Pauline Markham (1847-1919) was born in England and began her performance career there in 1867 at the Queen's Theatre in 'The First Night.' She came to the United States in 1868 with the Lydia Thompson Troupe as Venus in 'Ixion,' later closing with the same company at Niblo's Garden, New York. She was mentioned in an article in 'The Galaxy' magazine as early as 1869 as already being a burlesque actress of note. Her '. . .speech is vocal velvet. . .her voice and her smile give to her presence a rare attraction, that calls to mind the allurements which Horace immortalized. . .'(The Galaxy, Aug. 1869). It is rumored that she quit the Lydia Thompson company in order to join the cast of 'The Black Crook.' 'The Night Owls Beauty Show,' a Robert Manchester French Folly Company production, was performed in 1891. It says that Markham played the part of 'The General.' Women playing men in burlesque shows was the practice of the time, with pictures of burlesque actresses even being sold as souvenirs in the streets. Pauline Markham was most often billed as an 'actress in tights' in these pictures, rather than an 'actress showing bust,' as other actresses were pictured. 'The National Police Gazette' in 1879 noted: 'Miss Pauline Markham, the popular and widely famous artiste, who has by general approval been invested by right of her beauty and magnificent statuesque form with the title of 'Queen of the burlesque stage'. . .' Production(s) represented: Ah Sin. Character role(s) represented: Mr. Parsloe (Ah Sin, The Heathen Chinee), Miss Dora Goldthwaite (Shirley Tempest), Miss Mary Wells (Mrs. Tempest), Mrs. G. H. Gilbert (Mrs. Plunkett), Miss Edith Blande (Caroline Anastasia Plunkett), Mr. Henry Crisp (York), Mr. Edmund Collier (Broderick), Mr. P. A. Anderson (Bill Plunkett), Mr. H. A. Weaver (Judge Tempest), Mr. Wm. Davidge (Ferguson), Mr. E. Varrey (Masters), Mr. Frank Bennett (Boston), Mr. F. M. Chapman (Jake Miller) Artistic role(s) represented: Mark Twain (Playwright), Bret Harte (Playwright), Mr. Parsloe (Actor), Augustin Daly (Manager).