"The Belle of Mayfair" Affair

Why Miss Edna May resigned from her lucrative position as star of one the leading London productions.

Miss Edna May

Edna May's rise to international stardom was a fairy tale story of meteoric proportions. She was a mere girl of 19, and little more than a novice music student from a New York conservatory, when theatrical impresario G. W. Lederer noticed her playing in "A Contented Woman" at Hoyt's theatre. Realising he had happened upon a rare talent, Lederer gave her a trial in a small part at his New York Casino Theatre before entrusting her her with the leading role of 'Violet Grey' in his new musical play, "The Belle of New York."

This piece would eventually became a great success, and make enormous fortunes for all concerned in it's production. Initially, however, in it's own country where it opened at the Casino in September, 1897, it met with only a moderate success, and Lederer had to borrow money to transport it to London the following year in the hope of finding better fortune. In the British capital, George Edwardes turned it down for his leading Gaiety Theatre, forcing it to open instead at the less fashionable Shaftesbury Theatre.

Opening at a lesser theatre, with an unknown American 'star,' and a mediocre record in it's own country it was widely predicted to be a flop. But the many catchy melodies in Gustav Kerker's musical score struck a chord with English audiences and against all expectations it became an instant and massive success. It would eventually run for 21 months and 697 performances, making it then the eighth longest running theatrical production in London.

For it's star, Miss May, the result was extraorinary - catapulting her to the top of her profession and making her quite literally an international star overnight. With her personal financial security now assured, in November 1898 Miss May began divorce proceedings against her husband, the professional cyclist Fred Titus, whom she had married when only seventeen years old and before embarking on her own professional career, in the New York Supreme Court. By the time Edna had left America the couple were already estranged, and the divorce petition Mrs. Titus filed alleged desertion and failing to support her as well as adultery - naming a young woman in the New York Casino company as co-respondent. Titus contested the proceedings and it would be six years before the matter was settled and Edna gained her freedom. In the meantime Edna's career continued to blossom and she appeared in numerous leading roles on both sides of the Atlantic.

The Belle of Mayfair

The Belle of Mayfair was a musical comedy composed by Leslie Stuart with a book by Basil Hood, Charles Brookfield and Cosmo Hamilton - with a story inspired by Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet". Miss Edna May was chosen to play the lead role of 'Julia Chaldicott' in the production which opened at the Vaudeville Theatre in April of that year and promised to be as big a success as "The Belle of New York" had been. Also prominent in the cast was the popular actress, Miss Louie Pounds, whilst in a lesser role, as the 'Duchess of Dunmow' was Miss Camille Clifford - who was then relatively undistinguished as an actress although she had gained some recognition as the epitomy of the 'Gibson Girl' on account of her hour-glass figure

It was the sudden leap to prominence of this latter lady, however, for reasons other than her acheivements on the stage, that would lead to all the trouble that was to follow. Miss Clifford's sudden rise to notoriety came about when it was announced, in October of 1906, that she had become engaged to be married to the Hon. Henry Lyndhurst Bruce, heir to Lord Aberdare. Mr. Bruce, a tall, dapper twenty-five year-old, was a lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion Hampshire Regiment and one of the most elligible bachelors in the country. The news of the engagement created a sensation in the press and the Messrs. Gatti, producers of the "The Belle of Mayfair," were quick to reap the benefits of the free publicity by raising Miss Clifford's profile in their advertising, even above that of Miss May, and having a new song specially written for her to promote her role in the production.

Unfortunately, this did not sit well with Miss May, who felt that her position as 'star' of the show was being usurped and within a month, on September 22nd, 1906, she had resigned from her role. Miss May vehemently denied that her decision was motivated by jealousy, expressing the utmost regard for Miss Clifford, but asserted that she felt a great injustice had been done to her by the way in which Miss Clifford had been "featured" and "billed" in preference to herself, who was, after all, the star of the show and drawing much the largest salary of any member of the company.

In an interview with the press, she had the following to say about the reasons for her drastic action:

"I am the star in the play, and have been searching England and America for a good song, but without success. I received two songs to try, but they were not suitable. The people who were asked to write songs for me do not appear to have had any inspiration. One composer was given six weeks to write me a good song, but I got no satisfaction. Miss Clifford, however, comes into the play, and immediately a fine song is found for her. It proves a great success. Miss Clifford looks perfectly charming, the song is a tremendous success and becomes the perfect hit of the piece.

