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Ventriloquist

Grace De Wintress

An English girl ventriloquist who worked more than one dummy at a time and quick-changed her own costume and theirs in front of the house, toured American vaudeville for a decade under half a dozen spellings of her own name, and was dead at thirty-three before any paper could settle on the right one.

Her own funeral notice could not settle on how to spell her name. The New-York Tribune ran the headline as De Wintress and the body copy two lines later as De Wintres, and neither one matched the Grace De Winters printed across a decade of route sheets from Wisconsin to Alabama.[1] She was dead at thirty-three, a long way from the England she'd left behind, and everything this archive can find of her working life is a stack of newspaper clippings that can't agree on a single fact except that she worked a dummy in front of a paying crowd for the better part of eleven years.

A costume change nobody else in this archive was doing

In December 1915, the Detroit Times ran a line on her that stands alone in this whole corpus: "Ora DeWinters, a clever girl ventriloquist who changes her own costume and those of the dummies before the audience."[7] That is a full quick-change act built around ventriloquism, her own wardrobe and her figures' both, done in view of the house rather than backstage. It is the kind of bit that only works if the crowd already half-believes the figures are just objects and the act's whole trick is proving they're wrong anyway. The record does not preserve what she called her dummies, only that by 1920 the ads were still describing "comical dummy assistants," plural, meaning she carried more than one of them for most, if not all, of her working life.[7]

Ten years, six spellings, one act that toured

The earliest clipping this archive holds puts her in East St. Louis in September 1910: "Miss Grace DeWinters, the first lady ventriloquist ever seen on an East St. Louis stage, made good. Her act is different. She is cute and nifty in everything she undertakes."[3] By August 1914 she was in Milwaukee, at the Crystal, billed for "ventriloquial impersonations of Harry Lauder and Eva Tanguay," on a bill with an Irish character turn called "Mag Haggerty's Father," Norins Carman and her minstrels, and the Cycling McNutts.[4] A woman doing a Scotsman's voice and a vaudeville headliner's voice in the same ten minutes, in 1914, is working both sides of an impersonation act most performers of either sex never attempted at all.

Four years after Detroit, the Birmingham Age-Herald called her "a celebrated woman ventriloquist," clever and entertaining, "working with a dummy," and noted the house gave her hearty applause.[2] In August 1919 she was three nights at the Grand in Bemidji, Minnesota, billed flatly as "World's Premier Girl Ventriloquist," on a double bill with Robert Warwick in "The Mad Lover," the Five Winsome Maids, Beau Monde, and Miss Dena Cooper and Company in "The Frame-Up." Two shows a night, 7:15 and 9:15. Children a quarter, adults forty cents, war tax included.[5] In September 1920 the Washington Evening Star had her doing "character songs and impersonations apparently given through the mouths of her comical dummy assistants."[7] That December, eight months before she died, the Birmingham Age-Herald announced she was returning to town billed as "vaudeville's leading girl ventriloquist," with "an entirely new line of character impressions and songs."[2] She was still booking fresh material eight months before the end.

"A clever girl ventriloquist who changes her own costume and those of the dummies before the audience."

Read those clippings in order and one thing is consistent even as the spelling never is: first lady, celebrated, premier, leading. Every booker along the route reached for his own superlative, and every one of them reached for the same handful of words. It was billing-copy shorthand for "a woman doing this act is still news," ten years running, in towns from Minnesota to Alabama.

Gone at thirty-three

She was born in England. The Tribune's funeral notice says she "came here thirteen years ago," which puts her arrival at roughly 1908, the same years British ventriloquism was sending its best acts across to American vaudeville alongside her.[1] She died on August 19, 1921, at her home on West 141st Street in Manhattan, thirty-three years old.[1] The Tribune's own printing of the notice is damaged where it should say what took her; the clause is eaten by bad type, so the cause is not recoverable from that copy.[1] What survives is the schedule: services at eleven the next morning at the Campbell Funeral Church, Broadway and Sixty-Sixth Street, burial at Kensico Cemetery in Westchester.[1] The notice ran under the heading "Grace De Wintress's Funeral." Find A Grave has her under a fourth spelling again, Grace C. De Winters.[6]

Someone still looking for her, thirty-six years on

The last trace of her in this archive is not a clipping at all but a memory. In a 1957 issue of The Oracle, the veteran vaudevillian Charles Hook wrote about the acts of his own era and admitted one had always gotten away from him: "There was also the act of Grace Dewintres, which I looked for but was never lucky enough to come across."[8] Later in that same piece, listing independent acts of the day, he names "Gracie De Winters, a very clever impersonator."[8] Thirty-six years after she died, a working man of her own trade was still trying, and failing, to have seen her for himself.

