bamboo cabin:

"Li que j'aime d'amour ex-treme, D'son nom d'bapteme. S'appell Tom-my. Li m'en flamme, moi suis le femme. Li le ma-hi! A ne-gresse a-vec ten dresse. Quand li s'a dresse, toujours sou-rit! Pour li plaire et li dis-traire souvent, Moi, je chante en dan-sant! Tom-my! Viens le pe-tit Tommy! Viens gentil Tommy! Beau sa pajou, le p'tit bi-jou, le grand jou-jou!  Tom-my! Viens le pe-tit Tommy! Viens gentil Tommy! Je brul! Je bous par tous les bouts...ca-ban' bam-bous!"

In December, during the run of the operette, Zelia, now considered a serious actress, was approached to join Dufrenne & Grandjean's theatrical company, which was preparing a French Provincial tour for their military drama operettea, "Le Train de 8h47" (a theatrical adaptation of Georges Courteline's 1891 novel).

On January 20th, 1911, Zelia quit the revue and left Paris with Dufrenne & Grandjean's company. Beginning January 24th in the city of Troyes, the company of twenty-one actors toured France and Belgium for over 13 months. In August, during a brief rest from the show, she returned to the French capital to perform for a week at the Jardin de Paris. In March 1912, the company briefly staged, "Un Voyage de Noces", a three-act revue written by Jean Casan and starring singer, Jeanne Bloch, as the headliner. However, the following month, the company departed for North Africa for a two month tour of Tunisia and Algeria. In local theatres across the Atlas mountains, "Le Train 8h47" (with full stage sets, military equipment and an actual train car) and a new five-act operetta, "Prostituee" (written by Victor Margueritte) was a success amongst the locals and the French colonials. In June 1912, shortly after returning to France, Georges Grandjean passed away.

By November, Zelia had quit the company and was dancing in a revue, "Alma, Tout le monde descend!" at the Magic City amusement park.

*

Zelia Moss disappears from the limelight all of 1913, possibly appearing in small clubs around the Montmartre. In December 1913, she sailed from France back to Brazil, this time with a two-month contract with Paschoal Segreto with a salary of 2,000 Francs per month. On December 30th, she opened as one of the headliners of Rio de Janeiro's Theatro Palace for three weeks and became a major curiosity and fascination to the public, performing to the sounds of the popular Portuguese composer Luiz Filgueiras and his orchestra.. 

Miss Moss: Has Two Genders

On January 1st, 1914, while strolling along the Avenida Branco, crowds swarmed the African-American entertainer. Brazilians were unaccustomed to Blacks walking freely through major cities, fashionably dressed in the latest Parisian fashions and smoking cigarettes (which was considered a man' pastime in strictly Catholic Brazil). In Brazil (as in the United States), the Black population was usually kept in the background, employed as domestics, cooks, field hands, etc. The few Afro-Brazilian entertainers that had the opportunity to appear in the circus/beer hall scene were usually boxers, Capoeira fighters and comical vaudeville acts. The end of European immigration in 1910 meant the resurfacing of fears among Brazilian elite about the “blackening” of the population. 

Also Zelia's extremely tall stature and strong features caused many to confuse her with being a female impersonator. She eventually fled to the Confeitaria Colombo, an elegant cafe on the Rua Gonçalves Dias, hoping to escape the gawking masses. Unfortunately, the crowds followed her inside, surrounding her table and observing her smoke. Eventually, she asked the crowds to come watch her perform at the Palace before hailing a taxi back to her hotel. The event caused her to make front pages of the Brazilian press the following day.

Sao Paulo (January 1914)

SS Saturno from Uruguay to Rio (Feb.17, 1914)

On January 22nd, Zelia sailed to Sao Paulo, where she opened that evening at the Casino Antarctica, staying on for very successful two-weeks. On February 7, she left for Santos, to appear at the Hotel Lanterna de Genova. The day before she was set to sail back to Rio, one of the hotel employees stole five rings worth 500 Francs, and two wallets, one containing 1,008 Francs from her room. She immediately reported the incident to the hotel owner and the local police. However, she was disappointed to discover that the local police were unwilling to cooperate with the Black cabaret artist. Disappointed, she sailed back to Rio.From Rio, Zelia sailed to Uruguay, where she spent a week performing in Montevideo. She then boarded the SS Saturno back to Rio, arriving on February 17th, hastily moving into room no.6 at the Hotel Rio-de-Janeiro at 25, Rua Visconde de Inhaúma. The following evening, she resumed her engagement at the Theatro Palace. On February 21st, she conducted an interview with the "A Noite" newspaper, recounting her scandalous ordeal in Santos two weeks prior. Once her second engagement with the Palace had ended, she returned to Europe.

