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And it’s Swinging Lizzie in the homestretch!
On September 17, 1971, the Baker Street Irregulars, that distinguished club of Sherlockians, held a special race at New York’s Belmont Racetrack. Called the “Silver Blaze” race, after the Sherlock Holmes story of the same name which involved a racehorse, the Irregulars were anxiously inspecting the racing form for a horse to bet on. The race for fillies included a snappy nag called Swinging Lizzie in the lineup. Swinging Lizzie was sired by- Axe II– naturally. Did she win the race?Read all about the outcome in the pdf file clipping at this link! SwingingLizzie
Thanks to our Baker Street Irregular correspondent, and BSI archivist for sending along this charming tidbit!
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Belle of Fall River
Amherst, Mass. may have its “Belle” a.k.a. Emily Dickinson, but if it’s October in Massachusetts, with Halloween just around the corner, Emily takes a back seat to Miz Lizzie. Stand by for a plethora of programs on the sharpest gal in town from the Discovery Channel, PBS and the Travel Channel. Jeffrey Arrowood, an attorney and former police chief will appear on Discovery Channel’s “Ghost Lab,” acting as prosecutor in a trial scenario at 8 p.m. Oct. 28th. The filming was done this past May at the house on Second Street.
http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/local-33950-attorney-ghosts.html
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October Mutton Eaters is now Online
October seems the right time to publishThe Victorian Celebration of Death
The Borden Funerals
Those Victorians sure knew how to mourn and how to keep Loved Ones around for years after the funeral through Memento Mori. To find out more about the customs of the era, and the Borden funeral in particular, visit the link for October Mutton Eaters online. Why did Lizzie wish her grave “bricked over”. What is a mort-safe?
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Lizzie Borden is Halloween’s New Pin-Up Girl
As Halloween draws nearer every year, there seem to be more and more “Lizzie sightings”. Whether in haunted corn mazes, horror theme attractions, Halloween costumes or a proliferation of Lizzie Borden-based plays- the little gal with the hatchet is everywhere from August right through to All Saints Day!
The Discovery Channel has set the Ghost Lab show of the investigation of the Borden house for Oct 25th, with a preview on the 19th. The Travel Channel repeated its look at America’s Most Terrifying Places again this past weekend, Nance O’Neil is coming to a close this weekend in Manhattan and coming soon- a new play, Lizzie Borden Took An Axe, by Garrett Heater will be the debut production of a brand new theatre group.
http://blog.syracuse.com/entertainment/2010/10/new_theater_company_stages_ori.html
Stay tuned for all-new Lizzie & Family productions coming this Fall on the Discovery channel, a landmark book on Fall River and Lizzie coming from the Fall River Historical Society, and the Borden case documentary shot by Ric Rebelo this past spring will be airing Saturday, October 30th at 7pm on Rhode Island PBS– the day before Halloween. And Sunday night, the 31st, is ALWAYS a special night at #92 Second Street and is sold out a year in advance!
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One for the Lizzie Bookshelf
Web of Iniquity by Catherine Ross Nickerson
Duke University Press, Feb. 1999
Here’s one that may have slipped by unnoticed. It sells from $6- $131 dollars depending on where you hunt for it. Amazon has the best deals.
“Surveys detective fiction from the Civil War to World War II, describes how women writers created a form of domestic mystery that offered a critical view of the condition of women, and discusses works based on the Lizzie Borden case.”
For more about the book and its author visit the Duke U. Press http://www.dukeupress.edu/Catalog/ViewProduct.php?productid=566&viewby=subject&categoryid=389&sort=author
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Hatchets in the news today
Hatchets: Not just a Victorian weapon of choice.
