Born in Philadelphia, PA in September 1835, Rose Eytinge made her first appearance as an amateur actress in Brooklyn at the age of seventeen (Wilson and Fiske 396). Her first professional appearance was as Melanie in "The Old Guard" in a dramatic stock company in Syracuse, NY under the management of Geary Hough. She soon became "the leading juvenile woman" in the company but quickly moved on to her second professional acting engagement as the leading lady at the Green Street Theatre in Albany, NY (Eytinge 8). While acting in Albany, Eytinge married her first husband, theater manager David Barnes (Wingate 173). In addition to her roles as leading lady, Eytinge also supported visiting actresses Charlotte Crampton and Ada Clare at the Green Street Theater (Eytinge 19). In her memoir, Eytinge describes the development of a rivalry and friendship with Clare when the other actress came to Albany. Warned by her fellow cast members that she "had better go at once and obtain a willow wreath to wear in place of the crown which [she] had just lost," Eytinge comments that she responded with "a saucy assumption of indifference" to Clare’s arrival (20). However, Eytinge also claims that later she gave Clare "my warmest admiration, my love and allegiance" (21).
After Eytinge’s marriage to Barnes ended, she moved to New York and made her first appearance on the stage there in 1862 at the Olympic Theatre, which was under the management of Laura Keene (Wilson and Fiske 396). Her friendship with Ada Clare, who had also moved to New York, continued and Eytinge frequented the Sunday evening parties Clare threw at her house on West 42nd Street. In her memoir, Eytinge describes how at these parties there "could be found a group of men and women, all of whom had distinguished themselves in various avenues,--in literature, art, music, drama, war, philanthropy. The women were beautiful and brilliant, the men clever and distinguished" (21). Eytinge notes that the visitors to Clare’s house included John Clancey, Stephen Fiske, William Winter and his wife Lizzie Campbell, Peter B. Sweeney, Mary Freeman Goldbeck, Fanny Brown, Walt Whitman, Henry Clapp, William Stuart, Ed H. House and others (Eytinge 21-2). She says of these gatherings:
This was Bohemia, and our fairy-like, beautiful young hostess was its queen. A veritable queen she was, receiving from her subjects their love and loyalty, which she won by her quiet sincere and unpretentious, unconscious dignity, and drawing from each member of her court, by her gracious presence, all that was best in them of brilliancy, kindliness, courtesy, and wit (22).
Rose Eytinge originally met Edwin Booth, brother of John Wilkes Booth, while working in Albany, but it was later in New York that he offered her the part of Fiordilisa in "A Fool’s Revenge." She was impressed by "his gentleness, his sweet temper, his unvarying, simple kindliness" to her and felt great sympathy for his suffering after his brother assassinated President Abraham Lincoln (Eytinge 28). Eytinge eagerly accepted an offer by Edgar Davenport and John Wallack to join their acting company and tour the east coast from Maine to Washington, D.C. During an acclaimed stint at the Washington Theatre in Washington, D.C., Eytinge accompanied Davenport and Wallack to the White House and was commended by President Lincoln.
After touring with Davenport and Wallack’s company, Eytinge took the role as the leading lady at Wallack’s Theatre in New York from 1868-9. Here she became "the first leading woman in this country . . . on the English-speaking stage, who had ever commanded a three-figure salary" (Eytinge 40). Her roles as leading lady included Nancy Sykes, Lady Gay Spanker, Beatrice and others (Wilson and Fiske 396). Eytinge left the stage in 1869 to travel abroad with her second husband George H. Butler, the U.S. Consul-General to Egypt. While in Egypt, Eytinge prepared to play the role of Cleopatra upon her return to New York by purchasing fabrics for her costumes (Wingate 173). At the request of Lester Wallack and Augustin Daly, Eytinge resumed acting upon her return to New York, performing the "best dramatic work" of her stage career in parts such as Lady Macbeth, Cleopatra, Hermione, Rose Michel, Gabrielle Le Brun, Felicia, and Miss Multon (Eytinge 215). At the age of forty-two, Eytinge’s portrayal of Cleopatra at the Broadway Theatre was deemed "her finest impersonation" (Wingate 172). After her marriage to George H. Butler ended, Eytinge visited England in 1880 where she met her third husband, actor Cyril Searle. Upon her return to the United States in 1884, she embarked on a successful acting tour of the Western states, performing as the leading lady in California, Nevada and Utah theaters and accompanied by Searle. (Wilson and Fiske 396). Eytinge passed away at the age of seventy-six in Amityville, New York, where she had been living under the care of the Actor's Fund of America ("ROSE EYTINGE").
