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Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Mary Cushman, Nov 18, 1844
Cushman Cushman tells her mother that she has safely arrived in England, and did not get as seasick as she expected on the journey. She feels lonely in "exile" but expects to make some "friends" due to the 70 letters of introduction that she has…
Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Mary Cushman, Apr 17, 1845
The letter discusses an incident of "beastly conduct of a woman" who Charlotte once defended and called her "intimate friend." Charlotte fears being "implicated by any misrepresentation of hers." Charlotte hopes that her mother's "account was a…
Letter from Charlotte Cushman to James Fields, July 15, 1868
Cushman has sent packages to London and mentions an essay (written by Elizabeth Peabody as indicated in a letter from Cushman to Annie Fields) about the genius of Hawthorne which may encourage more public attention to the Marble Faun. Cushman…
Letter from Charlotte Cushman to George Combe, Nov 21, 1845
Cushman presents herself as shocked and surprised at the "gross motive [that] might be attributed" to her performance of Romeo on stage together with her sister Susan: "your hints have only plunged me into trouble — for I find the subject, in a new…
Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Emma Crow, Sept 12, 1860
Cushman is anxious that Emma Crow may lose letters that Charlotte sent: "I don't like such dear letters addressed to me to be lost. or be sent to the Dead letter office. If any 'unscrupulous person or persons' should find it. my reputation might be…
Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Emma Crow, Mar 31, 1858
In this letter, Charlotte reassures Emma of her love. She promises to visit Emma soon. Charlotte mentions Harriet Hosmer who is trying to find a winter residence in Rome for Cushman. At the end of the year, Charlotte would eventually move to Via…
Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Elizabeth Palmer Peabody, July 23, 1869
Cushman tells Peabody about the discovery of a lump in her breast, her anxieties, and treatment after consulting several doctors. Cushman is afraid that her public image may suffer if she cannot pursue her social duties, such as responding to the…
Letter from Charlotte Cushman to C. Adams, Apr 19, 1850 [?]
Charlotte Cushman asks a Mr. Adams to release her from her contract, since April proves to be an unfortunate time for performances in terms of revenue and people attending.
Credit
New York Public Library
Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Annie Fields, Nov 27, [1871?]
Cushman asks James Fields for a favor on behalf of Stebbins who was upset about the "lack of applause" at a performance at the theater. Fields should print a comment in the [Boston Daily?] Advertiser or [Boston Daily Evening?]…
Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Annie Fields, June 29, 1873
The commissioned sculpture of an angel in Central Park, created by Emma Stebbins, was met with ridicule by several papers. Cushman urges Annie to help her act against this slander. Fields could help to "destroy the effect of this dirty article" in…
Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Annie Fields, Jan 5, 1871
Cushman informs the Fields family about her plans of traveling and her looking for a house for Emma Cushman. Her fondness for the Hunt family, in addition to her indecisiveness about whether she should retire from the stage or go back to it, are…
Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Annie Fields, Dec 25, 1860
Cushman describes Emma Stebbins as her "much better half" and her "darling." She tells Annie about their stressful journey to NYC and about a favorable article about herself that she encountered. She desires "a likeness of Emerson. with his own…
Letter from Charlotte Cushman to Annie Fields, [1865]
Charlotte Cushman mentions the Sanitary Commission and asks the Fields for help in terms of advertising a performance of her as she aims at collecting money for the charity. In particular, she asks Annie to send James to Ticknor Jr., as Chushman…
Letter from Charles Cushman [?] to Emma Stebbins
First mentioned in the letter are Charlotte's first successes in Great Britain, of which Sally should be able to tell Stebbins more about. The sender, who could be Charles Cushman because he was in England with Charlotte in the 1840s and talks about…
Letter from Byron Smith to Unknown, Aug 31, 1894[?]
Talking of Charlotte Cushman, Emma Stebbins and Sallie Mercer, Smith mentions several letters and notes, among which are some that were destroyed by him. Byron also mentions Sallie Mercer's (recent?) death. CreditLibrary of Congress, Charlotte…
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Charlotte Cushman
Charlotte Cushman becomes widely known on both sides of the Atlantic as the first successful US-American actress. Earlier, she was a singer under the tutelage of James G. Maeder, married to actress Clara Fisher, in Boston. Charlotte has been the sole financial support of her mother since her father…