Ann Gilbert

Who was Ann Gilbert?

Ann Gilbert professionally billed as Mrs. G. H. Gilbert was a British actress.

She was born Anne Jane Hartley at Rochdale, Lancashire, England. At fifteen she was a pupil at the ballet school connected with Her Majesty's Theatre, in the Haymarket, conducted by Paul Taglioni, and became a dancer. Her first conspicuous appearance on stage was made as a dancer, in the Norwich theatrical circuit, England, in 1845. In 1846 she married George H. Gilbert, a performer in the theatre company of which she was a member. Together they filled many engagements in English theatres, moving to America in 1849.

Her first 15 years in America were spent in inland cities such as Chicago, Cleveland, and Cincinnati. Mrs Gilbert's first success in a speaking part was in 1857 as Wichavenda in John Brougham's Po-ca-hon-tas.

One of the most brilliant and decisive successes of her professional life was gained at the Broadway Theatre where, on 5 August 1867, Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Florence presented Thomas William Robertson's comedy Caste, for the first time in America. On leaving the Broadway she went to Daly's Fifth Avenue Theatre on Twenty-fourth Street with Robertson's comedy of Play. The cast included E. L. Davenport, George Holland, William Davidge, J. L. Polk, Agnes Ethel, and George Clarke. Mrs. Gilbert played Mrs. Kinpeck. For many years she played opposite James Lewis as his "wife", or playing old women's parts, in which she had no equal.