Freddy Fiddlesticks, the Ventriloquism.org spokesdummy

Six spellings for her name and not one paper thought to ask the dummies how it's pronounced, we always know. Costume changes in full view of the house, mind you, while the humans get to sneak off behind a curtain.— Freddy Fiddlesticks, spokesdummy

Sightings in the newspapers

115 dated notices between 1910 and 1921, sampled evenly across the career to show 60 here. Each links to the scanned page at the Library of Congress. Browse all Career Snippets

  1. 1910Sep 19 Grace DeWinters, billed as 'the first lady ventriloquist ever seen on an East St. Louis stage,' performed there in a review dated 1910-09-19; the clipping notes 'made good' and that she is 'cute and nifty in everything she undertakes.' page
  2. 1910Sep 19 Miss Grace DeWinters was billed as 'the first lady ventriloquist ever seen on an East St. Louis stage,' performing there per a newspaper dated 1910-09-19; the review called her act 'cute and nifty' and noted she 'made good,' on a bill that also included Leona Stephens and bicyclists Count DeButz and Tossel. page
  3. 1910Oct 30 Billed as 'England's favorite child ventriloquist' on the bill at the Majestic theater, performing a feat of ventriloquism alongside acts including La Keillors' acrobatic comedy 'Circus Eve in Mexico' and Al Coleman's monologue and character impersonations; matinees Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday at 3 p.m. and usual night performance at 8:30. page
  4. 1910Nov 13 Grace DeWintress, billed as 'England's favorite child ventriloquist,' appeared on a vaudeville bill on the Majestic circuit (per Nov 13, 1910 newspaper), alongside the Springfield Twins impersonators, Larkin and Burns eccentric comedians, Louise Uatte Spanish dancer, and a singing sketch act. page
  5. 1910Nov 15 Performed a ventriloquism act at The Majestic, dressed as a doll with animated expressions; the review said 'the little woman puts on a bright little act in ventriloquism of the first order' and a 'well pleased house literally gave her an ovation.' page
  6. 1911Jul 10 Grace De Winters was reviewed as a ventriloquist 'not to be sneezed at' in a performance at the Grand theater, dated July 10, 1911. page
  7. 1911Sep 18 Grace de Winters, described as 'a female ventriloquist,' performed as 'one of the novelties of the bill' on September 18, 1911 (per the Sept 18 1911 newspaper), noted as a hit 'in a field that has always been considered impossible for the gentler sex,' on a bill with Oscar Kaufman and Victoria Sawtelle's musical act, Frank Hoyt and John Lessig's dramatic tabloid 'The District Attorney,' and motion pictures. page
  8. 1911Sep 18 The 1911 article noted Grace de Winters 'makes a hit in a field that has always been considered impossible for the gentler sex.' page
  9. 1912Jul 3 Described as the only lady in the world to have accomplished the art of ventriloquism, performing a twelve-minute act with 'knee figures' engaging in spicy conversation, with different voices and articulation, at a theater in July 1912. page
  10. 1912Jul 3 Billed as 'the English Kid Ventriloquist,' Grace DeWinters performed a twelve-minute act with her 'little knee figures' as part of a vaudeville bill at a theater managed by Manager Ellwood, starting Saturday matinee, July 6, 1912. page
  11. 1912Jul 3 She appeared on the same vaudeville bill as violinist Morris Golden and comedy act 'The Kidders' performing 'When the Circus Comes to Town,' at a theater managed by Manager Ellwood, July 1912. page
  12. 1912Sep 3 Billed as 'Lady Ventriloquist' appearing with The Five Greens in a vaudeville program including Harry Von Fossen and Morris Golden, as printed in a 1912 newspaper (venue not specified in clipping). page
  13. 1912Sep 5 Grace De Winters was billed as 'Lady Ventriloquist' in a vaudeville program (per a 1912-09-05 newspaper listing), appearing alongside acts including Morris Golden ('The Yiddle with the Fiddle') and the Todd Wards ('Sensational Equilibrists'). page
  14. 1912Sep 6 Grace De Winters, billed as 'Lady Ventriloquist,' performed as part of The Five Breens' 'Refined Novelty Musical Melange' on a bill also featuring Harry Von F(l)aven ('The Minstrel Man'), Morris Golden ('The Yiddle with the Fiddle'), and The Todd Nards ('Sensational Equilibrists'); seats were 10c (newspaper dated 1912-09-06). page
