[Gaby Deslys, 1884-1920, full length portrait, standing, facing left, rt. hand on top of head, lt. hand grasping curtain]

J179670R U.S. Copyright Office.
Photo copyrighted by White Studio, N.Y.
No copyright renewals.
This record contains unverified, old data from caption card.
Caption card tracings: Fashions [1913]; BI; Photog. Index; Shelf.

Gaby Deslys was a French actress and dancer who was active during the early 20th century. She was born in 1881 in Paris, France, and began her career as a dancer and stage performer in the music halls and in revues, as well as in silent films. She was also a popular figure in the American Ziegfeld Follies.

The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City, produced by Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. from 1907 to 1931 known for their elaborate costumes, sets, and special effects, as well as their beautiful performers, dancers, singers, and comedians. The Ziegfeld Follies were also known for their beautiful and glamorous chorus girls, known as the "Ziegfeld Girls," many of these became performers, such as Fanny Brice, Ruth Etting, and Billie Burke. The Follies helped to establish Broadway as a center for American entertainment. The last Ziegfeld Follies was presented in 1931, and Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. passed away in 1932.