References & Biographical Resources Belphegor. "Dramatic Feuilleton." New York Saturday Press. 12 Dec. 1865: 280-281. [pages:281] C. B. S. [Seymour, Charles Bailey]. "Dramatic Feuilleton." New York Saturday Press. 14 Nov. 1865: 216-217. C.B.S. mentions that she was a member of the cast in Brougham's performance of Playing with Fire at the Winter Garden (217). [pages:217] Eytinge, Rose. The Memories of Rose Eytinge: Being Recollections & Observations of Men, Women, and Events, during Half a Century. New York: Frederick A. Stokes, 1905. Eytinge made her first professional appearance as Melanie in "The Old Guard" in a dramatic stock company in Syracuse, NY at the age of seventeen.She soon became "the leading juvenile woman" in the company but quickly moved on to her second professional acting engagement as the leading lady at the Green Street Theatre in Albany, NY (Eytinge 8). In addition to her role as leading lady, Eytinge also supported visiting actresses Charlotte Crampton and Ada Clare at the Green Street Theater (19).In her memoir, Eytinge describes the development of a rivalry and friendship with Clare when the other actress came to Albany.Warned by her fellow cast members that she "had better go at once and obtain a willow wreath to wear in place of the crown which [she] had just lost," Eytinge comments that she responded with "a saucy assumption of indifference" to Clare's arrival (20).However, Eytinge also claims that later she gave Clare "my warmest admiration, my love and allegiance" (21). Eytinge moved to New York and made her first appearance on the stage there in 1862 at the Olympic Theatre.Her friendship with Ada Clare, who had also moved to New York, continued and Eytinge frequented the Sunday evening parties Clare threw at her house on West 42nd Street.Eytinge describes how at these parties there "could be found a group of men and women, all of whom had distinguished themselves in various avenues,--in literature, art, music, drama, war, philanthropy.The women were beautiful and brilliant, the men clever and distinguished" (21).Eytinge also remembers that the visitors to Clare's house included John Clancey, Stephen Fiske, William Winter and his wife Lizzie Campbell, Peter B. Sweeney, Mary Freeman Goldbeck, Fanny Brown, Walt Whitman, Henry Clapp, William Stuart, Ed H. House and others (21-2).She says of these gatherings, "This was Bohemia, and our fairy-like, beautiful young hostess was its queen. A veritable queen she was, receiving from her subjects their love and loyalty, which she won by her quiet sincere and unpretentious, unconscious dignity, and drawing from each member of her court, by her gracious presence, all that was best in them of brilliancy, kindliness, courtesy, and wit" (22). Eytinge originally met Edwin Booth, brother of John Wilkes Booth, while working in Albany, but it was later in New York that he offered her the part of Fiordilisa in "A Fool's Revenge."She was impressed by "his gentleness, his sweet temper, his unvarying, simple kindliness" to her and felt great sympathy for his suffering after his brother assassinated President Lincoln (28).She illustrates her closeness to the Booth family when she writes that "the body of John Wilkes Booth was secretly exhumed, conveyed to Baltimore, and given to his mother" (33). Eytinge eagerly accepted an offer by Edgar Davenport and John Wallack to join their acting company and tour the east coast from Maine to Washington, D.C. She referred to the decision to join their company as "the best day's work I ever did for myself" (45).During an acclaimed stint at the Washington Theatre in Washington, D.C., Eytinge met President Lincoln.After attending several performances at the theater, Lincoln invited Davenport and Wallack to the White House and they brought Eytinge along for the visit.Eytinge records the experience of meeting the president in her memoir by explaining, "I was presented to the President, he took my hand, and, holding it while he looked down upon me from his great height, said: 'So this is the little lady that all us folks in Washington like so much?' Then, with a portentous shake of his head, but with a twinkle in his eye, he continued, 'Don't you ever come 'round here, asking me to do some of those impossible things you women always ask for, for I would have to do it, and then I'd get into trouble'(76-7). After touring with Davenport and Wallack's company, Eytinge took the role as the leading lady at Wallack's Theatre in New York from 1868-9.Here she commanded a "three figure salary" and "was the first leading woman in this country . . . on the English-speaking stage, who had ever commanded a three-figure salary" (40). Eytinge