Copyright © 2020 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
I explored the life and career of scenic artist Mabel A. Buell in the past two posts. However, the Buell family’s history is complicated and will take a few more posts bit to unwrap. This is the most interesting theatre family that I have encountered to date, so I am going to take a little time and enjoy myself. The tales surrounding Buell’s would be an absolutely fascinating book; maybe even a miniseries as there is romance, death, intrigue and kidnapping.
To start with, it was a theatrical family entirely composed of scenic artists: Horace H. (father), Fannie “Nina” Giles (mother), Horace C. (son) and Mabel A. (daughter). The patriarch was a well-known scenic artist, assisted by his wife, son and daughter. The son was initially selected to follow in his father’s footsteps, but passed away in 1916 at the young age of 24. Although the patriarch of the family actively once discouraged his daughter from the profession, she had also assisted him on projects when he needed an assistant and was an accomplished artist in her own right. Regardless of her father’s warning, Mabel became a scenic artist and was actively working the year her brother passed. In fact, in 1916 both Mabel and her mother were listed as scenic artists in the Sioux City Directory, working at the Princess Theatre. There is no indication of what their father is doing at that time, but in 1912 he was working and living in Florida.
Horace Sr. passes away in 1919, and both mother and daughter now constitute the Buell Scenic Company. In many newspaper reports, they explain the desire to continue the Buell name in the scenic art world, an acceptable rationale for two women running a scenic art business. Mabel makes the paper as a petite pretty blond who holds a union card and works just as hard as the men who dominate the world of scenic art. The mother is listed as head of Buell Scenic Company and becomes a member of the Vaudeville Artists’ Club.
In 1923, the Mabel marries Herbert Schulze, also a scenic artist and designer, but a sickly one with a heart condition. Three years later, the mother “retires” from heading Buell Scenic Company, but is still involved as a consultant. Interestingly, she retires the same year that her granddaughter Joy is born to Mabel and Herbert. My guess is that she opted to stay home with her granddaughter so that her own daughter could keep working. The family of four – mother, daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter – all live in Manhattan during the 1930s.
It is in the mid-1930s, however, that the daughter meets Yates Stirling, Jr., a retired admiral. She begins working with him on several projects, including providing illustrations for his various publications, such as “Sea Duty: Memoirs of a Fighting Admiral.” They also partner to create the musical comedy “Sea Legs.” Then, as now, some of society has a hard time believing men and women can work together and maintain a platonic friendship without some sort of romantic liaison, so there is speculation that the two were having an affair. Whether this is the case or not, really doesn’t matter, but Stirling’s family had a problem with it. But is in the in 1930s and 1940s that Stirling becomes an increasing involved with the Buell family, going on extended absences with the three Buell women to work on his writing projects. This is at the same time Mabel’s husband, Herbert Schulze, nears the end of his life. He passes away in 1940 at the relatively young age of 48. At the time of his passing, Schulze was no longer living in the Buell home, but lodging with others and still working as a scenic artist. Other than a heart condition listed on his WWI draft card, there is no indication of what caused his early departure.
Stirling’s relationship with the Buell’s only became a problem because of his children. His adult children were not happy with his new friendship and the time spent with the Buell family, to the extreme. There is all sort of drama revolving around his activities at the Buell’s and the reported disappearance of the admiral. In fact, when he left with the Buell’s to work on another publication in Florida, his children reported him missing and hired a detective. After Stirling requested that more personal items be shipped to him in Florida due an extended stay, the children broke into the Buell’s home and left with their father – who was in his 70s at the time. During the home invasion, 18-years-old Nina Buell was injured in “a scuffle with the admiral’s offspring” (“Tampa Bay Times,” 15 May 1946, page 11). Other reports proclaim that her injury occurred after she pulled a gun on the invaders and they were trying to disarm her, hence injuring her hand. Nina was even pictured in the newspaper with her granddaughter inspecting her injury. Charges against the Stirling children were filed and the drama continued.
