Eva Tanguay was a Canadian-American actress who is best known for her energetic performances in vaudeville and her roles in the silent films “Energetic Eva” and “The Wild Girl.”
Personal and Family Life
Eva Tanguay was born on August 1, 1878, in Marbleton, Québec, Canada. Throughout her life, she was married three times, with her first marriage to John W. Ford in 1913. She later divorced Ford and married Roscoe Ails, but this marriage also ended in divorce. In 1927, she annulled her marriage to Alexander Booke.
Career
Eva started her career as a stage actress and became a famous vaudeville performer known as “The Girl Who Made Vaudeville Famous.” She was one of the highest-paid performers of her time, earning as much as $3,500 a week by 1910. After making her film debut in “Energetic Eva” in 1916, she appeared in her final film “The Wild Girl” in 1917. Tanguay was also involved in Broadway, performing in several shows, including “The Ziegfeld Follies of 1909.”
Death and Legacy
Eva Tanguay passed away from a heart attack in Hollywood, California, on January 11, 1947, at the age of 69. Although she had a successful career in vaudeville, only one film, “The Wild Girl,” remains preserved in archives today. Her contributions to performance art were significant, and she is remembered for her vibrant personality and talent.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1916 | Energetic Eva | Actress |
| 1917 | The Wild Girl | Firefly |