Addendum: Marilyn Miller, A Gallery of Early Vaudeville through 1930s Photographs and Imagery

Celebrity icon, Marilyn Monroe, was named after the once world-famous Marilyn Miller. This is Miller's story in pictures.

Advertising illustration (above) from The Delineator, 1930; photographed by Julia Henri from my personal antiquarian book and magazine collection.

Marilyn Miller in Advertising:

(Cover Illustration, Above)
(Advertising Caption, Below)

“Grandmother’s old furnace man was the first to educate Marilyn Miller’s feet. At those same feet, just a few years ago, old New York laid its heart. And from her grandmother’s cellar…to Ziegfeld’s Roof…in just the twinkling of a toe. She really was the “Sally”…of the alley called Broadway.”

In this October, 1930 cigarette advertising illustration for fashion magazine, The Delineator, the sub-caption inaccurately claims that Marilyn Miller learned to tap dance from an elderly, black furnace-man who worked for her grandmother.

In truth, Marilyn befriended a young, handsome, black vaudeville dancer who taught her some of his best routines. Obviously, to the marketing and advertising team for Old Gold, he was far more scandalous than an aged grandpa. Miller later openly credited her young friend as one of her best dance instructors.

This dance clip below, dated 1930, features Marilyn Miller during her famous tap dance routine for the classic movie Sunny.

Child Labor Laws Affected American Vaudeville Acts….

(Below)

This is a rare, original Vaudeville stage photograph of the Miller family including Marilyn’s strict step-father, Caro, as well as her mother Ada, and sisters Ruth and Clair from about 1904. They called themselves “The Five Columbians.” Young Marilyn, is pictured here at about 5 years of age (lower end of the image).

Child labor laws prevented Marilyn Miller from being on stage with her family at this age in the United States, but that was not a problem in other countries. This did not deter the zealous, and sometimes reputedly cruel, Caro Miller from booking the family anywhere and everywhere. Therefore, most of Miller’s early youth was spent traveling with her family throughout the world including Canada, Europe, South America, and even Asia according to some accounts. Original photograph courtesy Hancock Historical Museum, Findlay, Ohio.

Marilyn Miller, Ziegfeld Follies Girl….

Miller’s ballet training matured after she studied with classical Russian instructors. Eventually, she went to work under Florenz Ziegfeld and danced to great acclaim. The images below were promotional photographs taken during her time with the Ziegfeld Follies, dated about 1918.

Original photograph above by renowned Ziegfeld Follies photographer, Alfred Cheney Johnston, courtesy Hancock Historical Museum, Findlay, Ohio.

Photo collage (above) by Julia Henri, unknown photographer, private collection.

Marilyn Miller, Famous Couture Fashions Model….

Marilyn was also known for her modeling and posed for some of the most luxurious fashion magazine and advertising spreads. Below, the fashion photographs of Marilyn are dated August 1918. Original photographs below courtesy of the Hancock Historical Museum, Findlay, Ohio.

(Below)

This is another advertisement shoot from Marilyn’s modeling career. In this image, the actress and dancer attests to the perfect fit of Gossard’s corsetry; she writes:

“Only in the delightful Gossard Corsets do I find that unrestricted freedom of the movement so necessary to my dancing. The photograph I am sending you shows one of the most adored and favorite dresses worn over my Gossard Dancing Corset. Most sincerely, Marilyn Miller, March 1918.”

Original image, Lewis-Smith photographer; courtesy, Hancock Historical Museum, Findlay, Ohio.

Marilyn Becomes One of Florenz Ziegfeld’s Favorites….

Ziegfeld Follies original photograph, above, dated about 1918, courtesy Hancock Historical Museum, Findlay, Ohio.

Original photograph (above) dated about 1918, courtesy New York Public Library; digitally enhanced by Julia Henri.

Photograph by Julia Henri.

(Above)

This is a scarce, original program for the Ziegfeld Follies, dated 1918, from the collection at the Hancock Historical Museum, Findlay, Ohio.

Marilyn Miller sang and danced in the Ziegfeld Follies, as well as other theatrical productions and movies, throughout her lifetime. The images below are from a series of promotional photographs taken for her portfolio. Photography by White Studios, now in the collection of the New York Public Library.

Marilyn Miller Marries Frank Carter, May, 1919….

Marilyn Miller married Frank Carter in 1919. Their fateful marriage ended when Frank died in a tragic auto accident (read about their romantic story in Part 2 of my series). Below is one of the only known images of Frank Carter, now found in the New York Public Library.

Tragedy Strikes, May, 1920….

Following Carter’s funeral, Marilyn was obliged to immediately perform again under Florenz Ziegfeld’s contract for “Sally” but she played the role brilliantly and the audience demanded encore after encore as she sang the words to Look for the Silver Lining:

“A heart full of joy and gladness
Will always banish sadness and strife
So always look for the silver lining
And try to find the sunny side of life.

Above: Marilyn Miller in the film version of “Sally”. Unknown photographer.

Two years following Frank’s death, Marilyn Miller married actor Jack Pickford, who was actress Mary Pickford’s brother. Marilyn mentioned more than once, as it was recorded, that Jack reminded her of Frank Carter. Indeed, there is a resemblance when their photographs are compared. Below is an image of Jack and Marilyn, with their dogs, taken shortly after their marriage.

However, records show that Jack Pickford was an abusive husband due to drug and alcohol addictions. They divorced within 5 years. Unknown photographer, courtesy of the Library of Congress.

In 1924, Marilyn was asked to play Peter Pan on stage by the author, J.M. Barrie, who wrote the fantasy. The actress suffered a broken nose and other injuries from accidents during the rehearsals, especially while suspended from wires during Peter Pan’s dangerous flights through the air. But Marilyn never stopped working.

Photograph (above) of Marilyn Miller as Peter Pan, dated 1924, courtesy New York Public Library, NYC, NY.

The “Simple” Life….

A public relations photo shoot reveals Marilyn Miller’s supposedly simple private life, below, during the year 1925. Photograph collection taken from glass negatives, unknown photographer; via The Library of Congress.

(Below)

Later that same year, Marilyn was featured in the stage production of “Sunny,” that went on to become a film in 1930.

Marilyn as “Sunny” dated 1925. Image courtesy Hancock Historical Museum, Findlay, Ohio.

(Below)

It was during this time that Marilyn Miller also became known as part of New York City’s architecture when the I. Miller Building at 1552 Broadway was built in 1926; now part of Times Square today. A marble statue of Marilyn Miller was installed into one of the four niches designed between the third story windows. The other three actresses who were likewise honored are Mary Pickford, Ethel Barrymore, and Rosa Ponselle. This is a photograph of the statue depicting Marilyn Miller as “Sunny.”

Photograph attributed to Brecht Bug.

Marilyn continued working diligently in the theatre and modeling worlds, although her reputation for being difficult and sickly continued to grow. Below is one of her last fashion photographs taken in 1933, less than three years before her death.

Marilyn Miller died in 1936 and, as she planned, is buried beside her beloved first husband, Frank Carter, in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York City. Image courtesy Hancock Historical Museum, Findlay, Ohio.

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