Gilbert, Mrs George H.

Gilbert, Mrs George H. [née Ann Hartley] (1821–1904), American actress, who was in her youth a ballet dancer in London, where in 1846 she married George Gilbert, an actor and dancer. They emigrated to Wisconsin, but failed to make a success of farming and in 1850 returned to the stage, touring the larger cities. Gilbert was injured in a fall through a trap, and though he continued to work in the theatre was unable to appear on the stage, dying in 1866. His wife found her niche playing comic elderly women, in which capacity she was with Mrs John Wood's company at the Olympic, New York, in 1864. Her first important part was the Marquise de St Maur in Florence's pirated production of Robertson's Caste (1867). The period of her greatest fame, however, was from 1869 to 1899, when she was in Daly's company with Ada Rehan and John Drew. When Daly died she was engaged by Frohman, with whom she remained until her death. Her angular body and homely features were assets in her skilled playing of eccentric spinsters and elderly dowagers.