Christie Macdonald

Christie Macdonald, singer and actress, was born in Pictou, N.S., on February 28, 1875, the daughter of an Irish immigrant boat-builder. She began receiving vocal training at an early age from Madame Flora Wilson, a professional singer who had retired to Pictou. In 1883, Madame Wilson persuaded a former colleague to let Christie appear in a Saint Patrick's Day pageant in Halifax. Christie's performance was heard by a visiting American, Letitia McCormick, a veteran singer and actress who was in Halifax with her Boston company. McCormick dubbed Christie, "the girl with the voice of gold", and persuaded Christie's parents to move to Boston, where they were soon joined by Madame Wilson. Christie began her career on the Boston stage when she was only ten years old. In 1889, she was invited to appear at the inaugural ball of President Benjamin Harrison. Her New York debut came in 1892 with an appearance in the musical show "Erminie". Pauline Hall, a veteran performer, became Christie's mentor, although Madame Wilson accompanied Christie to New York as a chaperone and vocal coach. She first received feature billing in the Broadway operetta "Princess Chic" in 1900, after which she enjoyed successes in a number of Broadway shows. Christie reached new heights of fame in 1910, when she played the role of the Princess Bozema in "The Spring Maid". In 1913, Victor Herbert wrote the operetta "Sweethearts" especially for her. It was wildly successful, and Christie became the darling of New York society, showered with gifts from wealthy admirers, including a necklace of blue diamonds from the Maharajah of Indore and a gold coach from William Randolph Hearst.-- Christie was first married in 1901to a wealthy playboy, but this quickly ended in divorce. In 1910 she married a successful contractor, Henry Gillespie, a marriage which lasted until his death in 1930. Although Gillespie encouraged Christie in her career, she retired in 1915 when she became pregnant with her daughter, Christine, in 1915, and the family settled in Westport, Connecticut, accompanied by Madame Wilson. Christie's last professional appearance was in 1920, in a revival of the operetta "Floradora". However, her fame endured and she granted her last interview, to The New York Times, in 1950. and sang for the last time in public in 1951, at Madame Wilson's funeral.-- Christie Macdonald died in Westport in 1962, and it was then discovered that she had anonymously donated over $4 million to various artistic and cultural projects and causes. One of her last wishes was to return to Pictou, and a portion of her ashes was scattered on the shore there.