  15. 1913Feb 18 Grace De Winters, described as 'a ventriloquist of no mean ability,' assisted Morris Golden ('The Yiddle with the Fiddle') in his vaudeville act; the newspaper (Feb 18, 1913) noted the crowd took a while to figure out it was her doing the talking. page
  16. 1913Feb 18 Grace De Winters performed on the same vaudeville bill as Girdeller (animal act), Morris Golden ('The Yiddle with the Fiddle'), A. J. Farrell (cartoonist), and Carley Carlos, per a 1913 newspaper review. page
  17. 1913Mar 29 Grace DeWinters, known as 'the kid ventriloquist,' has joined Morris Golden, a Wilmington favorite, and they will be seen in their new act, per this 1913-03-29 newspaper item. page
  18. 1913Mar 31 Billed as 'The Kid Ventriloquist' at The Garrick theater, appearing on a bill with Mr. Cecil Lean & Co., Morris Golden, Adam and Eve (trained monkey bowlers), Bronson and Ruth, Paula the Flying Girl, and Earl Snowden and Effie Benham; shows nightly at 8:15, admission 25, 35 and 50 cents (per the March 31, 1913 newspaper). page
  19. 1913Apr 4 Grace De Winters, billed as 'The Kid Ventriloquist,' appeared during the week of April 7th at the Garrick theatre, on a bill including Mr. Cecil Lean & Co. in 'Burglary a la Mode,' Morris Golden, Adam and Eve (monkey bowlers presented by Edward Gillette), Brosso and Roth, and Paula the Flying Girl; per a newspaper dated 1913-04-04. page
  20. 1913Sep 4 Grace DeWintress, described as 'a clever ventriloquist,' appeared as the partner of Morris Golden, who performed a Yiddish impersonation act; reviewed in a 1913-09-04 newspaper alongside acts by S. Miller Kent's company and the Meistersingers. page
  21. 1915Sep 7 Grace De Winters presented a ventriloquist number at the Lyric Theater on Market Street for the first part of the week (Sept. 1915), sharing the bill with James Mason and company. Lyric Theater page
  22. 1915Sep 7 A reviewer noted that the best part of her act was when she made the dummy cry, with 'not a muscle in Miss De Winters's face' moving while the dummy cried as if to break its heart. page
  23. 1915Sep 7 In her ventriloquist act at the Lyric Theater (1915), Grace De Winters made the dummy 'cry' so convincingly that 'not a muscle in Miss De Winters's face moved while the dummy was crying as if to break its heart.' Lyric Theater page
  24. 1915Oct 18 On the same bill (Poli's, 1915-10-18) were Loney Haskell (billed as former Broadway/42nd Street 'Major Domo') offering 'New York Fables', and a comedy playlet titled 'The Highest Bidder'; the program also included a screen feature, 'The Final Judgment,' by George Broadhurst. page
  25. 1915Dec 14 Grace De Winters, billed as a ventriloquist, performed at the Crystal theater's vaudeville bill (week of Dec. 14, 1915), 'adding much to the comedy side' of the program, on a bill headlined by Johannes Josefsson's 'Glima company', with Phill Mills and Bessie Moulton, Zerthos' 40 dogs, and Tuni's Phantomograph. page
  26. 1915Dec 14 Grace De Winters, billed as a ventriloquist, performed on the vaudeville bill at the Crystal theater the week of December 14, 1915, alongside Johannes Josefsson's 'Glima company', Phill Mills and Bessie Moulton, Zerthos' 40 dogs, and Tuni's Phantomograph. page
  27. 1915Dec 18 Ora De Winters, described as 'a clever girl ventriloquist,' performed at the Lyceum (per Dec 18, 1915 Detroit Times clipping), changing her own costume and those of her dummies in front of the audience. Lyceum · Detroit Times page
  28. 1915Dec 31 Grace DeWinters, billed as 'Novelty Girl Ventriloquist,' appeared at the Fox Theatre's big show beginning Thursday, December 30 (per the December 31, 1915 newspaper), on a bill with Olympia Des Vail Co., Pierce Naizee, and Christie, Kennedy & Faulkner. Fox Theatre page
  29. 1916Jan 14 Grace DeWinters performed a 'ventriloquial surprise' act at the Lyceum theater, reviewed on Jan. 14, 1916. Lyceum page
  30. 1916Jan 15 Grace DeWinters, described as a captivating comedienne, offered a ventriloquial novelty on the Orpheum vaudeville bill playing the week ending January 15, 1916. Orpheum page
