Frances M. Needham (British Fl.1911) Portrait Miniature Miss Gertie Millar in “A Quaker Girl”

Frances M. Needham (British fl.1911). Portrait Miniature of the actress Miss Gertie Millar in "A Quaker Girl". Watercolor and gouache on Ivorine. Signed and dated (1911) lower left. Signed, titled and dated on internal paper. Size: 9cm x 7cm (3.5in x 2.75in) sight (visible painting) size. Frame: Glazed, yellow base metal. Exhibited: Royal Academy 1911 (No. 1217). Subject: Gertrude "Gertie" Millar (later Countess of Dudley) (21 February 1879 – 25 April 1952) was one of the most famous English singer-actresses of the early 20th century, known for her performances in Edwardian musical comedies. Beginning her career at age 13, Millar was a star of musical comedies for two decades. She married composer Lionel Monckton, who composed many of her shows and songs that she made famous. After Monckton died in 1924, Millar married the 2nd Earl of Dudley. The Quaker Girl is a Edwardian musical comedy which opened at the Adelphi Theatre in London on 5 November 1910 and ran for an extremely successful 536 performances. It starred Gertie Millar and C. Hayden Coffin. The complete show, including dialog, was revived in a staged concert with piano in July 2007 by Lyric Theatre of San Jose, California.