Laurette Taylor
Opened in 'The Glass Menagerie' on March 31, 1945, delivering a performance that reset the standard for American stage acting.
1883–1946 (age 63)·American actress·Birthday: April 1·The Lost Generation
Biography
Laurette Taylor opened as Amanda Wingfield in Tennessee Williams’s “The Glass Menagerie” on March 31, 1945. She had not performed on Broadway in 12 years. Critics described her performance as a seismic event; Brooks Atkinson wrote in The New York Times that she gave “one of the rare perfect performances.” Taylor’s technique, a fusion of memory and seemingly spontaneous gesture, defined psychological realism. Her early stardom peaked with “Peg o’ My Heart” in 1912, which ran for 604 performances. Alcoholism and personal tragedy then derailed her career for two decades. Director Eddie Dowling cast her in “Menagerie” against considerable skepticism. Her preparation involved meticulously calibrating every sigh and glance. The production ran for 563 performances. She died of a heart attack on December 7, 1946, at age 62. No film of her performance exists, only audio recordings and photographs. Actors who saw her, including Marlon Brando and Katharine Hepburn, cited it as a career-defining influence. The performance remains the unrecorded benchmark for the role.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Laurette was born in 1883, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Laurette Was Born
The biggest hits of 1883
Laurette's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1883Born
President: Chester A. Arthur
1888Started school
President: Grover Cleveland
1896Became a teenager
First modern Olympic Games held in Athens
President: Grover Cleveland
1899Could drive
President: William McKinley
1901Could vote
Queen Victoria dies, ending the Victorian era
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1904Turned 21
New York City opens its first subway line
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1913Turned 30
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1923Turned 40
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1933Turned 50
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1943Turned 60
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1946Died at 63
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
Key Achievements
- Originated the role of Amanda Wingfield in Tennessee Williams's "The Glass Menagerie" (1945), a landmark in American theater.
- Starred in the title role of "Peg o' My Heart" (1912), a commercial hit that established her as a major stage star.
- Her performance in "The Glass Menagerie" is consistently cited by actors and critics as one of the greatest in 20th-century theater.
Did You Know?
She was married to playwright J. Hartley Manners, who wrote "Peg o' My Heart" specifically for her.
During her career decline, she survived by writing short stories for magazines like "The New Yorker."
Tennessee Williams credited her performance with saving "The Glass Menagerie" from potential failure, calling her "a saint."
“There is no such thing as a small part, only small actors.”