  31. 1916Jan 15 At the Orpheum theater (bill running through Jan 15, 1916), Grace DeWinters was billed as 'a captivating comedienne who offers a ventriloquial novelty,' sharing the bill with Pirnikoff and Rose, Clark and McCullough, Karl Emmy's trained dogs, and the Two Georges ('Scandalous Scamps'). Orpheum page
  32. 1916May 5 Grace DeWinters was noted as having 'one of the best ventriloquist acts given at the Columbia this season,' per a review printed May 5, 1916. page
  33. 1916Sep 20 Grace De Winters performed a ventriloquist act on a vaudeville bill alongside the Amores Sisters, Billy Dale and Lew Archer, and McCloud and Carp, likely at the Alhambra theater (per the 1916-09-20 clipping). page
  34. 1916Dec 11 Grace De Winters, described as a charming young lady, offered 'a real novelty in ventriloquism' as part of a vaudeville program (bill including Roland Travis Co., Hamilton and Rawson, and Castelline Brothers), reported in a newspaper dated 1916-12-11. page
  35. 1916Dec 12 Grace DeWinters, billed as a female ventriloquist, performed in vaudeville at Poll's (per the Dec 12, 1916 newspaper), described as 'a charming little lady' offering something novel who 'had little trouble in registering a hit.' page
  36. 1917Apr 28 Grace De Winters, ventriloquist, appeared on a bill with Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Bickford in 'The Tamer' and the Baynes in 'In the Conservatory,' plus new Palace pictures, as reported in a 1917-04-28 newspaper. Palace page
  37. 1917May 2 Grace De Winters, billed as 'The Fayne Novelty Ventriloquial Novelty,' appeared on a vaudeville bill (per 1917-05-02 newspaper) alongside acts including Mr. and Mrs. Chas. A. Bickford, Howard Fields, and the Dining Car Minstrels. page
  38. 1917Jun 3 Grace De Winters performed in "Ventriloquial Surprise" at Loew's Bijou this week, as advertised in this 1917 newspaper. page
  39. 1917Jun 13 Grace De Winters, billed as a ventriloquist, appeared on the Loew circuit bill at a local theatre (per the 1917-06-13 newspaper), alongside Artisto (lightning painter), Dorman and DeGlenn (songs and patter), and the Three Snycopators (comedy songsters). page
  40. 1918May 24 Grace DeWinters, called 'a celebrated woman ventriloquist,' performed with a dummy on a Loew's theater bill in Birmingham in 1918, alongside Hooper and Burkhardt and Bell and Caron; the review said she 'is very clever and entertaining, working with a dummy' and 'received hearty applause.' page
  41. 1918Aug 4 Grace De Winters, described as 'a unique ventriloquist,' appeared on a vaudeville bill this week (week of August 4, 1918) alongside 'Birds of Dreamland,' Grace St. Clair and company, Cantwell and Fiber, and Howard and Sadler. page
  42. 1918Aug 6 Grace DeWinters performed 'a new offering of ventriloquism' on a vaudeville bill that also included Grace St. Clair and Company, Howard and Sadler, and Cantwell and Fiber (newspaper dated 1918-08-06). page
  43. 1918Oct 30 Billed as 'A Dainty Ventriloquist' on a vaudeville bill that also included the sketch 'Loyalty,' clay modeller Milton, and the '1918 Song & Dance Revue,' shown alongside the film 'When a Woman Sins' with Theda Bara (theater and town not stated in clipping, dated 1918-10-30). page
  44. 1919Apr 24 Grace De Winters performed a singing and ventriloquist novelty act on the new bill at the Orpheum (Keith vaudeville) around April 24, 1919, alongside the Orpheus Comedy Four and Dena Cooper and Company in 'Xmas Eve.' Orpheum page
  45. 1919Apr 25 Grace De Winters performed a 'Novel Ventriloquial Offering' at Clem Thistlethwaite's theater in Richmond, Indiana, on the bill with The Orpheus Comedy Four, Dena Cooper Co. in 'Xmas Eve', and the film 'Thunderbolts of Fate' starring House Peters, per a 1919 newspaper listing. Richmond, Indiana page
  46. 1919Jul 11 Grace De Winters Co. was billed as 'the only woman ventriloquist in vaudeville,' with a finished entertainment featuring the singing of the dummy as a decided hit; appeared alongside the Royal Hawaiian Four and the Two Blondys. page
  47. 1919Aug 19 Variety, a theatrical publication, reported that Grace De Winters, a ventriloquist, brought a divorce action against James Francis Cormican, alleging cruelty, intoxication, and that he spent $15,000 on himself and friends. page
