Pauline Markham - The Black Crook

The Black Crook

The Black Crook, a musical about an English ne'er do well who discovers his noble birth and decides to reform, was first produced in America at Niblo’s Theatre in 1866 with a run in excess of 300 performances. Markham later became so identified with her characterization of the fairy queen Stalacta, that afterwards some chroniclers erroneously listed her among the original 1866 cast. The revival ran for 122 performances and would return several more times to New York and in tours of the country. During this time, it was not uncommon for Markham to receive after a performance bouquets of flowers festooned with jewelry from her male admirers.

The Black Crook, that featured actresses in flesh colored silk tights, has been credited with starting in 1866 what James Lauren Ford called “the great era of the leg show. A criticism of such shows in 1870 by Wilbur F. Storey, editor of the Chicago Times, led to the following incident.

Lydia Thompson’s troupe of “British Blondes” was playing an engagement at McVicker’s Theatre. It was the first so-called “leg” show to appear in Chicago. Mr. Storey had heard rumors of the alleged indecency of the performance and he sent one of his reporters to see the show and write his impressions. Mr. Storey also indited a few lines for the editorial page that fairly sizzled. The “rongst” was printed in the Times February 24, 1870.

That evening at five o’clock while Mr. Storey was on his way home from the office he was waylaid at Wabash avenue and Peck Court by Miss Thompson, Miss Markham and Mr. Henderson, manager of the “British Blondes.” The editor was walking with his head down, as was his custom, when suddenly he was confronted by the trio. Mrs. Thompson drew short whip which was concealed in the folds of her skirt and began to rain blows down upon the head and shoulders of Mr. Storey. Unaware of the cause of the assault, Mr. Storey kept shouting: “What do you mean? What do you mean?” He raised his hands to ward off the blows and at this juncture Miss Markham snatched the whip from Miss Thompson. She also belabored the editor until pedestrians came to his rescue. Burnettsville News, April 24,1919

The three were arrested and later pled guilty to assault with Markham receiving a $150 fine and Thompson and Henderson penalized $200 apiece.

Markham, with the help of Richard White Grant, published The Life of Pauline Markham in 1871.

In 1872 Markham appeared at Wood’s Museum with Belle Howitt in burlesque productions of Who Cried for the Rain, Red Riding Hood, The Three Musketeers and others, including several shows she had previously performed in with Thompson’s “British Blondes.” The next year she toured with her own company in a piece described a fairy burlesque of the Golden Butterfly. That fall she returned to Niblo’s Theatre to revive her rôle in the Black Crook.