Looking for Mabel Normand

Recently, I was asked about a few photos in the 2009 Silent Star Album at Looking for Mabel created by Leo Sielke .Jr. I sometimes don’t know who the photographer, artist, creator were and sometimes not even the subject; so was surprised that I had over a dozen identified in my Sielke folder. Even though I don’t know much about the artist, his pictures do speak for themselves.

What I do know is back in 1903 Leo Sielke, Sr. and Otto Wetzel dissolved the interior decorating firm they were partners in with John A Treloar and Leo Sielke, Jr. at 1164 Broadway in New York City called Leo Sielke, Son & Co. formed October 23, 1902. Leo Sielke, Sr. was able to keep control of the company, which had financial troubles starting in May of 1903 by September the business was seriously hampered by strikes. With Leo Sr. as head of the company, they were decorating the Harlem Auditorium Theatre.

The Majestic Theatre was built in 1907 in Jersey City, on the proscenium arch, Leo Sielke and Leo Sielke, Jr., painted The Triumphal Entry. An observation balcony was modeled on that of the Grand Opera House in Paris. The interior featured French Renaissance decorative arts: a grand eight-foot wide staircase, neoclassical painted murals on canvas, domed ceiling with allegorical Greek goddesses, pillars of faux marble, crystal chandeliers, two balconies, twelve opera boxes, and a Wurlitzer piano-organ. The auditorium had a seating capacity of 2,300 and a 77 foot proscenium stage. In 2005, the restoration project headed by Patrick Shalhoub was begun. William H. McElfatrick, the architect known as the “father of the American theater design” built the Majestic for Klein Amusement Company.

In Baltimore City the Boulevard Theater at 3302 Greenmount Avenue had an interior dome and paintings by artist Leo Sielke, in the ladies' lounge. Designed by Ewald G. Blank for Alfred Buck's American Theater Company, and built by E. Eyring & Sons, it seated 1,500 viewers. Lavish interior decorations included mulberry silk tapestry panels, shades of pearl gray, azure blue, gold and violet, besides having an organ and a piano, there was also room for a house orchestra. It went though a number of changes over the years and finally closed for good by the 1980s

What becomes of the panels that decorate the “ladies’ lounge” or painted murals in the theatres which were created by this father and son team is hard to know but in December 1979, a oil on board painting of a nude was sold for $1,925 done by Leo Sielke.

Leo Sielke, Jr. went on to become a remarkable prolific magazine cover artist. Motion Picture Classic reported in their June 1917 issues that “A full-page portrait in color of William Farnum, a reproduction of a painting by Leo Sielke, Jr.” would be part of their publication. His creations graced the covers of almost all the major fan magazines of the era.

The top two winners Motion Picture Magazine were awarded paintings of themselves by Leo Sielke, Jr. (the same illustrator responsible for the Wallace Reid cover from the February 1917 issue), which the magazine also announced would be future covers as soon as they were ready to go.

In 1923 MacFadden, the publishers of Physical Culture, True Story, Movie Weekly, National Brain Power, Beautiful Womanhood and Metropolitan Magazines announced that Leo Sielke, Jr. would be doing the cover art which would increase sales.

If you have more examples of the Sielke paintings or information about his or his father's career, I would love to include what you have found

Marilyn Slater

"Looking-for-Mabel"

August 10, 2009