"La Petit Dactylo" as Comtesse Papreka

Zelia doesn't resurface until October 1916, appearing in Paris in the three act vaudeville-operetta, "La Petit Dactylo" at the Theatre du Gymnase for a month. Created by Maurice Hennequin & Georges Mitchell, the star of the revue was the 22-year old singer Yvonne Printemps, supported by Henry Defreyn, Harry Baur, Marcelle Rayne and Lucienne Debrennes and Zelia (as the Comtesse de Papreka, with a headress of white feathers) performing to the sound of H. Maurice Jacquet's orchestra.

*

In January 1917, she was a headliner in variety program at the Theatre Le Peletier. Five months later, in May, she was apart of the revue, "La Revue Caressante" at the Theatre Gaite-Rochechouart for two months. The two act revue, set in Napoleonic Egypt, was created by P. Briollet & Alin Monjardin, the headliner was the Spanish vedette, La Belle Manesca supported by Sinoel, Henry Rossi, Marichal, Vylna, Simonne Sym and others. Zelia was given much praise for her sensual and exotic dance number in the tableaux, "Nuit d'Egypt" (Egyptian Nights).

"Judith, Courtisane..." (1917)

On December 22nd, she opened at the Theatre Michel in the comedy operetta, "Judith, courtisane..." with famous dancer Cleo de Merode, comedian Dorville, Renee Baltha, Madeleine de Barbieux as the principal stars. The production (with two acts and three tableaux) was created by Andre Barde & Michel Carre, music was provided by Charles Cuvillier's Orchestra and costumes and décor designed by the coutier, Paul Poiret. The operetta ran for two month, closing on February 15th, 1918.

Sao Paulo (October 1918)

Circo America (November 1918)

She remained in the French capital until the spring of 1918, when a bad love affair with a Frenchman and heavy German bombardment caused her to flee France permanently. Instead of returning to the United States (where she hadn't been in over fifteen years), Zelia returned to Brazil. By September, where she established herself in a house at 9, Rua Visconde de Uruguai in the Cantareira neighborhood of Niterói across Guanabara Bay from Rio de Janeiro, signing a contract with the Empreza Freitas Soares agency before departing for Sao Paulo, where she opened on October 1st, 1918, at the Miramar Cinema, remaining for a week. On November 14th, as WWI drew to a close, Zelia danced in the "Grande Feira Annual", a large festival of entertainment held at the brand new Circo America (located on the remains of the old Ajuda Convent, beside the Theatro Alhambra). Newspapers mentioned Zelia as: “The beautiful North-American, who performs innovative dances”. On the morning of December 1st, 1918, Zelia boarded a ferry across Guanabara Bay back to Niteroi. While strolling through the streets on her way home, she was arrested by a police officer who accused her of being a female impersonator. After appearing before the local judge and a quick medical exam with Dr. Plinio Travassos, the courts quickly dropped the charges.

Fazendo A America (1925)

During the 1920s, as Jazz and Samba began to sweep across Brazil, Zelia wanted to branch away from dancing attempted numerous times to embark on a full Brazilian tour as a professional concert singer, however, the various theatrical booking agents were unable to secure stable employment for the American star. 

Negresse de la Butte (1926)

By 1925, Zelia Moss, having retired from the stage, relocated to Sao Paulo and rented a room at a brothel at 20, Rua Tymbiras (a street that was well-known for brothels and gambling dens). She was soon able to support herself by providing services as a clairvoyant, palm reader, tarot card reader and selling lucky charms. Zelia became extremely successful in Sao Paulo and was soon charging 3,000 reis per consultation. However, she soon caught the attention of Brazil's Delegado de Costumes e Jogo. The function of this government organization was to investigate and prevent all activities of public drunkeness, lewd books, drawings & prints as well as the suppression of African religions such as Umbanda, Macumba and Candomble. Tarot reading had become an extremely lucrative business in 1920s Sao Paulo and the Delegado was determined to squash it.

