Bridge to the Early 20th Century: Mari Lyn Henry’s Interview with Florence Walton

August 31 was the birthday of stage actress Florence Walton (1883-1981), whom I previously profiled here. As I mentioned in that earlier post, friend Mari Lyn Henry had the rare opportunity to interview Ms. Walton nearly a half century ago, as part of a larger research project she was hoping to turn into a book. Sadly, Mari Lyn passed away earlier this year, and I’ve been charged with the responsibility of seeing some of her valuable unfinished projects through to the end. I know she’d love for you to see this little presentation she put together featuring her interview, conducted all those years ago. The below is in her words.

INTERVIEW WITH MS. FLORENCEWALTON PHILLIPS 10/14/1977PLACE: E. Side condominiumHOURS: 6 – 8:30PMREFLECTIONS ON HER CAREER

She was one of the most beautiful and sensitive women I have ever met at the age of 94 with her wits about her and her memory intact about an amazing career that started as a teenager, with a wish to leave Delaware and get to New York City to get into show biz. She was a ‘society’ dancer with her first husband, the handsome and charismatic Maurice Mouvet. Maurice, born in Brooklyn, had a Belgian father, and had had a great success in Paris. At the time—1910s–dancing in cafes in New York was illegal. He introduced ‘cabaret’ dancing here. They became a team in 1912 and were very successful in Paris. At their premiere engagement, they alternated with Vernon and Irene Castle.

During World War I, they entertained the soldiers in France. In recognition of their service they were decorated. They were invited to perform for Queen Mary, (“ I changed the Queen’s mind about the morality of the tango”) King George, the Prince of Wales, Nicholas and Alexandra, and Grand Duke Michael.

They were the first American dance team to appear at the Olympia in Paris and at the Alhambra in London. Then in 1915 they introduced the tango in America. They achieved fame with their ‘Hesitation” Waltz. Their partnership came to an end when Maurice succumbed to tuberculosis at the age of 35.

“I married Leon Leitrim”, she says, “but he was an incurable alcoholic and I divorced him; he died of cirrhosis at age 34.” There was another short marriage to French film director Pierre Columbier, ending in divorce.

When I meet with her, she is married to the handsome, dapper, younger Howard Phillips (who dotes on her), a former stage and film actor, Metropolitan critic for the Journal of Commerce and producer/director at WMCA radio. Now celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary, they still give the impression of being on their honeymoon.

PEOPLE SHE KNEW DURING HER VAUDE – PALACE – ORPHEUM YEARS:

I kept a home in Paris on the Rue Capucine for many years. I played on the same bill with Sarah Bernhardt (who I felt overacted terribly) and attended her funeral. Dear Howard actually carried her on stage. Howard acted in The Last Mile with Spencer Tracy and in Hilda Cassidy with Stella Adler (who insisted that his name appear on the marquee). I taught Valentino the tango and for a while my partner was Allan Fagan,Ina Claire’s younger brother, but he wasn’t very good…

I knew Lew Fields and worked as well with Flo Ziegfeld (Follies of 1908). My first performance with Maurice was for Charles Dillingham at the Globe Theatre. I knew Lou Tellegen (Sarah’s leading man) and introduced him to opera star Geraldine Farrar. She was older than him and crazy about him. But Lou had a yacht in Long Island and it was rumored that he was playing around on the boat. She went there to investigate and found hairpins on the deck. She returned to their brownstone, packed his bags, threw them out the window and said “C’est finis”! He came to me and begged me to intercede but it was over…

Pauline Frederick was a very close friend. She taught me how to make up when we were working in It Happened in Nordland. (1904) I did the Absinthe dance around Harry Davenport. (Note: First production in the Lew Fields theatre). Bernhardt’s biographer, Louis Verneuil committed suicide; as did Lou Tellegen. Tellegen had posed for Rodin’s Thinker...

Tragic about Eleonora Duse. When she was in Pittsburgh, Gaston Glass and Morris Gest gave a supper party for her. Two days later she went to the stage door in the rain and no one let her in. She caught pneumonia and died. Ironically the name of the play was The Closed Door...

When I was in vaudeville, I knew Nora Bayes who said “I have only three notes in my voice.”, E.A. Woolf [was] a great playlet writer and composer. Sophie Tucker was a great friend and Gracie Allen used to watch my act from the wings…

*****

Time is up but not before I see autographed, framed photographs from Edward G. Robinson,Maurice Chevalier, and the King of Spain. all her fans. She signed the sheet music covers featuring her and Maurice.