She Was A Player

I was intrigued some years ago when I came across this gravestone in the Albany Rural Cemetery:

A contemporary publicity piece said of her: “An excellent actress, who has created many important roles in favorite modern dramas is Miss Carrie Turner, favorably known to American playgoers, and especially to those of New York and Boston, where she was for several years leading lady in prominent companies. She was the original of ‘Niobe’ in the play of that name, and also created the part of Mrs. Eastlake Chapel, in ‘The Crust of Society.’ She was the leading lady of the Boston Theatre Stock Company for some time before starting out as a star in ‘The Edge of Society,’ for the season of 1893-94. Miss Turner has earned her way to public favor by hard work and careful study, and is
thoroughly artistic in all she does, showing great versatility as well as ability.”

When she died, it was noted in the New York Times with the following obituary:

ACTRESS CARRIE TURNER DEAD.

She passes away at the Dansville Sanitarium After a Long Career on the
Stage.

Albany, Oct. 12 (1897) — Carrie Turner, the well-known actress, and
the wife of John Mack of this city, died at the sanitarium at
Dansville to-day. She was born in Albany, and made her first public
appearance here.

Carrie Turner was for years a favorite in New York. She was a member
of Daniel Frohman’s Madison Square Theatre company, and appeared as
leading lady in several of the most successful plays produced by it.
While yet on the stage she was married to Albert J. His, a Swiss.
After her retirement she went to Switzerland to live with him, but the
marriage was not a happy one, and she returned to this country,
bringing her child with her. She obtained a divorce here, which the
Swiss courts refused to recognize, and as the husband continued to
demand possession of the child, there was for a time an international
question, over which there was some diplomatic correspondence. A
compromise was finally made.

Miss Turner returned to the American stage, and with Steel Mackaye,
played in “Paul Kauvar.” Later she appeared here and
elsewhere in Charles Frohman’s “Sporting Duchess” company.

And not to beat this to death, but a book available on Google Books, “The Drama, Painting, Poetry, and Song” by Albert Ellery
Berg, says: “Actresses like Miss Carrie Turner, Miss Clara Spence, Mrs. Davenport, Mrs. Drew, Miss McHenry, and others who might be named, have won their places by force of talent and intelligence.”

34 years old when she died. Carrie, we hardly knew ye.

Never let it be said that Hoxsie is a player hater.