On April 1st, 1925, agents of the Delegado de Costumes e Jogo raided Zelia's apartment during one of her consultations and escorted her to their offices at Rua 7 de Abril, where she was photographed and questioned by Dr. Mario Bastos Cruz about her origins. She recounted her life story and her nearly twenty years as a entertainer. She spoke of how she discovered the clairvoyant arts and tarot in Paris, when she visited the famous prophet and clairvoyant, Madame de Thebes. She was released shortly afterwards. Ten months later, Zelia returned to her previous occupation as a Tarot reader, operating in tent on the side of the road. This lead to another arrest on February 25, 1926. 

Companhia Negra (August 14, 1926)

In June 1926, 39-year old singer, composer, De Chocolat (Joao Cândido Ferreira) invited Zelia to Rio to be apart of his new theatrical troupe, Companhia Negra de Revistas. De Chocolat had toured France, Spain and Portugal in the early-1920s, and was fascinated with Parisian musichall and Afro-American culture in the Montmartre district. There he experienced Europe's curiosity for the exoticism of Africa. He had also been fascinated with Zelia's American origins, European career and her ability to perform in the French language. During this period, she was frequently billed under the misspelled names of Miss Mon's, Miss Moons, Miss Moons-Murray. Also due to her ability to perform in French, she was also often advertised as being from Barbados, Martinique and Haiti. 

The Companhia Negra de Revista's first revue, "Tudo Preto" (All Black) opened July 31for a month at the Theatro Rialto. Together with De Chocolat's musical compositions, Portuguese choreographer, Jayme Silva's dances, musician Pixinguinha and a company of 30 dark-skinned Afro-Brazilians, the revolutionary company was a huge success. Zelia appeared towards the end of the first act in a sketch, "Charabia Africanos", where she performed an exotic African batuque dance number, reminiscent of her Parisian days.

Working with a all-Black company, Zelia quickly discovered and experienced the discrimination and racism that Afro-Brazilians suffered. The same discrimination that had caused Zelia to escape from the United States had caught up with her in Brazil. Critics criticized the revue as revolting and uncivilized. The administration of the Rialto had also installed "odorless dressing rooms" and frequently fumigated the theatre for cockroaches. 

On September 2nd, a new revue, "Preto e Branco" (Black & White) opened at the Rialto, this time Zelia appeared in the second act, in the 15th sketch, "Martinho e Catharina", performing a romantic French chanson to Martinho (played by Guilherme Flores) and Catharina (played by Rosa Negra). After two weeks, on September 22nd, the company opened at Niteroi's Theatro Colyseu. However, De Chocolat left the company after a dispute with Jayme Silva and formed the short-lived Ba-Ta-Clan Company.

On October 20th, the Companhia Negra de Revista opened a Sao Paulo's Theatro Apollo and Theatro Malfada for two weeks. On November 17th, for a week, the company played in Santos at the Theatro Guarany with a new revue, "Carvão Nacional". While in Sao Paulo, the company hired the 11-year old dancer, Sebastião Bernardes de Souza Prata (later known as Grande Otelo).

From December 3rd, 1926 to January 10th, 1927, the Companhia Negra toured the state of Sao Paulo, appearing in Ribeiro Preto, Bebedouro, Campinas, Piracicaba and Amparo. In the spring, the company returned to Rio, opening a new revue, "Cafe Torrado" at the Theatro Republica on March 5th for two weeks. The company then played four days in Petropolis. In April 1927, the company left for a tour the states of Pernambuco and Bahia, which lasted three months.

The Company received a contract for a tour of Uruguay and Argentina. Unfortuntely, however the Brazilian government threatened the company with imprisonment and deportation if the "Negro-revue" went abroad as it was felt the company didn't properly represent Brazil.

"A Lei do Inquilinato" (1927)

Returning to Rio in July 1927, Zelia took a rest from the company, having secured a role in William Schocair's latest comedy, "A Lei do Inquilinato". Filming took place at the Quinta da Boa and Jardim da Gloria. The film, a Brazilian attempt at emulating American Westerns, premiered August 20th, 1927.

