Researching Actors and Actresses

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Comment by Kate Steere on August 20, 2009 at 9:13pm

oops, that production in 1917 was a movie. :)

Comment by Kate Steere on August 20, 2009 at 9:12pm

LOL...it gets stranger and stranger, doesn't it?
I looked for a Clara Baker in 1930, I found one living as a MIL in Dauphin County, PA(I think) she was 73, her daughter was Susie Waltermeyer.

I also found a hit for Richard Foster Baker in a play produced by Essanay in Chicago in 1917. On Footnote.

Comment by Myss Story on August 20, 2009 at 9:09pm

Getting other eerie coincidences...looking for Stephen Wildberger, there were Alfred S Wildbergers, so anyway, I try it, and find a Stephen Wildberger in Butler, Penn. I never heard of that surname before either. As the detective says, are there really coincidences?Ha ha!

Comment by Kate Steere on August 20, 2009 at 8:54pm

LOL! Its a very tiny world, isn't it?
I had someone check the Chicago Tribune for Richard Baker obits, he said there none for Richard Baker between 1921-1956. Maybe we need to look for an obit for him in the Rochester papers? I'm guessing he died between 1920-1930?

Comment by Myss Story on August 20, 2009 at 8:41pm

Kate! Here's one for the Huh??? factor....I was looking at the grandson's surname, tried a couple of varities Woiltfarger, Wiltbarger, and then chose an Alfred from the list. Opened 1930 census for Alfred Wildberger, looking promising. 1898 Evanston, Cook Co, Ill. Run my eyes down the info sheet that opens before the census form. Here's the HUH? There is a Margaret Lavelle a maid born in the Irish Free State imm 192[3?4?7?] What are the odds? I never even heard of the surname Lavelle before your posts.
I don't know that there is a relationship, just the coincidence is very freaky!

Comment by Kate Steere on August 20, 2009 at 8:14pm

Hi-

I used an article on the Fulton site in 1915, that connected Richard Baker the stage director/manager to the Richard Baker who worked for Essanay in Chicago. Then I googled Essanay and Richard Foster Baker. I've also been googling the Opera Houses where he worked, hoping to find more stuff on him and Camille.

I did see an instance of Camille's last name spelled D'Elmer, in a listing I think in the NY Clipper?

Comment by Myss Story on August 20, 2009 at 8:02pm

Rochester, New York is where Camille [mistranscribed as Carville D Elma] said she was born, UK1871 census. She also said she was 17=1854, and her relationship was visitor.She was visiting her mother, a brother and sister. Makes sense to me, as I once thought her stage name was derived from Camillus and Delmar, two towns in upperstate of NY sort of on the Erie canal line. Delmar is close to Rochester, Delmar to Albany, NY. Dr. Lodge enlisted in Albany in 1862. I have never found any other reference except that same obit or it's retread connecting Camille or Richard to Rochester. Please let me know the sources -are you googling?

Comment by Kate Steere on August 20, 2009 at 7:44pm

Yes, I just looked it up, they are in Rochester which makes sense, since that's where he was working between 1900-1911 ish- I found tons of shows he was involved with in Rochester through that time period.

There is a grandson listed, I can't read the last name, but it looks something like Willberger? First name is Alfred, he's from PA , and 12 years old. Richard and Clara married about 1903, they had been married 7 years in 1910. so he was in his 40s at least when Camille died?

I think this is your Richard Baker, it all fits together, I think. Also, there are hints of a fire that destroyed a house owned by a Richard Baker in 1902 in Rochester, NY.

Comment by Myss Story on August 20, 2009 at 7:30pm

Kate: I found the same Richard Baker in the 1910 census based upon the wife's name Clara. This time he's born in Massachusetts as are both parents. Clara in Penn, as are both parents. Occupation: Director Theatrical Co. Are we getting close? I am still not sure, he says his age was 53 =1857. Married 7 years, 2nd marr for Clara, it's very hard to read, but 2nd for Richard if I squint. Definitely not 1.

Comment by Myss Story on August 20, 2009 at 7:13pm

Kate: try to briefly respond, it's hard to rely upon the stated age. 1858 would seem closer to Camille's, but I think she was older, too. Confusing is a remark by a letter her mother wrote say she was 4yrs old when the family left Georgia for Savannah (sic) I'm guessing from the departure from Albany GA where Dr. Lodge worked up to 1867, Makes the acting debut in NO even younger if 1866 she was 4 rather than 6. Not confused with sis who was not born until they boarded the ship to return to England in 1867-68. I don't find a UK England census for 1891 which makes sense if they just returned to US. I looked into that Richard Foster Baker as a film person. It's not unlikely, as Florence Cosgrove's husband also went into film. I saw the EssandA also. A long time ago, I found a Baker family with 3 or 4 childern that seemed likely, but I couldnt connect at the time to Richard and Camille. I think the head of household was Clara...something sticks in my mind.

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