  48. 1919Dec 29 Grace De Winters 'has mastered ventriloquism,' according to a 1919 newspaper review of a variety show bill. page
  49. 1919Dec 30 Grace De Winters gave a 'ventriloquial offering' at the Empress (per Gus Thalero's circus program), described as including yodling, a sneeze song, and crying as new elements; noted in a review dated 1919-12-30. page
  50. 1919Dec 30 Grace De Winters performed a ventriloquial offering at the Empress, part of the bill with Gus Thalero's circus; her act introduced yodling, a sneeze song, and crying as new elements (per the Dec. 30, 1919 newspaper). page
  51. 1920Feb 3 Grace DeWinters performed a single vaudeville act doing ventriloquist stunts with a dummy, billed as noted to be the only woman on the vaudeville stage doing a single act of this description (newspaper dated 1920-02-03). page
  52. 1920May 22 Grace DeWinters, billed as a ventriloquist ('A Ventriloquist Surprise'), performed at the Orpheum theater on a vaudeville bill including 'The Honeymoon', Harry Cooper, Dedic Veldi Trio, and Petty Heat Bros, with final performances of the current bill given that night and last week of vaudeville season beginning next (Orpheum, per 1920-05-22 newspaper). Orpheum page
  53. 1920Jul 25 Grace De Winters, billed as 'the ventriloquist,' appeared on the bill at Loew's American theater (both main theater and roof) for the first half of the week, alongside acts including Arthur Millard and Minnie Marlin, Tom Mahoney, Harry Brooks, Six Imps and a Girl, the Neapolitan Duo, and Harry Fisher Co. page
  54. 1920Sep 16 Billed as 'vaudeville leading ventriloquist' appearing at the Strand next week in the revue 'Dance Creations,' alongside Pen Edward Stanisloff, Nora Allen, DeVoy and Dayton, Jean McCoy and Ralph Walton, and Montambo and Nap. page
  55. 1920Sep 19 Grace De Winters was billed as 'a leading girl ventriloquist' performing character songs and impersonations, on a vaudeville bill that also included De Voy and Dayton, Stryker, Nora Allen, Jean McCoy and Ralph Walton, and Montambo and Nap, with the photoplay 'Uncharted Channels' starring H. B. Warner (September 19, 1920 newspaper). page
  56. 1920Sep 21 Grace De Winters, billed as a 'girl ventriloquist,' performed character songs and impersonations given through the mouths of her comical dummy assistants, on a bill that also included Stryker (balancing/contortion), Nora Allen (vocalist), De Voy and Dayton (comedy), Jean McCoy and Ralph Walton, and Montambo and Nap (September 1920). page
  57. 1920Dec 30 Advertised as 'Grace DeWinters, Leading Girl Ventriloquist Comedienne' on the bill at Loew's Bijou, Birmingham, alongside Siegrist Darrow, Marietta Craig Co. in 'The Girl in the Dark,' the Royal Four, and Everest's Monkey Circus. page
  58. 1920Dec 31 Billed as 'vaudeville's leading girl ventriloquist,' Grace DeWinters was the headline attraction among five acts of vaudeville at Loew's Bijou for the last half of the week (per Dec 31, 1920 newspaper). page
  59. 1920Dec 31 Grace DeWinters, billed as 'vaudeville's leading girl ventriloquist,' was the headline attraction among five acts of vaudeville at Loew's Bijou for the last half of the week, per the 1920-12-31 newspaper. page
  60. 1921Aug 21 Grace De Wintress was born in England and had come to the United States thirteen years before her death, as reported in 1921. page

Sources

  1. "Grace De Wintress's Funeral," New-York Tribune, Aug. 21, 1921, p.14 — Library of Congress, Chronicling America
  2. Birmingham Age-Herald, May 24, 1918, and Dec. 30, 1920 — Library of Congress, Chronicling America
  3. East St. Louis Daily Journal, Sept. 19, 1910 — Library of Congress, Chronicling America
  4. The Milwaukee Leader, Aug. 22, 1914, p.3 — Library of Congress, Chronicling America
  5. The Bemidji Daily Pioneer, Aug. 25–27, 1919, p.3 — Library of Congress, Chronicling America
  6. Find A Grave, memorial 60568617, Grace C. De Winters
  7. Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), Sept. 21, 1920, p.11 — Library of Congress, Chronicling America; Detroit Times, Dec. 18, 1915, also drawn from this record
  8. The Oracle (International Brotherhood of Ventriloquists), Nov. 12, 1957, p.10 — Charles Hook, recollection of independent acts