Zelia was soon back with the Companhia Negra and on September 10th, for a week, the company made its final appearance in Rio de Janeiro at the Circo Central Variedades. Afterwards Zelia Moss disappears for over 12 years. During the late-1920s, she doesn't seemed to have recorded while in Brazil as Afro-Brazilians began capitalizing off recording popular numbers from the Companhia Negra. When the Companhia Mulata Brasileira was formed in September 1930, Zelia would've been too dark-skinned to be apart of the cast.

Zelia Moss retired from the stage during the 1930s-1940a, eventually turning to domestic work to support herself. She returned to the limelight in 1941, joining the Companhia Casa de Loucos. In August 1941, the company performed for the first time in the revue, "Praia Vermelha" (Red Beach) at the brand new Theatro Casa de Loucos on the Rua Pedro I. She's briefly mentioned again in a article the following year, but disappears afterwards, most likely returning to domestic work.

Zelia Moss, aged 70, passed away on June 4th, 1952 in Rio de Janeiro. She was later buried at the Cemiterio de Sao Francisco Xavier.

The Mysterious Dinah Cofie & Her Colored Cracks Orchestra

Madge Cofie (1880s-19??)

Born Madge Boehm around 1880/1890s (?), she first appears in London c.1916 as performer with the "Will Garland Company", which toured across the United Kingdom until the troupe disbanded the following year.

In 1918, Madge paired up with drummer Harry 'Samuel' Cofie (sometimes spelled Coffey/Coffie) and the couple departed for Europe for the beginning of a series of successful tours. Sam Cofie originated from Africa (many claimed that Sam was born Minto, an African prince) and at some point the couple embarked upon an Africa tour.

By 1920, the couple were engaged at the Galleria Vittorio Emmanuelle in Milan, Italy apart of the Quintetto Mirador.

Bal Tabarin (mid-1920s)

Eventually the two made their way to Paris in 1923, regularly performing at the Lido de Champs-Elysees and in the revue "Luttes Feminine" at the Bal Tabarin with their Darktown Jazzers Orchestra. Early 1927, the couple began a Spanish tour, residing in Madrid and performing at the Palmero-Alkazar Cabaret, where Madge was listed as the 'Creadora del Black-Bottom' (before the arrival of Ruth Bayton). After five successful months, in June the couple played Kursaal Cabaret in Scheveningen, Holland before returning to France. 

While in Paris, Samuel Cofie organized a new jazz band, 'Cofie's Colored Cracks', composed of African-American musicians mostly from Harlem and Chicago (The Cofies, Withers, saxophonists Angelo Fernandez, Maxwell Philpott and Wilson Townes, trumpeter Titus D. Triplett, pianist Abram Henderson and banjo player Gilbert Roberts). The band made its debut in Budapest at the Parisi Kalitka (in the jazz revue "A Neger Jazz Utolso Honapja"). Madge's singing & dancing caught on well with the Hungarians for two successful months before the group returned to Paris.

Barcelona International Exposition (1929)

After spending the spring of 1928 at the Cafe Anglais, the band returned to Madrid's Palermo Cabaret. February 1929, found the band at the Teatro Medica in Bologna, Italy with acclaimed success. Arriving in Barcelona in time for the opening of the famous, International Exposition, the group performed on the exhibition grounds (Turo-Park). This was followed by appearances through the summer at the Ideal-Rosales Cabaret (Madrid), the fall at the Mirarmar Club (Barcelona) and winter at the popular Eden Concert (Barcelona). 

Argentina (July 1934)

nter, Chez Dinah, which was managed by her husband. The club failed, and was reopened the following year as 'Shack in Pl. Pigalle', where she organized an elaborate floor show, with herself as the star. However that too failed, and early-1933 Dinah was based in Cannes & Biarritz with her close friend, Ada Bricktop Smith. Eventually the two began to feud (Brickop was known for her temper) and Dinah returned to Paris, entertaining at the Pot-Aux-Roses Cabaret on the Champs-Elysees.

Rio de Janeiro (1936)

In the spring of 1934, she opened the successful 'Le Pigall's' nightclub until it's closing a few months later. That summer, Dinah and Samuel were in Argentina appearing of Radio Prieto and performing in major establishments. Unfortunately, the following year, Samuel suddenly (According to Variety magazine) and Dinah continued performing across Argentina, becoming a popular fixture there as a solo artist. During her surjourn in Buenos Aires, Dinah became close with Afro-British bandleader, George Stretton (born William Masters in Liverpool 1887), whom she first met back in 1917 and had arrived in South America six years earlier.