Elderly fruit vendor in Melbourne http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/man-jailed-for-killing-wife-of-50-years/story-e6frf7jx-1225914909320
Australia: 76-yr-old man is sentenced in wife killing, 36 blows to the head
http://manningham-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/keen-to-go-back-home/
Breaking news in Nebraska: Angela Mann’s murder trial http://www.ketv.com/r/25194981/detail.html
Iowa’s Lucas Faulkner hatchet murder trial -Iowa http://www.kimt.com/content/localnews/story/Wright-County-Murder-Trial-Delayed/gnml05_swUqRun0BHzVWug.cspx
California Death Row inmate Kevin Cooper waits for execution in 30 year old case of four 1983 hatchet slayings http://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/news/ci_16191554
San Diego– Border Patrol agent Rivera on 10 million dollar bail awaiting trial for hatchet attack http://colorlines.com/archives/2010/09/as_border_patrol_expands_so_do_reports_of_misconduct.html
Texas man wanted hatchet in homeless man slaying http://lubbockonline.com/crime-and-courts/2010-09-15/grand-jury-indicts-confessed-killer-homeless-stabbing
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Nance at The Players Club
With Nance O’Neil off-Broadway until October 9th, playgoers may like to know that the famous Players Club has a full-length portrait of Nance as Lady Macbeth in the diningroom. See link below to the Player’s Club and a link to a mixed review of Nance as Lady Macbeth here below as a pdf file: -
Actress Gloria Stuart dies at 100
Actress Gloria Stuart, best known today for her role in 1997’s Titanic as the elderly version of Rose, passed away in her home in Los Angeles on Sept. 27th. Her birthday was last July when she turned 100 years old. Born on July 4, 1910, Her first appearance at Universal was in 1932. At the age of 87, the nomination – her first – made her the oldest person ever nominated for an Oscar. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2000. Her biography “I Just Kept Hoping” recounts her 70 plus years in the film industry.In 1975, she appeared in The Legend of Lizzie Borden at the age of 65, in the role of a lady shopper in a store where Lizzie is busy thieving.
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Another Hatchet Job
There must be something in the Massachusetts water supply- or is it all about the hot days of August in New England? This story by Joan Patrakis of the Andover Historical Society comes from the Andover Townsman Online and tells of another local lady who went on a rampage with a sharp -edged tool, this one in August of 1895. Not most people’s ideal of Victorian Motherhood.“Saddest of all is the story of Mrs. Beard whose shocking case rivals that of Lizzie Borden. In 1895 she was declared insane after she viciously attacked her daughter and friend with an ax. The victims survived but the incident rekindled suspicion of her guilt in the deaths of her two young sons who had died in a tragic house fire 20 years earlier. Mrs. Beard was brought before a jury at that time but the case against her was dropped despite there being possible evidence of arson and questions about her sanity. She lived out her life in a Maine asylum.”
Although the attack itself occured in Old Orchard, Maine, where the Andover woman had a summer cottage, Mrs. F.R. Beard was from Andover where she maintained her primary residence. The attack occured on the morning of August 26th , with grievious wounds inflicted upon the body of her daughter, Josephine Beard, a Boston school teacher who was in bed at the time of the attack. A college friend from Andover, Miss Winona Graffen who was rooming with the Beards, received two serious flesh wounds. Mrs. Beard recovered her composure apparently, and accompanied the two girls to the hospital in Portland. (source, NY Times August 26, 1895)
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West Coast loves Lizzie
Lizzie Borden has jumped the bounds of just New England lore. West Coasters love Lizzie too! The popular play, Blood Relations is on tap for December in Olympia, Washington. http://www.olytheater.com/index.htm Not only transcontinental, Miss Borden and that hatchet are on the way to becoming transglobal, thanks to the Internet and the Travel Channel!
Blood Relations by Sharon Pollock
Directed by Tim Samland
December, 2010
Venue: The Midnight Sun“In 1892 Lizzie Borden was tried for the double murder of her father and stepmother. She was acquitted but the crime was never solved. 10 years later, at tea with an actress, Lizzie suggests a game in which the actress will portray Miss Lizzie and Lizzie will take the role of Bridget, the family’s maid.” -
New crop of Lizzie shows for Halloween
The Travel Channel kicked off Ghost Adventures tonight with an episode filmed at the Lizzie Borden B&B this past May- one of several which will be airing between now and Halloween. This episode’s 7 minute clip from the shoot comes at the end of the show and features B&B guest interviews, comments from house co-owner, Lee Ann Wilber, seance highlights with Liz Nowicki, a local Fall River medium/psychic, and features house/museum employees in the roles of Abby and Lizzie. The Rev. Bob Richardson plays Andrew Borden. The episode will be airing several more times over the next few weeks. For the schedule, visit the link below.
Most Terrifying Places in Americahttp://www.travelchannel.com/Schedule
Kathleen Troost-Cramer as Lizzie Borden
Rev. Bob Richardson as Andrew Borden
Shelley Dziedzic as Abby Borden -
Another Lizzie Borden ditty
On MTV news in August 2010- just in case you missed it. “How Heavy the Axe” by Sword. You may want to turn down the volume a little first if you are over 40. If you can catch the lyrics- you have great ears! First, you’ll need to endure a commercial for Cotton- the Fabric of our Lives- not a bad connection to Fall River, the former Cotton Capital. Link below.
