Della May Fox (October , - June , ) was an American singing comedian,
whose popularity peaked in the s when the diminutive Fox appeared
opposite the very tall DeWolf Hopper in several musicals. She also
toured successfully with her own company.Fox was born in St. Louis,
Missouri, the daughter of Andrew J. Fox, a leading St. Louis
photographer who had a specialty of theatrical subjects, and Harriett
Swett. She made her first appearance on stage at age as the
Midshipmate in a St. Louis production of H.M.S. Pinafore and
subsequently played children's roles with Marie Prescott's company. In
she appeared as Adrienne in A Celebrated Case and came to the
attention of Augustus Thomas and his Dickson Sketch Club.When Thomas
dramatized Frances Hodgson Burnett's story Editha's Burglar, he
engaged Fox to play the leading role, her first professional
engagement. Thomas had the play expanded from one to a three-act play
which gave Fox more prominence. From through , the play toured the
U.S. Midwest and Canada, and Fox was chaperoned by Nellie Page (a
leading lady) and tutored by Thomas. Although her parents wanted her
to attend boarding school, Fox was determined to become an actress. In
the late s, she appeared with Comley Barton and the Bennett and
Moulton Opera Company, with which she played soprano roles in
operettas such as Fra Diavolo, The Bohemian Girl, The Pirates of
Penzance, Billee Taylor and The Mikado.In February , she appeared for
the first time in New York, at Niblo's Garden. Her operetta roles
brought her to the attention of Heinrich Conried, who had her play
Yvonne, the soubrette part in The King's Fool, singing the song "Fair
Columbia". Conried also provided Fox with the only acting lessons she
received. When the newly formed DeWolf Opera Company was seeking a
supporting cast, George W. Lederer of the New York Casino Theatre
suggested Fox. In May , Hopper opened in Gustave Kerker's Castles in
the Air, with Fox playing Blanche. Her first big success occurred in
when she played Prince Mataya together with Hopper in his production
of Wang, singing "Another Fellow". The show was so popular that Fox
and Hopper continued to play in it through . In , Fox re-teamed with
Hopper in Panjandrum, followed by The Lady or the Tiger in .
whose popularity peaked in the s when the diminutive Fox appeared
opposite the very tall DeWolf Hopper in several musicals. She also
toured successfully with her own company.Fox was born in St. Louis,
Missouri, the daughter of Andrew J. Fox, a leading St. Louis
photographer who had a specialty of theatrical subjects, and Harriett
Swett. She made her first appearance on stage at age as the
Midshipmate in a St. Louis production of H.M.S. Pinafore and
subsequently played children's roles with Marie Prescott's company. In
she appeared as Adrienne in A Celebrated Case and came to the
attention of Augustus Thomas and his Dickson Sketch Club.When Thomas
dramatized Frances Hodgson Burnett's story Editha's Burglar, he
engaged Fox to play the leading role, her first professional
engagement. Thomas had the play expanded from one to a three-act play
which gave Fox more prominence. From through , the play toured the
U.S. Midwest and Canada, and Fox was chaperoned by Nellie Page (a
leading lady) and tutored by Thomas. Although her parents wanted her
to attend boarding school, Fox was determined to become an actress. In
the late s, she appeared with Comley Barton and the Bennett and
Moulton Opera Company, with which she played soprano roles in
operettas such as Fra Diavolo, The Bohemian Girl, The Pirates of
Penzance, Billee Taylor and The Mikado.In February , she appeared for
the first time in New York, at Niblo's Garden. Her operetta roles
brought her to the attention of Heinrich Conried, who had her play
Yvonne, the soubrette part in The King's Fool, singing the song "Fair
Columbia". Conried also provided Fox with the only acting lessons she
received. When the newly formed DeWolf Opera Company was seeking a
supporting cast, George W. Lederer of the New York Casino Theatre
suggested Fox. In May , Hopper opened in Gustave Kerker's Castles in
the Air, with Fox playing Blanche. Her first big success occurred in
when she played Prince Mataya together with Hopper in his production
of Wang, singing "Another Fellow". The show was so popular that Fox
and Hopper continued to play in it through . In , Fox re-teamed with
Hopper in Panjandrum, followed by The Lady or the Tiger in .
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