In December 1935, she traveled to Brazil to headline at the Casino Atlantico's new roof garden. The large roof garden cabaret overlooked the Atlantic and Copacabana beach and had revolving floors and decorated with scenes of popular cities (New York/Paris/London/Tokyo/Madrid). Unfortunately she disappears after this engagement.

Buenos Aires (1936)

Elsie Bayron's European Tour

Budapest Royal Hotel - 1936/37

After five years of performing in Spain, Elsie Bayron fled to Paris in the fall of 1936 with her boyfriend, Dominican bandleader Napoleon Zayas. Afterwards, they joined with Benny Peyton's orchestra for A European Tour, appearing in Holland, Hungary, Turkey, Scandinavia and Egypt. 

Elsie & Napoleon married & returned to Spain upon the outbreak of WWII.

Ruth Bayton: In Los Angeles

After returning to Europe after a brief break from performing, Ruth returned to Spain, where she remained until Francisco Franco's Civil War caused her to flee to Argentina, like many other Spanish artists.

She remained in Argentina throughout WWII where she had success theatrically, occasionally returning to New York to visit her family and maybe returning to appear in Europe. The pro-German attitude, '43 Military Coup and Juan Peron's rise to power might caused her to eventually to flee South America. In the 1950's, she returned to the United States, living in Los Angeles where she later died.

Myrtle Watkins: Por Si Destine

During the summer of 1931, the Myrtle accompanied Argentine entertainers, Alfredo Marino and Hector Morel for a tour of northern Spain. While in San Sebastián, the director took the cast of the show down to the beach,where reporters remarked seeing Myrtle as a black Venus emerging from the waters. 

Just before arriving, Myrtle's car broke down, forcing her to stay in a small village, a few miles out from her destination. Myrtle wandered the village taking photos, while her manager found a room for the night. An old woman on a hill on the edge of town offered her room once she heard it was for a foreign entertainer. She cleaned out the house, and put scented sheets on the bed. But once the old woman discovered this foreign star was ''Negra'', she took back her scented sheets and gave Myrtle plain ones to sleep on.

- "Es...es esta la artista?"
- "Si Senora."
- "Ave Maria purisima! Con la dificiles que son de lavar!"

Upon returning to Madrid, she appeared at the Alcazar-Dancing in a large variety show, with Morel & Morino, occasionally joining Harry Flemming and his band in the Jardin Retiro. After the show closed, Morel & Marino left to tour Spanish North Africa. Instead of joining them, Myrtle went Barcelona to appear at the Eden Concert, Circo Barcelones and Buena Sombra music hall for the winter.


Hemeroteca Digital (Biblioteca Nacional de Espana)

Ruth Bayton: Josephine Baker's Rival

Ruth V. Bayton {1903-1948}

Born Feb. 3, 1903 between Tappahannok and Whitestone, Virginia. Ruth Bayton was the sixth child of Virginia and Hansford C. Bayton. Hansford was a well known river boat captain who operated an excursion steamer in the Tidewater section along the Virginian coast. In 1910, she was sent to Philadelphia to live with her uncle, George Bayton, a wealthy and well respected physician. Later on, in 1920 she moved down to Baltimore with her eldest sister, Julia, who ran a restaurant with her husband Carter Banks and their six children. She occasionally returned briefly to Virginia to stay with her parents. 

London 1923

In 1922, after leaving school, Ruth found work as an stenographer. During the summer, she was introduced to Will Vodrey (director of the Plantation Orchestra) who took her to New York to join a beauty contest. She won the contest, and was given a part in the chorus in the "Plantation Revue" with Florence Mills as the star. The following summer, the show was taken to London as "From Dixie to Dover Street". The show did extremely well, and returned to the US to play on Broadway in 1924 as "Dixie to Broadway". 

