Mercedes Delpino Explained

Mercedes Delpino Lahr
Other Names:Mercedes Delpino Lahrheim (married name), E. Mercedes (stage name)
Birth Date:19 February 1898
Birth Place:San Juan, Puerto Rico
Death Place:Tucson, Arizona, US
Occupation:Actress

Mercedes Delpino (February 19, 1898 – May 12, 1965) was an American dancer and comedian, born in Puerto Rico. She was half of a successful vaudeville and burlesque comedy act in the 1920s with Bert Lahr, who was also her husband.

Early life

Delpino was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and raised in New York City.

Career

Delpino was a chorus girl, comedian, and dancer, touring the United States and Canada[1] on the vaudeville and burlesque stages in the 1920s. She was described as "one of the most beautiful women on vaudeville... dark and alluring".[2] She shared an "ultra smart" comedy act[3] with comedian Bert Lahr,[4] [5] usually billed as "Lahr & Mercedes".[6] [7] They were on Broadway together in Harry Delmar's Revels in 1927;[8] by then, bouts of mental instability were beginning to affect her work, and she left the stage while Lahr continued to greater success.[9]

In 1997, archival footage of Mercedes Delpino Lahr appeared in a documentary about vaudeville, part of the American Masters series on PBS.

Personal life and legacy

Delpino and Lahr had a son together, Herbert E. Lahr, in 1928. They were married until 1939, when the marriage was annulled on the basis of her longterm chronic mental illness,[10] [11] [12] so that he was able to remarry.[13] She was institutionalized, and later lived in her sister Isabel's home. She died at home in 1965, aged 67 years, in Tucson, Arizona.[14] [15] The play Max and Maxie by James McLure is a fictionalized account of her life with Lahr; the Maxie character, based on Delpino, was played by Sandy Roveta in the show's 1989 New York run.[16]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: 1926-09-11. Four Headline Acts Coming to the Orpheum. 25. The Winnipeg Tribune. 2022-01-12. Newspapers.com.
  2. News: 1927-02-22. Keith Headliner Gets Big Portion of Laughs. 18. The Dayton Herald. 2022-01-12. Newspapers.com.
  3. News: 1926-05-12. Lahr & Mercedes and Bower's Revue at Proctor's Tomorrow. 4. The Yonkers Herald. 2022-01-12. Newspapers.com.
  4. May 13, 1957. Up from 'Gung, Gung'. Life. 127.
  5. Web site: Bert Lahr. 2022-01-12. Broadway: The American Musical. en-US.
  6. News: 1928-10-21. ACTORS IN THE BROADWAY SPOTLIGHT'S GLARE; Bert Lahr and the Havel Brothers, New Musical Show Funny Men--And Something About That Doorman In "Night Hostess" Two More Comics. Considering Mr. Hall.. en-US. The New York Times. 2022-01-12. 0362-4331.
  7. Book: Lahr, John. Notes on a Cowardly Lion: The Biography of Bert Lahr. 2013-01-22. Open Road Media. 978-1-4532-8874-0. en.
  8. Web site: E. Mercedes. 2022-01-12. IBDB.
  9. Book: Cullen. Frank. Vaudeville old & new: an encyclopedia of variety performances in America. Hackman. Florence. McNeilly. Donald. 2007. Psychology Press. 978-0-415-93853-2. 644. en.
  10. News: 1939-03-03. LAHR ASKS ANNULMENT; Actor, in Westchester Suit, Says Wife Has Been Insane 5 Years. en-US. The New York Times. 2022-01-12. 0362-4331.
  11. 1939-11-13. Milestones, Nov. 13, 1939. en-US. Time. 2022-01-12. 0040-781X.
  12. News: 1939-10-24. Lahr Annulment Due. 296. Daily News. 2022-01-12. Newspapers.com.
  13. News: 1939-01-09. Wife is Insane, Says Lahr; Asks an Annulment. 207. Daily News. 2022-01-12. Newspapers.com.
  14. News: 1965-05-14. Mercedes Lahr, 67, Comedian's Ex-Wife. 46. Newsday (Suffolk Edition). 2022-01-12. Newspapers.com.
  15. News: 1965-05-13. Mrs. Lahr Dies at Home in Tucson. 55. Tucson Citizen. 2022-01-12. Newspapers.com.
  16. News: Gussow. Mel. 1989-01-18. Review/Theater; A Fictional Bert Lahr In Crisis. en-US. The New York Times. 2022-01-12. 0362-4331.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Mercedes Delpino".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.