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Gladys Rankin

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Gladys Rankin
Born(1870-10-08)October 8, 1870
New York City, New York
DiedJanuary 9, 1914(1914-01-09) (aged 43)
New York City, New York
Other names
  • Mrs. Sidney Drew
  • George Cameron
Known forMr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew
Spouse
​
(m. 1889)​
ChildrenSidney Rankin Drew
Parents
Relatives

Gladys Rankin (October 8, 1870 - January 9, 1914) was an American actress, comedian, and playwright. She was best known for being the first "Mrs. Sidney Drew" in the comedy duo Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew. She was wrote under the name George Cameron.[1]

Early life

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Gladys Rankin was born October 8, 1870 in New York City, New York to stage actors McKee Rankin and Kitty Blachard.[2] She had two sisters, Phyllis and Doris Rankin, both actors.

Career

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In her stage career, Rankin was a light-hearted leading man along with his wife, Gladys Rankin, the first "Mrs. Sidney Drew".[3] By 1893, the pair had established Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew's Comedy Company. Drew's mother and acclaimed actress Louisa Lane Drew would tour with the company. Other cast members included Charles Verner, Owen Fancett, and Drew's nephew Lionel Barrymore.[4] In 1896, the pair introduced legitimate drama to the vaudeville stage.[5]

Personal life

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Rankin married actor Sidney Drew, of the prominent Drew acting family, on July 22, 1889 at St. Francis Xavier Church in Phildadelphia.[6][7] The couple had one son, actor and director Sidney Rankin Drew in 1891. Rankin Drew was killed-in-action on May 19, 1918 when his plane was shot down over France during World War I.[8]

Rankin and Drew separated in 1894 after rumors of Drew's infidelity with different actresses came out and she filed for divorce.[9][10] They would eventually reconcile and stayed married until her death.

In 1913, Rankin was diagnosised with cancer and she died on January 9, 1914 at the Marlborough Hotel.[11][12]

Legacy

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Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew have a joint star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.[13]

In 1916, Rankin's son, Sidney Rankin Drew, directed Thou Art the Man. It was the last script written by Rankin on her deathbed. He regarded the film as a masterpiece and a tribute to his mother.[14]

Theatre

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1888 A Legal Wreck [15]
1890 The Burglar [12]
1891 That Girl from Mexico [16]
1893 The Road to Ruin Sophia Fondlove [17]
1897 Rosemary [18]

References

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  1. ^ Thors, Louis, Mrs. Gladys Rankin, retrieved May 14, 2026
  2. ^ "A Genealogical Tree". Newspapers.com. The Macon Telegraph. March 5, 1894. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  3. ^ Beasley, David (2002). McKeee Rankin and the Heyday of the American Theater pp. 101-102.
  4. ^ "The Dramatic Week". Newspapers.com. St. Joseph News-Press. October 28, 1893. Retrieved May 10, 2026.
  5. ^ Slide, Anthony (2006). New York City Vaudeville. Charleston, SC: Arcadia. p. 80. ISBN 0738545627.
  6. ^ Sidney Drew: North American Theatre Online
  7. ^ "Mrs. Drew's Call For A Detective. She Wanted Him to Get Evidence Against Sidney". Newspapers.com. The Philadelphia Times. August 9, 1894. Retrieved May 10, 2026.
  8. ^ "S. Rankin Drew Biography". Retrieved April 9, 2016.
  9. ^ "Serpent in the Drew Eden. Sidney and His Wife, Who Was Gladys Rankin, Estranged". Newspapers.com. The Savannah Morning News. August 10, 1894. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  10. ^ "Gladys Rankin Seeks Divorce. She Objects to the Attentions Paid by Her Husband to Another Actress". Newspapers.com. The Omaha Evening Bee. August 8, 1894. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  11. ^ Ionita, Casina (2019). "Mrs. Sidney Drew". Columbia Academic Commons. doi:10.7916/d8-v5hc-2j62 – via Columbia University Libraries.
  12. ^ a b "Gladys Rankin Drew Dies". Newspapers.com. The New York Times. January 10, 1914. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  13. ^ Kingsley, Grace. "Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew". latimes.com. Retrieved May 8, 2026.
  14. ^ "Vitagraph Feature Staged As a Memorial". Newspapers.com. Courier-Post. January 15, 1916. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
  15. ^ "Amusements". Newspapers.com. The St. Joseph Herald. November 22, 1889. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  16. ^ "Star Theater". Newspapers.com. Buffalo Courier. December 13, 1891. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  17. ^ ""The Road to Ruin." Capital Performance at the Star by Mrs. Drew's Company". Newspapers.com. Buffalo Courier. December 16, 1893. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  18. ^ "Feb 16, 1897, page 7 - St. Joseph News-Press at Newspapers.com™". Newspapers.com. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
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