Dixie to Dover Street - London 1923

In 1926, Lew Leslie to the show to Paris's Restaurant des Ambassadeurs as "Blackbirds of 1926". The show opened on May 28,  it was a sensation. Some of France’s top stars attended, including Josephine Baker, Maurice Chevalier, Sacha Guitry, Yvonne Vallee, and the Dolly Sisters. Florence Mills was the star attraction again and Johnny Hudgins in blackface doing his comedy routine.  Josephine Baker drifted in half an hour late, accompanied by white men in tails. “We had to hold the curtain for her,” Johnny Hudgins said. “She got the best table, right down front.” The show moved over in July to the Theatre des Champs-Elysees, where Josephine Baker made her debut months earlier. On night, she was introduced to Henri Lartigue, who worked for the booking agency of William Morris, who admired her performance in Blackbirds and, after being turned down by the other chorus girls, offered her a lucrative contract in Berlin with a weekly salary of $200. Ruth signed the contract right then and there, agreeing to come work at the theatre in the following month, and afterward kept her own counsel.  That August, as the show moved on to Belgium, Lartigue wrote that soon it was necessary for her to arrive in Berlin almost at once. Ruth departed immediately to appear at the Admiralspalast all-black revue “An Und Aus” in-between rehearsals for a much larger show at the Theatre des Westens.

On August 4th, “Der Zug Nach dem Westen” opened and Ruth made her appeared in a girdle of a dozen bananas. Her dancing was a large success to the German press with her extravagant jungle interpretation surrounded by a cast of 200. “I do the Charleston and Black Bottom, mostly eccentric dancing,” she later remarked to a journalist. The revue continued on for three months, and was taken to the Apollotheater in Vienna for the winter before being rearranged into a new version with skimpier costumes and more American performers such as Ben Tyber and Louis Douglass under the name, “Wissen Sie Schon” opening in March and running for another three months. Ruth appeared in the tableau ‘Der Gott und Die Bajadere’, dancing completely nude except for a silver loincloth in front of a large statue of Buddha. This time with a larger salary of $600. 

At this time, around Berlin there were rumors of her affair with the Spanish Monarch in the streets of the Friedrichstrasse and under the shadows of the Unter-Der-Linden. But Ruth refused to talk about any of it. That summer, Ruth appeared in Hamburg at the Argentinean-themed Trocadero Kabarett where she was showered with flowers and the German press billed her as the ‘Most Beautiful Creole on the Continent.’ opened in Paris at the Casanova Cabaret alongside the Spanish actor, Valeriano Ruiz Paris that August. Later she accompanied him to the resort town Biarritz to perform for a charity event at the Chateau-Basque. In September they arrived in Barcelona to open his revue, “Not-Yet” at the Teatro Cómico where she danced all afternoon, then moved over to the Folies-Bergere cabaret to sing until midnight. She was followed to Spain by Robert Wiene, a German film director, who was beginning to film and wanted Ruth to star in it. It was a film that placed on the screen the love affair of the most gallant European Sovereigns and the most beautiful colored dancer in the world. Filming wrapped up by October, the film crews returned to Berlin, and Ruth moved on to Madrid to appear in her own revue, “Noche Loca” at the Teatro Maravillas with a white American band with a salary of $800, introducing her new dance the Chotiston, which was a mixture of the Charleston and the Chotis.

That winter, there was a knock on her dressing room door. It was Paul Derval, director of the Folies Bergere, invited her to return to Paris for the new season, since Josephine was leaving for a world tour. That January, she appeared with Louis Douglas, arriving from Berlin, at the Teatro Comedia with his Black Follies Revue. Rehearsals for “La Grande Folie” began at the Folies in February. Meanwhile she was approached by the director of the Folies-Wagram, a new musichall to be inaugurated the following month, but Ruth turned him down. But early March, after two weeks at the Folies with the promise of new costumes and a larger salary, moved on to the Folies-Wagram. Avoiding Paul Derval for the next three months, she appeared with Marie Dubas dancing in the finale of the first act.  She even appeared briefly in her own club, Floresco’s. But the rumors of her affair with the Spanish Monarch began to resurface, when her German film was released in Paris on April 12th. The Spanish government offered the German producers $187, 000 to destroy the film, or at least prevent it from appearing in France and Spain. Ruth was interviewed at her apartment at the Hotel Ambassadors in Paris: 

“No, I have not any made films, dear sir. It must have been another colored girl made up to resemble me. I only heard about it five days ago through the German papers.” She smiled, lit a cigarette and made a little dance motion with the upper part of her body. But the journalist pressed on, “But, you're not going to lose such a fine occasion to have yourself talked about. Yes, I know you’re modest and the Negro doesn’t rush for the limelight and it takes two colored women to make a white one in this respect. But, in any case you won’t tell us whether is it true the adventure with the King of…” But at that moment, Paul Colin entered to finish the handbill of the colored vedette. Ruth left the journalist and rushed towards Colin thus avoiding his question. 

