I'm betting this is Bess a full two years before she became Mrs. Houdini. "Bessie Raymond" was the stage name she used for her solo singing act before and after her marriage. She was a Brooklyn resident and she was a Miss! In fact, she'd be only 16-years-old here.
Related:
Until this, the earliest mention we have of Bess as a performer (or Bess in general) is the June 22, 1894 "Risey in the Box" article from the New York Clipper which mentions her as a member of the "Floral Sisters, neat song and dance artistes." (Try as I might, I've never been able to find any mention of the act elsewhere.) But Bess' sister Marie talks about Bess performing as "Bessie Raymond" before this, and I think that's exactly what we have here.
Bess begins!
UPDATE: Just for clarity, the photo at the top of this post is not Bess in 1892. It's just the earliest picture of her I can find and is likely 1894.
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I always remember a separate picture of a dapper Houdini with a bowler hat I think. I had always assumed that those pictures were taken at the same time. But, by what you have stated John, I guess that's not true.
ReplyDeleteThey were taken at the same time. I'm just using the earliest pic of Bess I can find. I didn't mean to imply that's her in 1892.
DeleteTypo alert:
ReplyDeletebecame Mrs. Houdini. "Bessie Raymond" was the stage name she used for her solo (signing) act before and after her marriage.
Oops. Thank you. Fixed!
DeleteI wonder if "Harry Warren" could be the famous songwriter?
ReplyDelete