Julian Eltinge in drag. Photographic postcard, 1907.

item

Galleries and Reading Room

Café

Shop

Library

Our galleries are quietest on weekdays and weekend mornings. At busy times, particularly on Saturdays, you may need to queue for our temporary exhibitions.

We’re undertaking some research with website visitors to learn more about how people find access-related information provided by museums. This survey shouldn't take longer than 10 minutes to complete. Thank you for your time!

Help us organize our website content.

<p>He wears a black dress and large hat with a flower decoration, and holds an umbrella. Julian Eltinge (born William Dalton, 1881?-1941), was perhaps the most successful American female impersonator of the twentieth century. By 1904 he was already appearing on Broadway, and by 1910 he was starring in a series of shows designed to display his acting and singing skills, which had long runs on Broadway, and which toured Europe. He appeared on film (notably with Rudolph Valentino) and continued a successful career in clubs and cabarets into the 1930s</p>
<p>The item catalogued was postally used in 1907: Eltinge had first appeared in Europe (London) in 1906, and had performed in a command performance for King Edward VII</p>

Wellcome uses cookies.

Julian Eltinge in drag. Photographic postcard, 1907.

Licence and re-use