Portrait of Unidentified Fanchon and Marco Dancer

Orval Hixon photographed this unidentified Fanchon & Marco dancer in such a way that she simultaneously exudes both strengthen and vulnerability all in a 3/4 length pose. Her confident gaze to the viewer's left is belied by her left hand clutching a shibori-lined velvet drape to her chest. Her left hand rests on her left hip. She wears a form-fitting crinkled lame' dress. A large hat rests atop a floral scarf that is tied over her loosely curled dark hair. As was sometimes the case, Hixon manipulated this image in the darkroom. Upon close inspection, the viewer can see he has drawn long, lush eyelashes to accentuate the dancer's winsome expression and a singular curl peeking out from under the headscarf. Additionally, the dancer's chin, neck and arm have also been treated by the artist to create deeper contrast and greater interest. As the popularity and vaudeville and theater gradually gave way to that of film, some movie houses and artists found ways to integrate both forms into a single show by including a short, live "prologue" before a film. Siblings Fanchon Wolff Simon (1892-1965) and Marco Wolff (1894-1977) were the most famous of these prologue producers. From their California headquarters, they dispatched dancers such as the woman in this photograph across the country to perform in pre-packaged, economical musicals. By the late 1920's the duo had also established a school that prepared dancers for a variety of careers in stage and film.
Portrait of Unidentified Fanchon and Marco Dancer
Inventory
Collection Number
17666
Building
Current Location
Storage Room 303
Floor
Lower Level/Vault
Description
Details
The image seen here is a sepia tone photograph of an unidentified Fanchon & Marco dancer.
Artist
Framed
Yes
 - Glass
Width
1 inch
Height
31 inches
Length
25 inches
Donor
Donor Name
James R. and Joyce A. Finely and Charles David and Linda Hixon
Library Owns
Yes
Permissions
Reproduce the Work in Library publications/publicity, including film or videotape
Yes
Reproduce
Library has Photography Rights
Yes
Photograph
Permit the general public to photograph the work
Yes
Slides/Video