Before there was Shirley Temple or Judy Garland or Fanny Brice, before musical comedy even existed as a genre, Maggie Mitchell (1836-1918) consistently drew sold-out crowds for four decades as a musical comedy star. Admired by Abraham Lincoln as well as John Wilkes Booth, along with millions of adoring fans, both female and male, Maggie blazed across the American stage, her energy unstoppable in her signature roles: Fanchon, Little Barefoot, Pearl of Savoy, French Spy, Little Savage, and Jane Eyre. Trying to capture her appeal, reviewers exhausted their store of adjectives and metaphors, among them “vivacious,” “beautiful,” “hoydenish,” “sprightly,” “piquant,” “elfin,” “impish,” “mischievous,” “winsome,” “electric,” “versatile,” “chaste,” “a fascinating little witch,” “a materialized sunbeam” and “a champagne sparkle.” When she finally retired, one of the wealthiest actresses in the world, she left in her wake dozens of Maggie Mitchell imitators, and critics ever since have spoken of the “Maggie Mitchell style” of acting: effervescent, endearing, and eternally youthful. As an actress, a faithful wife and mother, and an icon of respectability in a field often condemned by moralists, she left a legacy of unparalleled achievement.
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