tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8935297705846111801.post5914950899519027195..comments2024-03-24T16:37:56.651-07:00Comments on Kurt of Gerolstein: 'Tottie' and 'Charlie': matinee idolGEROLSTEINhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446253124724430879noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8935297705846111801.post-54849602472455589342019-08-08T09:14:58.145-07:002019-08-08T09:14:58.145-07:00i did not know about the Times notices, but my par...i did not know about the Times notices, but my parents were great enthusiasts for that sort of thing, in sure it would have been my grandmother Mamie (nee Maud Ella Cohn, ) she died in 1966 but lived with us for the last 5 or so years becôming increasingly disabled by strokes Gael Lewishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06935553005286803035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8935297705846111801.post-75757412762653552912019-08-08T09:00:22.645-07:002019-08-08T09:00:22.645-07:00hello webrarian! i am the gael lewis mentioned in ...hello webrarian! i am the gael lewis mentioned in Kurt’s original post (and Colin’s story) i.e. Charlie and Mamie’s grandson. i am fascinated to hear that you may have information on Mamie’s father, my great grandfather Hermann Cohn , all i know about him is that he was originally german but was naturalised British in New Zealand before setting up in business in London (i know much more about his other children and his wife Anita Davis. i’d love to know more, my email is gael.lewis@uclmail.net Gael Lewishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06935553005286803035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8935297705846111801.post-30864684561656922082019-07-25T09:13:40.167-07:002019-07-25T09:13:40.167-07:00I ended up here when researching the Durrell (as i...I ended up here when researching the Durrell (as in Gerald Durrell) family. Louisa Durrell (née Dixie) was distantly related to the Cohns, via the Joshuas (including Elgar's Marie Joshua).<br /><br />I think it must have been Mamie who put an "In Memoriam" in The Times every year until (probably) 1963. That one reads "Always in my thoughts, dear one."<br /><br />Webrarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02975303713948128132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8935297705846111801.post-82093302032618900282018-11-18T07:55:37.674-08:002018-11-18T07:55:37.674-08:00Hi Sam,
Many thanks for taking the time to make T...Hi Sam,<br /><br />Many thanks for taking the time to make Tottie's information available on Wikipedia. <br /><br />As founder of the little coven (which I prefer to call a "cult") referenced by Kurt, I was wondering if you might consider another modification or two. <br /><br />My role in all this is entirely happenstance -- my primary "spare time" activity has been restoring and managing an 1868 building in Newburgh, NY, which had been home to several once-famous and now-forgotten figures, including a minor composer William Fullerton, Jr. <br /><br />Viewed on its own, Fullerton's surviving work is entirely forgettable; but his personal history and the role Willie played in launching the careers of his two friends, Percy Andersen and Hayden Coffin, seem worthy of attention. On the latter, Coffin tells the story in some detail in "Hayden Coffin's Book". Describing the lengthy preparation period, he writes "Except for Hamilton, we were all novices: it was Fullerton's first opera, Andersen had never designed for the stage before, and as for me I was utterly new and untried." He further explains that there were delays in completing the piece (a chronic issue with Willie), so Hollingshead found Pocahontas as a stop-gap for his empty theatre, which became Tottie's first appearance. <br /><br />When Locket finally opened, the critics were mixed on the music, but London was astonished by Percy and thrilled with Tottie. Still, I believe the record is clear that Willie rescued Percy from obscurity as a struggling artist and saved Coffin from a life in his parent's dental practice. (I believe I read somewhere that his mother was also dentists, but I don't have the cite.)<br /><br />Willie died in 1888, and I won't bore you with the rest of the story, although Willie's incomplete score for "Waldemar: Robber of the Rhine" also plays a mystery role in Coffin's disappointing debut in the U.S. (On the same trip during which he married the former Mrs. Randegger.) <br /><br />Regretfully, I have only limited time to devote to all these subjects, owing to a job and family, plus the monster project in Newburgh, and have the technology skills of a below-average 12-year old. Colin and I hope to produce a book on this, but I will probably have to sell Willie's original home in order to find time to work on his story. <br /><br />Many thanks again, and of course to Kurt for providing guidance over the last few years,<br /><br />Michael Green <br /><br />p.s. you can contact me directly at MicGree@gmail.comthe lonely moderatehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13862208173333274993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8935297705846111801.post-62029864381214038982018-11-16T18:44:29.891-08:002018-11-16T18:44:29.891-08:00Hi Sam. I will be in touch -- or perhaps better, C...Hi Sam. I will be in touch -- or perhaps better, Colin -- and thanks a heap for being so Wikipositive! (And for putting Tottie on Wiki to start with!).<br />Kurt<br />GEROLSTEINhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08446253124724430879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8935297705846111801.post-64178022711580784322018-11-16T17:00:47.801-08:002018-11-16T17:00:47.801-08:00I originated the Wikipedia article on Hayden Coffi...I originated the Wikipedia article on Hayden Coffin about 10 years ago. He was a major musical theatre actor from the 1860s to about 1930. I agree that his article needs expansion and updating by someone who has access to better sources than I do. Of course, all new information added to the article must be cited to a published source. <br /><br />Based on this blog article, I've added some information to Coffin's WP article about his long affair with Mamie Christie, and mentioned their two children. Should the Davis or Lewis connection be mentioned, and if so, can you give any further details about that?<br /><br />All the best,<br />Samsshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11739254253389694657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8935297705846111801.post-7945032004930491172018-11-16T16:37:10.332-08:002018-11-16T16:37:10.332-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Kevinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15468691341294101638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8935297705846111801.post-70641837711063359732018-11-16T16:20:18.385-08:002018-11-16T16:20:18.385-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.sshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11739254253389694657noreply@blogger.com