Cline, Maggie (1857–1934)

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Cline, Maggie (1857–1934)

American vaudeville performer. Name variations: Mrs. John Ryan; (stage name) Irish Queen. Born Margaret Cline, Jan 1, 1857, in Haverhill, Massachusetts; died June 11, 1934, in Fair Haven, New Jersey; dau. of Patrick (shoe factory foreman) and Ann (Degman) Cline; m. John Ryan (café owner), 1888.

The 1st woman Irish comedy singer, had established herself as a name in NY vaudeville houses by 1880s; by her estimation, sang her most popular song "Throw'Em Down McCloskey" about 75,000 times over 23 years, along with "Down Went McGinty to the Bottom of the Sea" and "How McNulty Carved the Duck"; billed as "Irish Queen" (from 1881) and once called Brunnhilde of the Bowery, performed in comedy melodrama On Broadway (1896); retired (1917).