ANNA CORA MOWATT (1819-70) Actress, Playwright

The lady who wrote the most celebrated social satire since Royall Tyler's The Contrast was an accomplished actress whose career as a touring star is largely overshadowed by her famous play Fashion.

Born Ann Cora Ogden in Bordeaux France, she was interested in the stage from childhood. She had played the judge in a French version of Othello when she was only five years old; she staged an English version of Voltaire's Alzire at her home in Flatbush when she was only fourteen. A year later, at fifteen, she married a New York lawyer James Mowatt. At sixteen she published a verse "romance" called Pelayo or the Cavern of Covadonga. Having weak lungs and fearing tuberculosis, she took the then recommended sea voyage and along the way saw the great French star Rachel act in Paris. This inspired young Mrs. Mowatt to write a six act play Gulzara, or the Persian Star. She not only staged this at her home in Flatbush when she returned, it was published in 1840 in the New World.

Mr. Mowatt lost his fortune and Cora was obliged to give public readings for money. She was a "natural" talent and soon had rescued the family fortunes. But her ill health made it more practical to continue writing and publishing, which she did, contributing pieces to leading magazines of the day, sometimes submitting several articles under different names to the same publication. Her first novel The Fortune Hunter was very successful. Her second was published after her stage debut in 1845.

She left a fascinating account in her Autobiography of the debut of Fashion at the Park Theatre, March 24, 1845. It ran a remarkable three weeks and was only withdrawn because the theatre had previous bookings for other stars. It opened at Philadelphia's Walnut Street Theatre while the New York production was still on the boards. Heartened by the success of her play, and driven by financial necessities, she made her own debut at the Park Theatre, June 13, 1845 in The Lady of Lyons. She followed this with an arduous tour that took her as far as New Orleans. She did not play Gertrude in her own play Fashion until a later engagement in Philadelphia. The role was never one of her favorites, though she played it from time to time. One of her personal favorites, Rosalind, is pictured on the right.

The first role she wrote for herself was Blanche in Armand, the Child of the People. She wrote Armand for E.L. Davenport who had originated Adam Trueman in the London production of Fashion at the Royal Olympic Theatre in 1850. A comedy-melodrama, Armand remained in her repertory for some time. After premiering at the Park in New York September 27, 1847, it moved to the Royal Olympic where it ran twenty-one consecutive nights. The company remained in London in Fashion which ran two weeks; then on to Dublin and more success.

She returned to America when Mr. Mowatt died in 1851 and continued to act until June 3, 1854 when ill health finally forced her retirement. She was married to William F.Ritchie of the Richmond Enquirer June 7, 1854. Later that year, she published her Autobiography.

She continued to write short stories and from 1861 until her death she lived abroad.