Here we have Elsie Prince, who was born November 27, 1902 in London. She is mostly remembered today for three films, "Satan in Sydney (1918), "A Lucky Sweep" (1932), and "Seaside Concert Parties" (1947). And she died in Yorkshire in April 1988.
Our card reveals a lot more though, and not just of her shapely legs, for it tells us that she was heavily involved in pantomime. The full text reads "This well-known pantomime artiste was born in London. When eleven years old she appeared at the Queen`s Theatre in Dublin, and at fifteen went to Australia. Since then she has made several tours, playing in musical comedy, in Australia. Elsie Prince enjoys a reputation as a popular and talented performer".
This is not her only cartophilic appearance, either, for she can also be found as
- card 44 of The Imperial Tobacco Company of Canada`s "Famous English Actresses" issued in 1924
- card 17 of Lambert & Butler`s "Types of Modern Beauty", a set which was issued in New Zealand, and in 1927.
The first of these cards adds quite a lot to our knowledge, for it tells us she "started her stage career at the age of 10 years, playing the part of "Little Miss Nobody" in a Dublin (Ireland) pantomime, making a big success, and played the same part for the four following years. In 1920 played the part of "Aladdin" at the London (Eng.) Hippodrome, and this last season completes the fifth consecutive year that she has played principal boy in "Aladdin"
Sadly the Lambert and Butler card has nothing in the way of details about her, it only tells us that "This real coloured photograph is one of a series of 50 now being packed with these cigarettes".
Returning to "Aladdin", its full title was "Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp" and it premiered at the Hippodrome on the 21st of December, 1920. It was written by Laurie Wyle and F. Maxwell-Stewart, with lyrics by Clifford Harris, Valentine and Donovan Parsons, and music by James W. Tate, under the direction of Julian Jones. It starred Lupino Lane as "Pekoe", Nellie Wallace as "Widow Twankey" and, for the evening performances, Phyllis Dare as Princess Badr-al-Budur - Gertrude Lawrence taking that role for the matinees.It did not close for that season until the tenth of April, 1921, which is an amazingly long run for what is generally regarded as "Christmas" entertainment.
She also had two sisters who were also stage actresses - Kitty (or maybe Katherine, who I have not traced) and Edna (born May the eighth 1904, died in 1954). Edna also worked in films, including the 1930 production of "Harmony Heaven".
Our set is rather elusive too, and it appears in our original reference book to the issues of Ardath Tobacco Co. Ltd (RB.10, published in 1943) as a different issuing date to the one usually given, of December, 1939. The write up reveals that there was more than one version, too - and it reads :
- Oct.1938. 54 REAL PHOTOGRAPHS (titled series). "Series Nine". Size 3 3/4" x 2 1/2". Numbered 1-54. Black and white photographs of Film Stars, titled, with white margins. Backs printed in black, titled, with descriptions. Issued with Ardath Cigarettes in Cyprus. Issued to HM Ships in November 1938.
- Oct.1938. 54 REAL PHOTOGRAPHS (titled series). "Series Nine". Size 3 3/4" x 2 1/2". Numbered 1-54. Black and white photographs of Film Stars, titled, with white margins. Backs printed in black, titled, with descriptions. Issued with State Express and Ardath Cigarettes abroad. Issued to HM Ships in November 1938. Subjects the same as the above set.
In our original World Tobacco Issues Index the set is simply described as :
- REAL PHOTOGRAPHS - Miscellaneous with Series Numbers.Black and white photos. Nd. ... A72-59
16. "Series Nine". Film and Stage Stars. (54) Size (a) medium (b) large