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Dora Lindsay

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Dora Lindsay
A grinning woman wearing white makeup and a dark curled wig
Dora Lindsay, from a 1921 newspaper
Born
Glasgow
Occupation(s)Comedian, entertainer

Dora Lindsay (born before 1890 – died after 1944[1]) was a Scottish comedian and singer in the early twentieth century.

Early life and education

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Lindsay was from Glasgow, the daughter of a publisher father and a poet mother. Her grandfather, Louis Lindsay, was also a stage performer, described as a "celebrated Negro comedian" (meaning that he impersonated Black people in his act).[2][3][4]

Career

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Lindsay was a comedian and singer with the Anderson's Star Musical Company by 1903,[5] and in Scottish music hall revues and pantomime productions In the 1910s and 1920s.[6][7][8] She was often seen in a double act with comedian Bret Harte (not the writer), where the "droll couple" humor rested on the class differences between their accents.[9][10] "Dora was a wee woman with a complete mastery of the intricacies and nuances of Glasgow working-class speech," explained one theatre historian.[11][12] She performed as Mother Goose at the Glasgow Pavilion in 1920 and 1921.[13][14] One of her signature songs was "Ah'm nut a can, Ah'm Dorothy Ann".[15] She appeared in several short silent films made in Scotland.[16] She was compared to Harry Lauder and Marie Lloyd by critics.[17]

Lindsay toured internationally in 1923 and 1924.[18] "She is a born humorist, with remarkable knowledge of character impersonation," said a 1923 report in Australia.[19] She later moved to Australia, and performed comedic songs in Scottish-themed entertainments on stage and radio,[20] through the 1930s,[21][22][23] and into the 1940s.[1][24][25] She toured with the Long Tack Sam company in New Zealand in 1936.[26] She wrote the words and music to a song, "Anzac" (1939).[27]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Home Service Club". Propeller. 1945-06-21. Retrieved 2023-09-21 – via Trove.
  2. ^ "Dora Lindsay– Dame; Wee Lassie from Glasgow". Sun. 1923-04-29. Retrieved 2023-09-21 – via Trove.
  3. ^ "City Hall Grand Comic Concert (advertisement)". Glasgow Herald. 1875-01-08. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-09-21 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Death of Mr. Louis Lindsay, the Comedian". The Bridge of Allan Gazette. 1887-07-30. p. 3. Retrieved 2023-09-21 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Anderson's Star Musical Company". The Strathearn Herald. 1903-10-31. p. 5. Retrieved 2023-09-21 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "The Hamilton Hippodrome". Hamilton Advertiser. 1919-01-25. p. 3. Retrieved 2023-09-21 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Dora Lindsay, Famous Comedienne". The Daily Telegraph. 1924-02-16. p. 16. Retrieved 2023-09-21 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Entertainments; Aidrie Hippodrome". The Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser. 1922-04-08. p. 6. Retrieved 2023-09-21 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Tivoli: 'It's a Walk-Over'". Hull Daily Mail. 1919-05-13. p. 3. Retrieved 2023-09-21 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Mackie, Albert David (1978). Talking Glasgow. Internet Archive. Belfast : Blackstaff Press. p. 80. ISBN 978-0-85640-169-5.
  11. ^ Ewan, Elizabeth L.; Innes, Sue; Reynolds, Sian; Pipes, Rose (2007-06-27). Biographical Dictionary of ScottishWomen. Edinburgh University Press. pp. 75–76. ISBN 978-0-7486-2660-1.
  12. ^ Albert D. Mackie (1973). The Scotch Comedians. Internet Archive. p. 100-102.
  13. ^ "A Regular 'Dame'". Daily Record. 1921-01-10. p. 16. Retrieved 2023-09-20 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "A Rich Creation". Daily Record and Mail. 17 January 1921. p. 14. Retrieved September 21, 2023 – via The British Newspaper Archive, via The Wikipedia Library.
  15. ^ Mackie, Albert David (1984). The illustrated Glasgow glossary : awra words awragirra. Internet Archive. Belfast : Blackstaff Press. p. 10. ISBN 978-0-85640-304-0.
  16. ^ Cloy, David (1998). Scotland in silent cinema : a commemorative catalogue to accompany the Scottish Reels programme at the Pordenone Silent Film Festival, Italy, 1998. Internet Archive. Glasgow : Scottish Screen. p. 7. ISBN 978-0-9525857-7-0.
  17. ^ "Dora Lindsay at the Victoria". Dundee Evening Telegraph. 2 February 1926. p. 11. Retrieved September 20, 2023 – via The British Newspaper Archive, via The Wikipedia Library.
  18. ^ "Star Acts at Fullers'; Dora Lindsay and the Meurs". Sunday Times. 1923-04-22. Retrieved 2023-09-21 – via Trove.
  19. ^ "Screen Scene". Adelaide Saturday Journal. 22 December 1923. p. 24. Retrieved September 21, 2023 – via NewspaperArchive.com.
  20. ^ "Changes at Theatre Royal: Nellie Kolle's Farewell, Dora Lindsay Joins Company". Telegraph. 1934-09-27. Retrieved 2023-09-21 – via Trove.
  21. ^ "Dora Lindsay Coming to Mudgee". Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative. 1931-09-14. Retrieved 2023-09-21 – via Trove.
  22. ^ "Frank Hatherley at Grenfell". The Grenfell Record and Lachlan District Advertiser. 1935-05-27. p. 2. Retrieved 2023-09-21 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "Rockdale Scottish Concert". The Propeller. 1938-08-11. p. 8. Retrieved 2023-09-21 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Concert at Sutherland". Propeller. 1943-04-01. Retrieved 2023-09-21 – via Trove.
  25. ^ "Scottish Comedienne". Courier-Mail. 1941-11-08. Retrieved 2023-09-21 – via Trove.
  26. ^ Poster for 1936 Long Tack Sam production in Wellington, New Zealand, from the Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.
  27. ^ "Anzac [music] / words & music by Dora Lindsay". Catalogue, National Library of Australia. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
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