Storage Find Old Photographs From Chicago Studio,One Signed Any Idea

Storage find 2 old photographs,one is of a woman actress I believe,the younger person appears to be a dancer.The photo of the woman is signed,any idea who she is ot the name on picture.

 

Is there a reason the photographs couldn't be taken from straight on? (They're rather hard to see.)

Debora

 

Given the -- ahem -- ensemble of the "actress," I suspect she was a vaudeville performer instead.

Debora

 

The signature might be Jessie E. Charleston? Just a guess. I may have interpreted some of the letters incorrectly. I don't find anybody with that exact name through an online search.

 

Certainly see the Jessie. And would have been a popular name when she was born.

Debora

 

That's what I see, too.

 

I picked Charleston because I was sure of all of the letters except the first one. And could think of no other surname with those letters except Charleston.

 

Found her! Jessie Elizabeth Charleston (or sometimes given as Charlson). Born Cook County (Chicago) in 1905. Married Eldon R. Mills in 1936.

Debora

 

I see Pharlaston.

Other definitely a tap dancer in her tap shorts. Sort of Eleanor Powell type.

 

Thanks you all!! Will start with Jessie Elizabeth Charleston!

 

She's on pointe, isn't she? (Just saw that.) So ballet training.

Debora

 

Adding ballet to search brings up this. Wonder if she.

Debora

 

Yes she is on pointe. I have better pictures.

 

Thanks Debora!!!

 

Shes fabulous. Id get period frames and proudly display her.

 

Yep, that's our girl. Jessie Charleston Albright. Second husband Matthew J. Albright. She died in 1945; not terribly long lived.

Debora

 

This is not current but the group might be interested in seeing your photograph.

https://www.chicagodancehistory.org

Debora

 

I have to wonder whether she was a practitioner of the dance form called toe-tap.