I ask you, is this fair? Here I have been asking for songs, and cannot get them, and Miss Camille Clifford has one found for her without any difficulty. All I say personally of Miss Clifford is that she is a lucky little woman, who has got a charming song while I have been vainly searching for such. I like her very much. She is one of the sweetest little women I have ever met in my life, and has often been in my dressingroom; so that will show how I regard her. Of course, I could not be a Gibson Girl. Consequently I could not sing, 'Why am I a Gibson Girl?' but I could sing something very near - 'Why am I a Picture Girl' for instance. It is the tune and the idea that are so catching, and I submit that I, as star of the piece, should have been given the best song. Not only is this treatment not fair to me, but it is not fair to other members of the company. It is absurd to say that my action in leaving the play is dictated by any feeling of jealousy. I am simply leaving because I have not been treated rightly.

My picture has been given on the sandwich boards with my name written so small beneath it that people could hardly see it. On the other side was announced in huge letters that Miss Clifford was positively going to sing, and the time she would appear on the stage. "The people go mad over her song, and the next thing that happens is Miss Clifford's name is put outside the theatre in the most prominent place - this, mind you, though I am getting £200 a week and am the star.

When I venture to remonstrate I am told that Miss Clifford, because of her engagement to a peer's, son, draws the public, and that, therefore, she is to be advertised. What is left for me but to say to myself, 'You had bettor get out?'"

(Leeds Mercury)

Miss Clifford, when spoken to on the subject by the same interviewer declined to comment.

The Aftermath

Mr. Charles Frohman, business partner of the Messrs. Gatti in the production of the piece, sided with his country-woman, agreeing with her opinion that it was an infingement of her contract with the managers of the thatre, and severed his connection with the Gatti brothers. The result of this managerial split was that the Vaudeville Theatre would then be conducted under the exclusive control of the Mersrs. Gatti, who would continue to 'star' Miss Camille Clifford, 'Gibson Girl,' and Peeress-to-be.

Miss Ethel Newman, who had been Miss May's understudy in the production, took over the role and played the part for the next fortnight, but she too, then took umbrage with the Messrs. Gatti when they failed to ward her the role permanently. Instead the Messrs. Gatti sought out Miss Phyllis Dare, then an inexperienced fifteen-year-old, to take over the plum part. Consequently, Miss Newman, an actress of nine-years experience, felt as insulted and maltreated as Miss May had done with the same outcome - that she declined to understudy Miss Dare and left.

But Miss Newman was not a lady to go quietly and instituted legal proceedings against the managers of the theatre for breach of contract. In the resulting court case, Miss Newman told the court that she was contracted to understudy Miss May's leading role at a salary of £4 per week plus £1 extra for each performance in which she was called upon to take part. This was much less than the £10 to £15 a week she was accustomed to earning in the provinces, but she accepted the terms because of the chance to appear in an important role at a major West End theatre and because it was pointed out to her that Miss May was not likely to appear regularly at matinees and was likely to take frequent holidays so that the salary would not often be a bare £4.

Miss Newman asserted that she had been contracted to take over the role from Miss May in the event of that Lady being unavailable for the part and that, therefore, on Miss May's departure she was entitled to succeed that lady and play the principal role. The action sought to recover salary for the run of the play as well as damages against the defendants. The question then turned on the true meaning of the trem "understudy." The usual form of contract one to understudy a role, in which case Miss Newman must fail in her action, since the replacement of the principal did not vary those terms. The case therefore rested upon whether the conversation that Miss Newman had had with the defendants, at which Miss May's availability was discussed, had been sufficient to vary the terms of her employment such that she was engaged as understudy to Miss May, as distinct to the role Miss May was playing, in which case Miss Newman's action was entitled to succeed. After an hour's deliberation, the jury found in favour of Miss Newman and awarded £300 in damages. This verdict was, however, subsequently overturned by the Court of Appeal.

Miss Dare, whose father had brought her back from her school in the Belgian Ardennes to take over the role from Miss May, became a great success and like Miss May, shot to stardom overnight.