Another visiting journalist for the Afro-American Newspaper described her as the prettier replacement of Josephine Baker:

She lives at the Hotel Ambassadors, one of the best hotels in the Europe, has a fine $10.000 Hispano-Suiza driven by a French chauffeur, keeps two maids, and entertains at one of the leading music halls, the Folies-Wagram where she earns five figures in Francs weekly.” Something she would have never accomplished in America. “Absolutely impossible, I would have never been given the opportunity. I love Paris, the German people have been very kind, and so have the folks in Spain.” 

Ruth spent that summer in Deauville, dancing at the seaside casinos and appearing at the racetracks with a new admirer Armand Rochefoucauld, ‘Marquis de Deauville’. At the Concert Mayol cabaret in late August, Ruth was back dancing beside Marie Dubas in, “Cochon Qui Sommeille” (The Slumbering Pig).

A week later she was in Berlin, dancing beside the bar at the Baberina Cabaret, but she complained that Germans would try to grab her she danced. In October 1929, she returned to Madrid where she appeared through the winter at the Maipu-Pigall’s cabaret. Since the scandal with King Alphonso, or Ollie as she called him, her popularity in Spain had grew stronger. There she ran into Leon Abbey and his orchestra, and joined him to play in Seville which was hosting the Exposición Ibero-Americana. There was lots of money to be made as American tourists filled the nightclubs and theatres of the Andalucian city.Also together they headlined in Barcelona for the closing of the Exposició Internacional in January 1930.

Ruth moved on in April to London to appear at the Deauville Restaurant. Before they could open, Leon was deported back to Paris for not obtaining his work permits before arriving in Britain. When he returned, he took the orchestra to the Silver Slipper club and obtained a two-week contract. In June, after an invitation while appearing in London, Ruth returned to Paris for the Theatre Apollo where she appeared with the dramatic singer, Damia and the American dancer Jack Forester in the new ‘oriental-themed’ revue “Revue Milliardaires”. Once again, Ruth was chosen for the finale of the first act as an creole from Argentina. After hours, she would dance and mingle amongst her Spanish friends at the El Garron cabaret. The revue was a triumph and closed in August with a small gala attended by Mistinguett and Josephine Baker, whose old rival feelings boiled over causing the two vedettes of the Casino de Paris to break out fighting in the lobby. Ruth quickly moved her household over towards her new residence at 77 Champs-Elysees, once occupied by Jo Baker herself, and opened with an eight month engagement at the Theatre Marigny on September 7th. December 1930, Ruth returned to New York, to try her luck back in America to showcase her talents that were so well publicized in Europe. 

February 1931, on her few days off, she bought a spacious apartment in the elite Sugar Hill district near Harlem. In April, Noble Sissle invited Ruth and Sidney Bechet to accompany him at the Ambassadeurs for the Exposition Coloniale. But this time the French authorities were making determined efforts to reduce the number foreign workers, including overseas musicians, in their country. Bechet and Bayton got wind of a rumor that suggested that Sissle’s band would only be able permitted to fulfill the second half of its booking if 50 percent of its personnel were replaced was replaced with French artists. This proved to be the truth, but of course both Bechet and Bayton were far away. Bechet resumed his place in Berlin as a featured soloist at the Haus Vaterland. Ruth  decided to rest from the stage for a while and ran a small boutique from her apartment in Harlem for a few months. But eventually the the idea of being away from the stage brought her back into the nightlife touring Broadway on the R.K.O. Circuit early 1932. In November, while in New Jersey, rented rooms from the mother of an old friend, Crackshot Hackley. While there she got in an argument with John Burtt, director of the Lafayette Theatre, which ended in Ruth beating him with a dog chain from one her numerous pets. The fight later involved Crackshot and his mother. After this scandal, Ruth packed her bags and told her family she was returning to Europe.

In February 1933, French announced her return to France on the SS Lafayette. The French were most enthusiastic about the return of their "belle creole," but the depression arrived in Europe that winter, causing the economy to fall apart and bringing public demonstrations across France. Despite declining business in Montmartre, Ruth was found performing at the Rio-Rita Cabaret. Her appearances became sparse, and she departed for Deauville, entertaining at the Bar du Soleil and Casino Municipal as a singer with Elliot "Alex" Carpenter's Orchestra. 

