Vernon and Irene Castle's Ragtime Revolution

PHOTO INSERT follows page 315

(Left) William Vernon Blyth, age ten (courtesy William McLaughlin). (Right) Vernon Castle, age nineteen, at the beginning of his stage career (courtesy William McLaughlin). Vernon’s sister, actress Coralie Blythe Grossmith (courtesy Plymouth Library Services). Irene Foote, right, with her sister, Elroy, and mother, late 890s (courtesy William McLaughlin). Bessie McCoy singing “The YamaYama Man,”909 (author’s collection). Irene Foote imitating Bessie McCoy singing “The Yama-Yama Man,” 909 (author’s collection). Ginger Rogers imitating Irene Foote imitating Bessie McCoy singing “The Yama-Yama Man,” 939 (author’s collection ). Vernon as Zowie, the Monarch of Mystery, in The Hen-Pecks, 9 (author’s collection). (Left) Vernon’s theatrical father figure, Lew Fields, with Lillian Lee in The Hen-Pecks, 9 (author’s collection). (Below) The newlyweds winning the three-legged race on their honeymoon cruise, June 9 (author’s collection). (Above) Irene Castle and Zowie in Paris, 92 (courtesy William McLaughlin). (Right) The “Castle Band” was one of Irene’s fashion innovations (courtesy William McLaughlin). Irene’s famous Dutch cap, bought on her 9 honeymoon (courtesy Wisconsin Center for Film & Theater Research). The Castles in 93 (courtesy Wisconsin Center for Film & Theater Research). The Castles’ manager, Elisabeth Marbury (left), and her companion , Elsie de Wolfe (author’s collection). The Castles’ arranger and accompanist, James Reese Europe, with his Society Orchestra, c. 94 (courtesy Photographs and Prints Division, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture,The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations). The Castles’ chief competition, Maurice Mouvet and Florence Walton, 92 (courtesy © National Portrait Gallery, London). The Castles at the height of their fame, 95 (courtesy Wisconsin Center for Film & Theater Research). Irene Castle, c. 95 (courtesy Wisconsin Center for Film & Theater Research). Vernon Castle, c. 95 (courtesy Wisconsin Center for Film & Theater Research). The Castles in their New York townhouse (courtesy Wisconsin Center for Film & Theater Research). The Castles on horseback in Long Island (courtesy Wisconsin Center for Film & Theater Research). Dancing the maxixe, from Mr. and Mrs. Castle before the Camera (courtesy William McLaughlin). How to “take a corner”doing the Castle walk (courtesy William McLaughlin). The eight-step, from Mr. and Mrs. Castle before the Camera (courtesy William McLaughlin). The cortez step from the innovation, from Mr. and Mrs. Castle before the Camera (courtesy William McLaughlin). The Castles rehearsing for the camera, 94 (courtesy Getty Images). Irene found Vernon’s drumming—“beginning almost before breakfast and ending some time after midnight”— “a little trying” (courtesy William McLaughlin). (Above) The Castles with Tell (left) and Kiki (held by Irene) on their Long Island estate (courtesy William McLaughlin). (Right) Vernon and Irene (with Kiki and Tell),after fleeing Europe at the start of World War I,arrive home on the Olympic, August 29,94 (courtesy Bettmann/Corbis). Vernon attends to his paperwork ,an infrequent occurrence (author’s collection ). The Castles as seen in a contemporary caricature (author’s collection). Vernon in full evening dress (including monkey Rastus),95 (courtesy William McLaughlin). The Castles reminisce in The Whirl of Life, 95 (author’s collection). (Left) A newspaper sketch of the Castles at the time of their Whirlwind Tour, 94—at bottom right is drummer Buddie Gilmore (author’s collection). (Below) The cast of Watch Your Step as seen in a newspaper cartoon (author’s collection). Dancer and future film star Mae Murray, who briefly replaced Irene in Watch Your Step, 95 (courtesy Wisconsin Center for Film & Theater Research). Three sheet music covers showing the ragtime craze of the 90s (courtesy Duke University). Milton Sills and Irene in Patria, 96–7 (courtesy William McLaughlin). Sheet music for Patria (courtesy Eric Stogo, Metaluna). Irene, 97, in her feminine version of Vernon’s uniform, including a Royal Flying Corps insignia he sent her (courtesy Wisconsin Center for Film & Theater Research). A sketch of Vernon’s plane, sent to Irene along with one of his letters from the front (courtesy William McLaughlin). A dogfight, sketched by Vernon (courtesy William McLaughlin). The Castles in London during Irene’s weeklong visit before Vernon left...