49.00 USD
Born William Julian Dalton, near Boston Mass., Julian Eltinge (1881-1941), was one of the most famous female impersonators of the 20th century. Making his Broadway debut in 1904 just a few years before this portrait was made, he soon rose to international stardom, both in vaudeville, and on the silent screen.
At the height of his fame, he starred with a young Rudolph Valentino (not as a woman, but as a man, a la Jack Lemmon's character opposite Tony Curtis in "Some Like it Hot"), had stage sets for one of his reviews designed by Erté, a theater named after him on 42nd Street in NYC, and luxuriated in one of the more palatial mansions of Southern California.
As to the most often asked question, it remains unanswered. No lover of either sex ever emerged, though he himself (those days being what they were) is said to have adopted a hyper-masculine demeanor when out of character, going so far as to physically attack stage hands, or even members of the audience, who were careless enough to suggest out loud that he might be homosexual. When stars of the period who knew him well were asked what they believed his private inclinations were, it seems that as often as not, they could go either way...oops :)
As vaudeville faded, so did his star, and by the late 1930s, Mr. Eltinge was reduced to working nightclubs, a far cry from the fame he'd enjoyed just a decade previously. One night in 1941, he grew too ill to finish a set, and just 10 days later, died at home of a cerebral hemorrhage.
This wonderful image though, takes us back to his salad days.
What a fantastic card. We're so pleased to have found such a gem of theatrical history to share, particularly since the image pre-dates the most successful period of his career (the late 1910s). Very nice condition, with only minor wear to edges and corners.
Please examine our high res scans for detail.
Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.
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redpoulaine.blogspot.com
where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!