Jose Collins
Encyclopedia
Jose Collins was an English
actress and singer celebrated for her performances in musical comedies and early motion pictures.
performer and comedienne Lottie Collins
, who popularized the song "Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay
!", and her mother's music coach, Stephen Patrick Cooney , who later married and she took the name Charlotte Josephine Cooney.
Collins got her start as a child performer, and by the age of 17 she had appeared in both pantomime
and music hall
as a singer and actress. She made her West End debut in a principal role in The Antelope (1908). On Broadway, she appeared in Vera Violetta (1911), The Merry Countess (1912), and (sharing a duet with Al Jolson
) The Whirl of Society (1912), among others. Her revue appearances included the Ziegfeld Follies
(1913), and The Passing Show (1914). She also starred in The Happy Day
in London and Alone at Last on Broadway in 1916.
Collins played the title role of Teresa, the gypsy bandit maid, in the hit musical The Maid of the Mountains
(1917) to great acclaim, and as a result became known by the nickname of "Maid of the Mountains". In that show, she introduced the songs "Love Will Find a Way" and "A Paradise For Two." Collins played throughout the long run of this show and in many revivals over the years.
Collins later appeared in Our Peg (1919), A Southern Maid
(1920), Sybil (1921), The Last Waltz
(1922), Catherine (1923), Our Nell (1924) and Frasquita (1925). She spent the remainder of her career in revues, variety and non-musical roles, as well as in films. In her film career, she starred as Bessie, the vengeful model, in The Light That Failed, (1916, based on Rudyard Kipling
's poem), and she appeared in The Imposter (1915), A Woman's Honor (1916), and The Sword of Damocles (1920) , among others. Her only musical film was Facing the Music
(1933)
.
Jose Collins was married three times: firstly, in 1911, to Leslie Chatfield ; secondly in 1920 Lord Robert Edward Innes-Ker (brother of Henry John Innes-Ker, 8th Duke of Roxburghe); and thirdly to Dr Gerald Kirkland. Collins had no children by any of her marriages; her second marriage ended in divorce in 1935.
She is commemorated by a blue plaque
at Loughton. When erected, the plaque was on the actual house in which she lived towards the end of her life. This was demolished, and replaced by a block of flats called Collins Court.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
actress and singer celebrated for her performances in musical comedies and early motion pictures.
Life and career
Charlotte Josephine Collins was born in London in 1887 to her mother, music hallMusic hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
performer and comedienne Lottie Collins
Lottie Collins
Lottie Collins was an English singer and dancer, most famous for introducing the song "Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay!"-Life:...
, who popularized the song "Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay
Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay
"Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay" is a vaudeville and music hall song, copyrighted by Henry J. Sayers, and introduced in Boston, Massachusetts in Tuxedo in 1891. The song was best known in the version sung by Lottie Collins in London music halls in 1892....
!", and her mother's music coach, Stephen Patrick Cooney , who later married and she took the name Charlotte Josephine Cooney.
Collins got her start as a child performer, and by the age of 17 she had appeared in both pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
and music hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
as a singer and actress. She made her West End debut in a principal role in The Antelope (1908). On Broadway, she appeared in Vera Violetta (1911), The Merry Countess (1912), and (sharing a duet with Al Jolson
Al Jolson
Al Jolson was an American singer, comedian and actor. In his heyday, he was dubbed "The World's Greatest Entertainer"....
) The Whirl of Society (1912), among others. Her revue appearances included the Ziegfeld Follies
Ziegfeld Follies
The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air....
(1913), and The Passing Show (1914). She also starred in The Happy Day
The Happy Day
The Happy Day is an English musical comedy in two acts by Seymour Hicks, with music by Sidney Jones and Paul Rubens, and lyrics by Adrian Ross and Rubens. It was produced by George Edwardes's company and was directed by Evett. The musical opened at Daly's Theatre in London on 13 May 1916 and ran...
in London and Alone at Last on Broadway in 1916.
Collins played the title role of Teresa, the gypsy bandit maid, in the hit musical The Maid of the Mountains
The Maid of the Mountains
The Maid of the Mountains, called in its original score a musical play, is an operetta or musical comedy in three acts. The music was by Harold Fraser-Simson, with additional music by James W...
(1917) to great acclaim, and as a result became known by the nickname of "Maid of the Mountains". In that show, she introduced the songs "Love Will Find a Way" and "A Paradise For Two." Collins played throughout the long run of this show and in many revivals over the years.
Collins later appeared in Our Peg (1919), A Southern Maid
A Southern Maid
A Southern Maid is an operetta in three acts composed by Harold Fraser-Simson, with a book by Dion Clayton Calthrop and Harry Graham and lyrics by Harry Graham and Harry Miller. Additional music was provided by Ivor Novello and George H. Clutsam, with additional lyrics by Adrian Ross and Douglas...
(1920), Sybil (1921), The Last Waltz
The Last Waltz (operetta)
Der letzte Walzer is a Viennese operetta in three acts, with music by Oscar Straus, to a libretto by Julius Brammer and Alfred Grünwald. It opened at the Berliner Theater in Berlin on 12 February 1920 and starred Fritzi Massary....
(1922), Catherine (1923), Our Nell (1924) and Frasquita (1925). She spent the remainder of her career in revues, variety and non-musical roles, as well as in films. In her film career, she starred as Bessie, the vengeful model, in The Light That Failed, (1916, based on Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling
Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature...
's poem), and she appeared in The Imposter (1915), A Woman's Honor (1916), and The Sword of Damocles (1920) , among others. Her only musical film was Facing the Music
Facing the Music (1933 film)
Facing the Music is a 1933 British musical film directed by Harry Hughes and starring Stanley Lupino, Jose Collins and Nancy Brown. In order to promote his client a publicist organises a fake robbery of her jewels, but things soon begin to unravel...
(1933)
1933 in music
-Events:*January 23 – Béla Bartók's Piano Concerto No. 2 is premiered in Frankfurt*National Association for American Composers and Conductors is founded by Henry Hadley.*Billie Holiday is "discovered" singing at Monette's club....
.
Jose Collins was married three times: firstly, in 1911, to Leslie Chatfield ; secondly in 1920 Lord Robert Edward Innes-Ker (brother of Henry John Innes-Ker, 8th Duke of Roxburghe); and thirdly to Dr Gerald Kirkland. Collins had no children by any of her marriages; her second marriage ended in divorce in 1935.
She is commemorated by a blue plaque
Blue plaque
A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person or event, serving as a historical marker....
at Loughton. When erected, the plaque was on the actual house in which she lived towards the end of her life. This was demolished, and replaced by a block of flats called Collins Court.
Sources
- Collins, José. The Maid of the Mountains: Her Story. The reminiscences of José Collins. With 60 Illustrations. (1932, Hutchinson)
- Gammond, Peter. Oxford Companion to Popular Music (1993, Oxford University Press) ISBN 0-19-280004-3
- Larkin, Colin Ed. Guinness Who's Who of Stage Musicals ISBN 0-85112-756-8