Allys Dwyer
Allys Dwyer (August 10, 1903 – October 15, 1998)[1] was an American actress who became a college educator.
Early years
[edit]Dwyer was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Augustin Dwyer of New York. Her father was vice-president of the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company. She graduated cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree from the College of New Rochelle.[2] She also acted in a student production while she was there.[3]
Career
[edit]Acting
[edit]Dwyer debuted as a professional actress in the play The Fool, performing with a touring company, after which she joined the Henry Jewett Players in Boston.[2] In 1925, she performed with the Dowling and Anhalt troupe.[4] In 1926, she acted with the Fulton Players in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.[5] In August 1929, she became the leading actress with the Bainbridge Players[6] at the Shubert Theater in Minneapolis.[7] Her work there included portraying Nina in a production of Eugene O'Neill's Strange Interlude.[8] Her tenure with the Bainbridge Players ended in December 1929,[9] when she left to work in motion pictures under a contract with Fox Film Corporation.[6]
On Broadway, Dwyer appeared in The Five O'Clock Girl (1927), A Regular Guy (1931), and Hot Money (1931).[10]
Academics
[edit]By 1936, Dwyer (going by her married name, Allys Dwyer Vergara) had become a lecturer in speech at the College of New Rochelle.[11] By 1939, she had become an associate professor of speech.[12] She also continued her own education at Columbia Teachers College, where in 1946 she wrote the dissertation A Critical Study of a Group of College Women's Responses to Poetry.[13]
Personal life
[edit]Dwyer was married to George Vergara, a former professional football player who later owned an insurance agency in New Rochelle, New York, and was mayor there from 1956 to 1960.[14]
Recognition
[edit]The College of New Rochelle established the Allys Dwyer Vergara Award to recognize students for excellence in speech.[15]
References
[edit]- ^ "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VS6V-DPX : 7 January 2021), Allys Vergara, 15 Oct 1998; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
- ^ a b "Society deb gets 'wild stage' idea; wealthy parents proud". The Pittsburgh Press. N. E. A. Service. November 17, 1927. p. 2. Retrieved October 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Students present plays at Fordham to-night". The Standard Union. New York, Brooklyn. August 12, 1921. p. 5. Retrieved October 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Allys Dwyer Coming In 'Man Among Women'". The Daily Record. New Jersey, Long Branch. July 16, 1925. p. 4. Retrieved October 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Boy officials visit theatre". Lancaster New Era. Pennsylvania, Lancaster. May 5, 1926. p. 5. Retrieved October 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Leading Woman at Shubert Will Enter 'Talkies'". The Minneapolis Star. December 19, 1929. p. 1. Retrieved October 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Allys Dwyer Sees Spoken Drama Driving On To a New and Greater Goal". The Minneapolis Star. October 5, 1929. p. 36. Retrieved October 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Two Divide Nina Role at Shubert". The Minneapolis Star. October 19, 1929. p. 34. Retrieved October 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Drama: Shubert". The Minneapolis Star. December 23, 1929. p. 12. Retrieved October 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Allys Dwyer". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on October 17, 2020. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
- ^ Annales. College of New Rochelle. 1936. p. 29. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
- ^ "To Lecture at New Rochelle". The New York Times. February 5, 1939. p. D 8. ProQuest 102757948. Retrieved October 18, 2020 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Rubin, Joan Shelley (30 June 2009). Songs of Ourselves: The Uses of Poetry in America. Harvard University Press. pp. 162–163. ISBN 978-0-674-04296-4. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
- ^ Herman, Robin (August 17, 1982). "George Vergara, Ex-Mayor of New Rochelle". The New York Times. p. B 4. ProQuest 122031761. Retrieved October 18, 2020 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "175 are graduated at New Rochelle". The New York Times. June 9, 1959. p. 40. ProQuest 114828527. Retrieved October 18, 2020 – via ProQuest.