Lillian Lorraine Hollis

Lillian Lorraine Hollis (Fair)

Find A Grave Memorial ID # 106277823

The New York Dramatic Mirror
February 12, 1913

LILLIAN HOLLIS DEAD

Actress, Once Famous for beauty, found Dead of Starvation

Lillian Lorraine Hollis, the once popular and beautiful manager-actress, was found dead in a scantily furnished room on West Forty-ninth Street, this city, on Feb. 3. A physician who had attended her in her short illness preceding her demise, pronounced it inanition and lack of nourishment. Others called it plain starvation. How long she had been dead none knew.

The body, which was incinerated, was taken from an Eighth Avenue undertaker's to the crematory on Feb. 6, in the presence of a large gathering of actors and actresses, who stood by reverently with bowed heads as the coffin was conveyed to the hearse.

Miss Hollis was the daughter of Laura D. Fair, who was known forty years ago as one of the most beautiful women in San Francisco. In 1892 Miss Hollis was voted the prettiest woman on the Pacific Coast. On Nov. 3, 1870, soon after Lillian's birth, Mrs. Fair followed Judge A.P. Crittenden on board of a ferryboat going from San Francisco to Oakland, on his way to meet his wife, who was returning from the East, and shot him to death. She had gone to meet the man, having left her baby in her room, to demand abandonment of his wife and to live with her and acknowledge the parentage of the girl who has just died from privation in this city. He spurned her and she killed him in her rage. her trial was most sensational and involved many early families in California. Laura Fair was found guilty of murder and sentenced to be hanged. Popular sympathy was, however, aroused, she was given another trial, and was acquitted.

Mrs. Fair established a little home and supported herself and child by singing in the dance halls of California mining camps. Her environments led the daughter to choose the stage as a career, and for twenty-five years she pursued it. As manageress of her own company she was for a while quite prosperous, but soon failed. Her last husband was a man named Andrew Hynes.

In the room where the actress died a score of cats were found slinking about. One of these was "Charley," known in almost every theater in America, because Miss Hollis was determined to have this big, ugly cat with her.

Lorraine Hollis began her dramatic career in the Alcazar Stock company, San Francisco. After a season or two she attracted the attention of the late Augustin Daly, who saw her performance of Stephanie in Forget-Me-Not, and immediately engaged her as a member of his company. She played with William Terriss under Mr. Daly's direction. She was also understudy for Georgie Drew Barrymore in W.H. Crane's company. Returning to California, Miss Hollis starred for several seasons on the Pacific Coast and in Texas in The Tigress, Forget-Me-Not, Zicka in Diplomacy, Camille, Parthenia, As In a Looking Glass, and in Augustin Daly's comedies. About seven years ago she starred in Mr. Barnes of New York. Miss Hollis organized and managed stock companies in Rochester, Buffalo and Ottawa, producing standard plays and personally attending to every detail of the stage. She also had notable literary ability. Her versions of Jeanne du Barrie and Sapho were dramatically strong and without objectionable incidents. Jeanne du Barrie was presented by the stock company at the American Theater in this city. She was also the author of A Heart of Stone and of the novellete, "When Woman Pays."

Name Mary E. Lane
Age 60
Birth Date About 1820
Birthplace Alabama
Home in 1880 San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
Street Galencia Street
House Number 811
Dwelling Number 107
Race White
Gender Female
Relation to Head of House Self (Head)
Marital Status Widowed
Father's Birthplace Alabama
Mother's Birthplace Alabama
Occupation Keeps House
Neighbors View others on page
Household Members (Name) Age Relationship

Mary E. Lane 60 Self (Head)
Lillian Fair 19 Granddaughter

1880 United States Federal Census

The Evening Index
San Bernardino, California · Friday, February 07, 1913