Marjorie Bonner (19th century actress)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Marjorie Bonner (c.1862–14 Nov 1895), the stage name of Catherine F. Goodwin,[1] was a 19th-century American theatre actress. She came from a performing family that included her sisters, the actresses Maude and Myra Goodwin, and her brother, the comedian George Richards.[2][3]
Bonner's appearance was likened to that of Lily Langtry, and she was called "The New Jersey Lily."[4] She often played second to actress Margaret Mather.[5]
In 1883, she was a member of the Hortense Rhéa company. Monte Cristo was presented by the National Theatre in December. Actor James O'Neill performed the leading role, with Frederic De Belleville playing Noirlier. The female characters were of lesser significance in the play, but were rendered convincingly by Bonner, Eugenie Blair, and Annie Boudinot.[6]
In 1885, Bonner acted the part of Cicely Blaine, the heroine in The Galley Slave, adapted from the writing of Bartley Campbell.[7] Over the play's run, Bonner and her co-star A.G. Enos developed a dislike for one another. During one performance, he flubbed some lines, and he felt her reaction was disrespectful. After the curtain call, he screamed and cursed at her, even threatening to slap her. Bonner grabbed a hammer and chased him around the theatre, swinging wildly for his head. Enos managed to escape into a dressing room unharmed. Bonner threatened to leave the production, but the situation was smoothed over.[8]
In July 1887, it was announced that Bonner would play Ophelia in Joseph Haworth's production of Hamlet; six weeks later, she left the company, stating that they breached their contract by giving that and other roles she was promised to different actresses.[9][10]
Her final performance before retiring at the age of 30 was in an outdoor production of William Shakespeare's As You Like It in Saratoga, NY.[11][12]