left the stage in 1869 to travel abroad.She records her experiences in the Orient including her observations about the treatment of women there.She claims a new appreciation for the status of women in America as a result (150). Eytinge states that she had no intention to return to the stage after her time abroad.At the request of Lester Wallack and Augustin Daly, however, Eytinge resumed acting upon her return to New York, performing the "best dramatic work" of her stage career in parts such as Lady Macbeth, Cleopatra, Hermione, Rose Michel, Gabrielle Le Brun, Felicia, and Miss Multon (215). Eytinge traveled abroad again in 1880, this time to England. Upon her return to the United States in 1884, she embarked on a successful acting tour of the Western states, performing as the leading lady in California, Nevada and Utah theaters. Eytinge ends her memoir by regretting the changes in her profession, especially the loss of "mystery" surrounding actresses. "It used to be the custom for an actress of any prominence," she explains, "to surround herself with an atmosphere of exclusiveness and mystery. She was never to be seen, as she may be constantly, to-day, upon the ordinary promenade, or at the theatre, or shopping, or at teas, or receptions. She was known personally only to a few intimate friends. The public never saw her, except upon the stage" (307). [pages:FP(ill.),28(ill.),44(ill.),60(ill.),86(ill.),112(ill.),218(ill.),250(ill.)] Figaro [Clapp, Henry Jr.]. "Dramatic Feuilleton." New-York Saturday Press. 13 Mar. 1866: 5. Figaro writes that he sees everything coulour de rose, the way a friend described the world the night he met Miss Eytinge (5). [pages:5] Figaro [Clapp, Henry Jr.]. "Dramatic Feuilleton." New York Saturday Press. 13 Feb. 1866: 72-73. Eytinge is mentioned as part of the cast of the forthcoming Ticket-of-Leave Man at the Winter Garden in a benefit for Mr. Humphrey Bland (73). [pages:73] Figaro [Clapp, Henry Jr.]. "Dramatic Feuilleton." New York Saturday Press. 16 Jan. 1866: 8-9. Figaro notes in a P.S. that Eytinge has left the Winter Garden (9). [pages:9] Figaro [Clapp, Henry Jr.]. "Dramatic Feuilleton."New York Saturday Press. 17 Oct. 1865: 152-153. Figaro recommends Eytinge's performance as "Florence Trenchard" in Our American Cousin at the Winter Garden (153). [pages:153] Figaro [Clapp, Henry Jr.]. "Dramatic Feuilleton."New York Saturday Press. 19 Sep. 1865: 89. Figaro reports that Miss Rose Eytinge played the role of "Mrs. Swansdown" in Everybody's Friend at the Winter Garden (89). [pages:89] Figaro [Clapp, Henry Jr.]. "Dramatic Feuilleton."New York Saturday Press. 30 Sep. 1865: 136-137. Figaro reports that she will play the supporting role of "Florence Trenchard" in the Winter Garden's production of Our American Cousin starring Clarke (137). [pages:137] "[Obituary of George H. Butler]." The Hunterdon County Democrat. 18 May 1886. Mentions that Rose Eytinge was once married to George H. Butler. "ROSE EYTINGE DEAD AT 76: Once Noted Actress Cared for by Actors’ Fund--Her Career." The New York Times. 21 Dec. 1911: 11. Chronicles Rose Eytinge's acting career and mentions her three marriages. [pages:11] Wilson, James Grant and John Fiske, eds. Appletons' Cyclopaedia of American Biography, Volume II, Crane-Grimshaw. New York: D. Appleton & Co., 1888. Born in 1835, Eytinge first appeared on the stage as an amateur in Brooklyn in 1852. She began her professional acting career at the Green Street Theater in Albany, NY at the age of seventeen. Eytinge made her first appearance on the stage in New York at the Olympic Theatre in 1862.She was the leading lady in Wallack's company from 1868-9, playing the parts of Nancy Sykes, Lady Gay Spanker and Beatrice among others.Eytinge was married to David Barnes, a theater manager in Albany, George H. Butler, the U.S. Consul-General to Egypt, and Cyril Searle, a British actor. [pages:396] Wingate, Charles E. L. Shakespeare's Heroines on the Stage. New York: T.Y. Crowell & Company, 1895. Eytinge was the leading lady at Wallack's Theatre in New York where she successfully acted the roles of Beatrice, Lady Gay Spanker, Nancy Sykes, Mrs. Sternhold, Rose Michel and Felicia.When her first marriage to David Barnes ended unhappily, Eytinge married George H. Butler, the U.S. Consul-General to Egypt.While in Egypt with her new husband, Eytinge planned for her upcoming role as Cleopatra by purchasing fabric to use for her costumes.At the age of forty-two, Eytinge played Cleopatra at the Broadway Theatre in New York in what Wingate calls "her finest impersonation" (172). After her marriage with Butler ended, Eytinge married English actor Cyril Searle. [pages:172-173, 172(ill.)]