Sanderson, Julia

Hide Profile

Julia Sanderson, musical comedy star of the early 1900s through the 1920s, was born in 1887 in Springfield, Massachusetts. Most of her childhood was spent in Philadelphia where her father, actor Albert Sackett, was a member of the Forepaugh Stock Company. Julia's stage debut was with her father's company when she was thirteen. Her interest in drama was replaced by musical theatre and in 1904, while appearing in the chorus of Winsome Winnie, she stepped in for the leading actress and met with great success. This led to a contract with the Shuberts. In The Sunshine Girl (1915), under the management of Charles Frohman, she became a star. She did several shows with comic Joseph Cawthorn and was also successfully paired with Donald Brian. Sanderson was known for her fresh and charming portrayals. She was "without a trace of the artificial stage manner which marks so many musical comedy prima donnas". Among her many hits were The Girl From Utah, Rambler Rose and The Canary . In 1921 she appeared in Tangerine opposite Frank Crumit who had written her featured number " Sweet Lady". They went on to appear together in No, No, Nanette, Queen High and Oh, Kay and were married in 1927. [Sanderson had been married twice before: to jockey James T. Sloan in 1907 and to Lt. Bradford Barnette in 1916. Both marriages ended in divorce.] The Crumits attempted to retire in 1928 by moving to their estate "Dunrovin" in Longmeadow, Massachusetts only to be lured back to performing on the radio. They became a popular radio team in the 1930s and remained radio stars until Crumit's death in 1943. Sanderson retired once again to "Dunrovin". She died in Springfield in 1975 at the age of 87.

From the guide to the Julia Sanderson papers, 1913-1935, 1913-1928, (The New York Public Library. Billy Rose Theatre Division.)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Ward Morehouse papers, 1877-1966, 1924-1966 The New York Public Library. Billy Rose Theatre Division.
referencedIn Victoria Theatre (Dayton, Ohio). Season 1910-1911. Ohio State University Libraries
creatorOf Julia Sanderson papers, 1913-1935, 1913-1928 The New York Public Library. Billy Rose Theatre Division.
referencedIn John Eldon Thayer collection of motion picture memorabilia, 1916-1979. Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Berlin, Irving, 1888- person
associatedWith Caryll, Ivan, 1861-1921 person
associatedWith Charles Frohman person
associatedWith Conrad, Con, 1891-1938 person
associatedWith Crumit, Frank, 1889-1943 person
associatedWith Dorothy Edwards person
associatedWith Errol, Leon, 1881-1951 person
associatedWith Frank Crumit person
associatedWith Gensler, Lewis E., 1896-1978 person
associatedWith Gershwin, George, 1898-1937 person
associatedWith Jacobi, Viktor, 1883-1921 person
associatedWith Jones, Sidney, 1861-1946 person
associatedWith Kern, Jerome, 1885-1945 person
associatedWith Lambs Club corporateBody
associatedWith Morehouse, Ward, 1898-1966 person
associatedWith Rubens, Paul A. (Paul Alfred), 1875-1917 person
associatedWith Sanders, Carlo person
associatedWith Thayer, John Eldon, 1899-1980 person
associatedWith Victoria Theatre (Dayton, Ohio). corporateBody
associatedWith Woollcott, Alexander, 1887-1943 person
associatedWith Youmans, Vincent, 1898-1946 person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Subject
Musical theater
Vaudeville
Occupation
Activity

Person

Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6j180sg

Ark ID: w6j180sg

SNAC ID: 58851408