Sylvia Gerrish (born Lillian M. Rollins; May â€" December , ) was an
American musical theatre performer who found success in New York and
London in the s and early s. She was known as "The Girl with the
Poetical Legs".Gerrish began her career in San Francisco theatres in
and commenced a long tour with Willie Edouin’s company the following
year in a piece called Dreams. She continued touring until , and in
she began to play roles on Broadway, especially at Bijou Opera House
and the Casino Theatre, achieving considerable popularity. She
travelled to London in the early s, where she attracted a large
following, but soon after her return in , her career ended.In the late
s, she became known for a love affair with Henry G. Hilton that cost
the millionaire's son his fortune. After Hilton's first wife died,
Gerrish lived with him in increasing poverty. Hilton died in , and the
following year Gerrish died alone and in debt, in Hilton's dilapidated
mansion, at the age of .Gerrish was born in Big Oak Flat, California
the daughter of, Holman C. Rollins, a native of New Hampshire, and
Sylvia Gerrish, originally from Maine. Her parents were initially
drawn to California by the Gold Rush of , though her father later gave
up on prospecting to work as a railroad flagman. Gerrish was raised in
West Oakland, California, where she attended Prescott School and later
Oakland High School. She performed in public during church services at
Hamilton’s Independent Church as a soloist accompanied by a church
organist.
American musical theatre performer who found success in New York and
London in the s and early s. She was known as "The Girl with the
Poetical Legs".Gerrish began her career in San Francisco theatres in
and commenced a long tour with Willie Edouin’s company the following
year in a piece called Dreams. She continued touring until , and in
she began to play roles on Broadway, especially at Bijou Opera House
and the Casino Theatre, achieving considerable popularity. She
travelled to London in the early s, where she attracted a large
following, but soon after her return in , her career ended.In the late
s, she became known for a love affair with Henry G. Hilton that cost
the millionaire's son his fortune. After Hilton's first wife died,
Gerrish lived with him in increasing poverty. Hilton died in , and the
following year Gerrish died alone and in debt, in Hilton's dilapidated
mansion, at the age of .Gerrish was born in Big Oak Flat, California
the daughter of, Holman C. Rollins, a native of New Hampshire, and
Sylvia Gerrish, originally from Maine. Her parents were initially
drawn to California by the Gold Rush of , though her father later gave
up on prospecting to work as a railroad flagman. Gerrish was raised in
West Oakland, California, where she attended Prescott School and later
Oakland High School. She performed in public during church services at
Hamilton’s Independent Church as a soloist accompanied by a church
organist.
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