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Lizzie Borden Rides Again
Chances are you have not heard of the Garst Museum in Greenville, Ohio unless you are a fan of Greenville- born world traveller and TV star Lowell Thomas whose adventures enthralled millions on radio and later television. Or perhaps sharpshooter Annie Oakley, about whom the Garst has produced a world-class exhibit about her life.
As part of their autumn lecture series, another famous lady will be featured as subject of a one-woman show as Christy Igo takes on Lizzie Borden- no sharp-shooting pistol, but a hatchet just as deadly.
(photo of Ms. Igo from http://www.lizzieborden.info/_wsn/page2.html)
“Sunday, October 10, 2010 at 2:00 p.m., Christy Igo’s program “Lizzie Borden: A Life” is coming to the Garst. It is full of laughter, mystery, and horror as she brings Lizzie Borden to life to tell HER STORY of the murder of her beloved father and step mother. This crime is one of the bloodiest, most notorious and mysterious crimes of the 19th century!
In 1892 Lizzie Borden was found NOT guilty by a jury of her peers. Most of the towns folk of Falls River, Massachusetts DISAGREED. The trial received worldwide media attention. Lizzie became a celebrity. The gruesome details played out in the daily newspapers.Did she or didn’t she? Modern law students still argue the case. You be the judge.
Christy Igo trained at Ohio University’s Professional Actor Training Program as well as at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. She has worked professionally all over the North Eastern United States. She has worked in film, commercials and documentaries. She formed HerStory productions in 1999 to produce and perform original one woman shows about inspirational women from history.The Garst Lecture Series are free to the public, thanks to a grant from the HOPE Foundation and the Harry D. Stephens Memorial Trust. This lecture may be more suitable for mature audiences. For more information please call 937-548-5250 or online at www.garstmuseum.org.” -
Lizzie Borden The Rock Musical
This just in from Andy Propst via Theatermania.com for all those wondering about Lizzie Borden, the rock musical which is included as part of new theatre projects during the National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s Festival of New Musicals in Manhattan this fall.The annual Festival of New Musicals will held in New York City on Thursday, October 21 and Friday, October 22, 2010 for a select audience of NAMT members, producers and other musical theatre industry professionals
“Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer, Alan Stevens Hewitt and Tim Maner’s musical about murderess Lizzie Borden will feature Carrie Cimma in the title role, along with Jenny Fellner, Marie France Arcilla and Beth Malone. The piece will be staged by Victoria Bussert, with music direction by Matt Hinkley.” The production website is at http://lizziebordentheshow.com/index.php/axe/about/ for more.
For a sampling of some of the musical selections http://lizziebordentheshow.com/index.php/axe/media/
“A rock roadshow retelling of the bloody legend of America’s first and favorite axe-wielding double-murderess and Victorian hometown girl
by Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer, Tim Maner, and Alan Stevens Hewitt.”Most recently the show ran for six weeks in fall 2009 at the Living Theatre in New York as a full-length original rock musical, produced by Took An Axe Productions.
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Lizzie Borden’s B&B makes Yankee’s top 75
The new issue of Yankee Magazine has a great article called “How New England Are You”, which lists the top 75 things every good yankee should see and do. The Lizzie Borden house in Fall River comes in at #72 along with Salem and haunts of the Boston Strangler! See link below.
http://www.yankeemagazine.com/issues/2010-09/features/things-to-do/7
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After the Axe
(photo by Beau Allulli) “Nance O’Neil”: Rachel Brown (standing) and Jonna McElrath in this play at Access Theater
Reviews still coming in for the new production by the Blue Coyote Group. Much praise has been lavished on the costume designer, and word has leaked that a “theory” about the crime is suggested in the production. The interaction between Lizzie and her sister Emma is praised by critics as a strong element in the play, and the play in general is receiving positive reviews. Get down to the Access theatre soon , for the play closes October 9th!
David Rooney’s review: http://theater.nytimes.com/2010/09/21/theater/reviews/21nance.html
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Nance O’Neil- The Reviews are In
(photo by Beau Allulli)
It’s all about Lizzie! http://www.backstage.com/bso/reviews-ny-theatre-off-off-broadway/nance-o-neil-1004114929.story
and http://blogcritics.org/culture/article/theater-review-nyc-nance-oneil/
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Yankee Magazine’s 1992 article
If you neglected to clip and save this for your Lizzie Borden Centennial Collection, Yankee Magazine now has it in the archive, also available in pdf format, complete with photos to print out. Arnie Brown and Professor Starrs are featured.
