Lydia Yeamans Titus

Lydia Yeamans Titus (1866? – 29 December 1929) was an Australian singer and actress of the stage and motion pictures. She was the daughter of Edward Yeamans, a circus clown and Annie Yeamans (1835 – 3 March 1912). Her mother was a noted stage performer on two continents as well as having traveled to Japan, China, Java and the Philippines. Her parents came to America through San Francisco and shortly after arriving Mr Yeamans died. Lydia had two siblings, older sister Jennie Yeamans (1862 – 28 November 1906) was an even more famous child actress on the stage in the 1870s and 1880s, and died of tuberculosis in 1906. And younger sister Emily Yeamans who was a supporting actress and who died young as well. Lydia also a child actress & singer became more famous to film audiences as a character actress after she started appearing in silent films in the 1910s.

International star

As a vaudeville attraction in 1900, Titus was made an honorary member of the Buffalo, New York Elks Lodge. She was later made an honorary member of the San Francisco lodge.

Titus made popular the song Sally In Our Alley and performed it for Edward VII. She was presented with a gold bar pin by the king with the first notes of the song written in diamonds.

The actress gave life to a variety of characters and was especially skilled in playing child life roles. Her imitations were masterpieces of the art of mimicry. She captivated audiences with the personality she brought to each theatrical production.

Titus began her movie career in 1911. In 1915 she became a screen performer for Universal Studios. Later on, she supported, among others, Geraldine Farrar. With the latter she made The World And Its Woman (1919). The story was about a Russian peasant who rises to fame as an operatic diva. In the movie Titus sang some of the songs(though this was a silent film) that she performed for English royalty in the 1890s.

Titus's extensive filmography encompasses a good part of the silent film era and would've extended far into the talkies if she had not died in 1929. She supported some of Hollywood's most well known and legendary stars like Rudolph Valentino, Lon Chaney and even Jackie Coogan.

She was married to the pianist Frederick J. Titus. He had previously been married to the actress Edna May from 1896 to 1904. It is not known if Titus and Yeamans had children.

Death

Lydia Yeamans Titus died in 1929 from a paralytic stroke. She was given hospital care by the Motion Picture Relief Fund. Her remains were cremated and the ashes were thrown into the waves of the Pacific Ocean.

External links

• Lydia Yeamans Titus at the Internet Movie Database
• picture of Lydia Yeamans(on left) & her sister Jennie circa mid 1870s
• Lydia Yeamans Titus photo gallery NY Public Library Billy Rose Collection(man in photos probably Fred Titus)

References

• New York Times, To Dodge Germs, 2 August 1903, Page 46.
• Oakland Tribune, Film Players Mourning For Noted Actress, Wednesday Evening, 1 January 1930, Page 29.
• Olean, New York Herald, Enter Lydia Yeamans Titus, Thursday, 26 June 1919, Page 5.
• Reno Evening Gazette, Record Attendance At Wigwam Theater, 14 September 1914, Page 2.
• "Forty Years Observation of Music and the Drama" by Robert Grau, c. 1909 ( Google Books online resource)
• New York Times, 28 August 1910, "An Actress at 76 and Still Happy in Her Work; Mrs Annie Yeamans Exponent of Comedy Parts for Sixty-Six years Finds Comfort in Her Never Ceasing Ability to Make World Laugh" (New York Times, online resource)