Nina Fannie B. Giles Buell is a fascinating character in her own right. Various historical records list provide a variety of names for her, including Nina G., Nina C., Nina B., Fannie G., Fannie B. and Fannie C. Buell; yes, they are one in the same. When Mabel and her mother were painting at the Princess Theatre in Sioux City in 1916, she was listed as Nina C. Buell. Upon her passing though, newspapers remembered her as Nina Giles Buell and her position as “Former Scenic Firm Head” (Tampa Tribune, 31 Dec. 1947, page 2).
“The Miami News” announced, “Woman Theatrical Designer Dies” (30 Dec. 1947, page 1). The “Post Standard” reported, “Palm Beach, Fla. – Mrs. Nina Giles Buell for many years the head of Buell Scenic company, theatrical designers of New York city, died here yesterday after a short illness” (Syracuse, NY, 31 Dec. 1947, page 1). The Jan. 10, 1948 issue of “The Billboard” announced, “Mrs. Nina Giles, head of the New York theatrical designers, Buell Scenic Company, December 31 in New York. She was a member of the National Vaudeville Artists’ Club” (page 42). Nina was not simply window dressing or doing the accounting for a scenic studio, she was a major presence in the company, both designing and painting; still associated with the company two decades after her retirement.
Nina’s obituary is indicative of her unusual life. I have always found newspaper obituaries fascinating. Until you actually write one and submit it to the newspaper, it’s not an activity that one ponders. Having to encapsulate one’s life while contemplating length, and if an issue, overall expense. I have read thousands of obituaries to obtain little bits of information about others’ existences to gain little crumbs of truth. As the obituary is often submitted by a family member, typically they know how the dearly departed wanted to be remembered; what was really important to include about their life. On Dec. 31, 1947, “The Palm Beach Post” reported, “Mrs. N. G. Buell Dies in Resort (page 2).
Here is the article as it was written and submitted:
“Services for Mrs. Nina Giles Buell, former theatrical designer of New York, who died Tuesday morning at her apartment in the Paramount Bldg., will be held at 2 p.m. today at the graveside in Hillcrest Cemetery. The Rev. Ryan Wood, pastor of the Memorial Presbyterian Church will officiate.” I am going to stop here to point something out. Buell dies on Tuesday morning, the announcement and burial is the next day. I had no idea that a burial could occur that quickly, when considering the process that I have encountered in the past. This suggests that there was no need to plan a memorial service for friends or family coming from afar. Continuing with the article:
“Mrs. Buell, who would have been 82 in a few days, died after a short illness. For many years she headed the Buell Scenic Co., and after her retirement from active work in 1926, she was consultant to their daughter, Mabel Buell, a widow of Herbert Schulze, scenic designer, who uses her maiden name professionally.
“Mrs. Buell, her daughter and the latter’s daughter, Joy, came to Florida in April 1946, after spending some time in Miami Beach. They have made their home in Palm Beach for more than a year, where Miss Buell has been engaged in doing murals for a number of clubs.
“Mrs. Buell was born in Milwaukee, where her father was the second white man to settle in the community. For several years she worked for the Presbyterian Board in slum work in Portland, Ore. Later conducting a kindergarten which the board built for her in Mexico near the border.
“She was married to Horace Hervey Buell, portrait and mural artist.
“Their children, Mabel and Horace Cyrus Giles Buell, who died in 1916, were born in California, and when they were both quite young the family went abroad, living in London for two and a half years.
“After Mr. Buell’s death in 1919, Mrs. Buell who managed his business affairs and her daughter devoted themselves to their scenic business for years, and did sets for many shows, including a number of Schubert productions.
“Mrs. Buell was a lay member of the National Vaudeville artists Club, did many sets for vaudeville acts and was beloved by the profession.
“Though there are many nephews and nieces in California, immediate survivors include only the daughter and granddaughter.
“Friends who wish may view the body from 10 a. m. to 1 p. m. today at the Mizell-Simon Mortuary.”
To be continued…
