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Dates 1872 – 1953
The first actor to portray Peter Pan (1904) on Broadway.
Whilst continuing her career as an actor, Maude Adams quietly innovated lighting positions and rigging systems to use in her productions.
After she left the stage, around 1934, she became a teacher at Stephens College in Missouri.
Inventions
In 1908 (January 5th), the New York Times announced that “Maude Adams Invents Stage Lighting Device”, which was finally approved to be installed at the Empire Theatre in New York. It was the first ‘light bridge’ – an easy way to rig and focus lighting.
More detail coming soon.
New York Times, 5 January 1908
Patents
- 1931: Illuminating Device [Improvement in support for metal filament]
- 1931: High Powered Illuminating Device [Cooling system for high powered incandescent lamps above 10kW]
- 1932: Lamp Base [Improving fixing and electrical connection at the base of high-powered lamps]