There she found some old acquaintances. One of these was 79-year old Cora E. Rollins of Chicago, who spent the summer visiting her son-in-law, Elliot Carpenter, Mrs. Rollins: "Miss Bayton tried to persuade me to try my luck at the tables, but as I'm admittedly a bad loser, declined." Another was Josephine Baker, who was also appearing at the Bar Soleil and became enamored with Bayton's German banker lover. Josephine tried to become close with her old friend to receive an introduction. However, Ruth was no longer interested in reconnecting with her old cohort; she discovered Josephine's motives and snubbed her old friend. Soon afterward, she departed for Argentina and took up residence in Buenos Aires, where she continued working with Carpenter as her pianist.

In January 1935, Bayton and Carpenter joined the Compañía Argentina de Revistas y Espectáculos Musicales and appeared in the revue, "A Menina Brasileña, Prefiero La Girl Porteña" at the Teatro Porteño. The following month, the revue appeared for a few weeks in Montevideo at the Teatro 18 de Julio.

On October 19th, Carpenter returned home to the United States on the SS Pan America and Ruth continued appearing in popular Argentinian establishments. On December 20th, 1935, she appeared in a French-style revue, "C'est Pour Vous" at the Teatro Casino alongside English artist, Pearl Ondra. The following year, Bayton toured throughout Argentina, appearing in particular at the Boîte La Marina alongside the Spanish ballerina, Reina Mora in Rosario in May 1936.

Back in the United States, Bayton's family was worried about her whereabouts. They had not heard from her since her return in 1933 when she stopped writing home. They were unable to contact her in May 1937 when her Uncle George died. Her believed she returned to Spain, where the Spanish Civil War raged:

"Ruth Bayton, playgirl of two continents, who created a sensation several years ago when she was reported to be a close friend of the then King Alphonso of Spain, is believed to be missing in the war torn country, according to relatives in New York. She returned to the night club world in 1932 and again struck it rich when she foiled a holdup in a ritzy Broadway cabaret and was rewarded handsomely. With this money she returned to Spain and has not been heard from since. She was sought when her uncle, Dr. George Bayton, Philadelphia physician, died recently. Miss Bayton has not been heard from since the outbreak of the conflict, and all efforts of her sister, Mrs. Julia Bayton Banks of 75 St. Nicholas Place to locate her have been futile." - Baltimore Afro-American (May 29, 1937)

Soon, however, they learned that she was residing in Argentina, achieving huge success both theatrically and romantically.

During the summer of 1938, her name appeared at the Palacio de Justicia, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

"Por disposición del señor Juez de Instrucción en lo Criminal de la Capital de la República Argentina, doctor Antonio L. Beiuti, se cita, llama y emplaza a Ruth "Virginia" Bayton, para que en el término de treinta días, computado desde la primera publicación del presente, comparezca a estar a derecho en la causa por falso testimonio quese le sigue, bajo apercibimiento de declararle rebelde, si no lo hiciere."

- By order of Mr. Investigating Judge for Criminal Matters in the capital of Argentina, Dr. Antonio L. Beiuti, is quoted calls and summons Ruth "Virginia" Bayton, so that within thirty days, computed from the first publication of this, appear to be right in the cause for false testimony that followed, failing to declare rebellious if not done.

{Buenos Aires, Augusto 1 - Septiembre 8 de 1938}

By 1943, Bayton was appearing at José María Gamboa's Boîte Manhattan, located at Calle Arroyo 854. On January 6th, 1943, the Diario Critica reported an incident where the singer, Horacio Mork and two other accomplices stole alcohol and some Bayton's possessions from the cabaret.

Shortly after the June 1943 Argentine Revolution, Bayton returned to the United States aboard the SS Rio Lujan.

1947

There's little information on her later life.

In March 1946, Bayton appeared briefly in London before returning to New York aboard the MS John Ericsson. She maintained a residence in New York for a few months before relocating to Los Angeles, where she married Lawrence Henry and established a home in Long Beach on East 19th Street. Around April 1948, Bayton was diagnosed with cancer and on July 16, admitted to the Los Angeles County Hospital where she passed away on September 27, 1948. She was later buried at the Calvary Cemetery on October 2nd.