Joseph
Haworth’s entry in the American
Biographical Dictionary contains the
following enigmatic and intriguing
sentence. "At his farewell to the Ellsler
Company he played Hamlet (1878) for the
first time to the Ophelia of Effie Ellsler,
for whom he had an unrequited attachment."
This statement strikes one as a discreet,
late 19th Century code for a
youthful love affair.
Effie Ellsler was the
boss’s daughter. Her father, John Ellsler,
was the formidable director of his own
company in Cleveland, Ohio. For half a
century, he retained the services of all
the leading players of the time including
Edwin Booth, John Wilkes Booth, Lawrence
Barrett, John McCullough, James O’Neill,
Fanny Janauschek, Dion Boucicault, etc.
Mrs. John Ellsler was the matriarch and
leading lady of the company. Their
daughter Effie was a kind of crown
princess, and when a promising local actor
named Joe Haworth joined the company and
fell in love with her, the romance was
discouraged.
How far things went is a
matter of conjecture. But since this is
one of the few insights into Joe Haworth’s
personal life, it is worth noting that he
moved on to Boston and ultimately stardom
in New York and throughout the United
States. Effie enjoyed a great success as
Hazel Kirk in New York and on the road. In
the late 1890’s, there was a reconnection
between the two families. John Ellsler had
lost his theatre, and was hired by Haworth
as the leading character actor of his
company. Effie’s career was declining into
supporting roles, and according to Joe’s
niece Martha, Haworth’s and Effie’s
youthful passion for one another
re-ignited.
It was during this
period of re-ignition that Joe produced
his only child. Christened Volga Haworth,
the child went on to become a Ziegfield
Follies showgirl, ultimately the wife of
Eduardo Cansino and the mother of
Hollywood actress Rita Hayworth. Hedda
Hopper noted the connection in several of
her columns as Rita Hayworth’s star was
rising. Columbia Studios issued press
releases boasting of Miss Hayworth’s star
Shakespearian grandfather, the late Joseph
Haworth.
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