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Mary Adelaide Dickey, connue sous son nom d'artiste "La Petite Adelaide", et l'élève de C. H. Van Arnum. Elle commence sa carrière de danseuse à l'âge de douze ans, à Boston en juin 1894. On la retrouve par la suite à Chicago (septembre), Saint-Louis (octobre), Cincinnati (octobre)... "La Petite Adelaide" va poser pour le biograph.

La Petite Adelaide ([1897-1898]

En mai 1900, elle épouse William A. Lloyd, un agent forain :

PAWTUCKET.
[...]
La Petite Adelaide, the dancer in "The Lady Slavey," now playing in this city, was married here, on Friday, to Mr. W. A. Lloyd, an advertising man of New York. Her real name was Mary Adelaide Dickey. The marriage ceremanoy was performed by Rev. J. J. Wooley, of the Park Place Congregational church. Mrs Josephine A. Dickey, mother of the bride, was present at the ceremony. In the marriage license Mary's age was given as 18 years. The story goes that Mr. Lloyd became infatuated with his beautiful bride while attending a performance at the Casino, in New York City, where "La Petite Adelaide" danced herself into popular favor. At last evening's performance at the Columbia, the company gave the bride a reception in the presence of the audience, at the close of one of her dances, and presented her with flowers and other gifts.

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Fall River Evening News, Fall River, samedi 19 mai 1900, p. 5.

L'année suivante, elle attaque en justice son mari pour avoir voulu la spolier. En 1902, elle se produit sur la scène de l'Orpheon, un music hall de Chicago.

The Inter Ocean, Chicago, dimanche 12 janvier 1902, p. 13.

Au cours des années suivantes, elle poursuit sa carrière théâtrale : The Blue Moon, The Orchid (1907)... C'est en 1911 qu'elle commence à se produire avec Johnny J. Hughes: The Passing Show de 1912. En mars 1912, il divorce de William A. Lloyd :

DANCER SECURES DIVORCE.
Mrs William A. Lloyd, Known as La Petite Adelaide, Says Husband Deserted Her.
La Petite Adelaide, the dancer, known in private life as Mrs William A. Lloyd, was granted a divorce yesterday in the Suffolk County Divorce Court, on the ground of desertion.
Mrs Lloyd, who has often been seen in Boston in musical comedy the last years was married in Pawtucket, R I when she was 18 years old. Her husband was 20 years old. He was an advertising man. The little dancer was at that time appearing at the Columbia Theatre in "Lady Slavey."
Upon news of the wedding there was a celebration at the Columbia during a performance, the ushers handing bouquets over the footlights to the bride, and some of the comedians in the company throwing old shoes at her.
Mrs Lloyd told the court that she was deserted by her husband 11 months after the marriage.

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The Boston Globe, Boston, jeudi 21 mars 1912, p. 5.

CRAIG, 1912: 691

Adelaide et Johnny continuent leur carrière dans des spectacles de vaudeville dont Pierrot et Pierette (1914) :

BIG BILL AT HENDERSON'S
Adelaide and Hughes were the headlines last night at Henderson's Music Hall, Coney Island, and gave their new offering, "Summer Dance Creation," before an interested audience. Beside the modern ballroom dances which they demonstrated, their Pierrot and Pierette were beautifully rendered, and Mlle. Adelaide executed some difficult steps.

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Times Union, New York, mardi 16 juin 1914, p. 3.

L'année suivante, elle épouse son partenaire, Johnny J. Hughes, et on les retrouve par la suite dans The Dancing Divinities (1917), Classics of an Age (1917), The Garden of the World (1917)... En avril 1923, le couple annonce qu'il fait ses adieux :

ADELAIDE AND HUGHES QUIT
Johnnie Hughes and La Petite Adelaide announce that they will shortly retire from stage work and evote themselves to their dancing school on 57th street, which they recently opened. It calls for all of their time and attention.

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Variety, vol. 70, nº 10, 26 avril 1923.

Pourtant, Adelaide va poursuivre sa carrière pendant encore quelques années. En 1950, elle est recensée à New York où elle décède en 1960.

Sources

CRAIG Ralph H., "La Petite Adelaide", Cosmopolitan, vol. 53, nº 5, octobre 1912, p. 690-691.

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[1897]

La Petite Adelaide (Biograph)

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