The Great Lillian Russell

In early June 1922, the Great White Way—forgot its “small talk” and resorted to reminiscences, as a way of paying rare tribute to Lillian Russell, the singer, actress and blonde beauty who never grew old, died in her Pittsburg home on June 7, 1922.  In quiet, corners of the theatres and play houses, old timers recalled memories of the music hall on Broadway where Lillian Russell appeared.  Lillian’s last appearance on the Broadway stage was on April 29, 1922 when she sang at a public celebration at the Palace.  Dancers, acrobats, song writers, “dramatic people,” all the great talent that makes up Broadway, said a word or two in praise of the woman who had just died.  They called her ‘the greatest of them all.’  Officially, tribute was paid by the professional world through its theatrical clubs.  Floral tributes were sent by nearly all of them. The Lambs, the Players’ Club, the National Vaudeville Association, the Green Room Club and others were represented at her funeral in  Pittsburg.  One of the deepest tributes of all came from an old doorman, who, for 40 years watched, from his perch under the single light of the Manhattan stage doors, the comings and goings of the great actress.  “Lillian Russell is dead, I see,” he said. “There was a wonderful woman.  She was a big star, and not temperamental. The most beautiful woman I ever knew, and still as friendly as anyone on earth.  There wasn’t a theatre in all the hundreds she played where the ‘back stage people’ didn’t love her.”  Arrangements for the funeral of Mrs. Lillian Russell Moore, who died at her home were announced on the 27^th of June.  The day of her funeral more than 1000 telegrams and messages of condolences were received. Among those was one from President and Mrs. Harding.  A bodyguard of United States Marines accompanied the body from Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church to the cemetery. At the cemetery entrance the casket carrying her body was met by the 107th Field Artillery, the organization which Mrs. Moore helped to equip during World War I.  The escorted the procession to the grave. A detachment from the American Legion Post #112, of which Lillian was a member, formed the firing squad at the last resting place.  President and Mrs. Harding’s telegram read:  “Mrs. Harding and I are distressingly shocked to learn of the untimely death of Mrs. Moore. We feel the loss of a very dear friend. Please know of our sympathy, which is emphasized by our knowledge of your worship of Mrs.  Moore.”  Lillian had been ill for several weeks, following an accident suffered aboard the ship which she was sailing on her return from Europe.  In addition to her husband, there were present at her bedside during her last moments her daughter Mrs. Dorothy Coalbolt and her niece, Mrs. Mildred A. Martin.  Lillian Russell was born Helen Louise Leonard Lillian Russell on Dec 4, 1881 in Iowa.