Friday, January 25, 1980
University Daily Kansan
11
Hixon photographs capture personality with drama
By JUDY HOWARD Staff Reporter
in the timeless portraits of Orval Hixon,
personality sparkles and never dims.
Hison, 96, was a vaudeville publicity manager. He captured the elusive personalities of such vaudeville faces as Theda Bara, Al Jolson, Eddie Curtor, Baldie Rose Marie and Charles Monroe.
The Helen F. Spencer Museum of Art has mounted 250 Hixton theatrical photographs and has added them to its collection. Forty works are in the museum, including the Kansas University Gallery through Feb. 8.
It was not until the 1970s that Hixon's photographs were recognized as an important art form.
Mo., Hixon photographed stars and would-be stars.
By 1920, he was a forerunner in his craft, with a studio on the Orpheum and Schubert Theater circuits.
With every Hixon photograph, there is an incident or a fond memory. But the photographs of the celebrities hold the best stories.
HIXON ESTIMATES he has taken 37,000 impersonators, dancers and actors, but of other subjects who were demurge, ordinary people without the glimpse and shine of their real life.
and friends. All were given life and eternal substance through the eye of the camera.
Many of Hixon's subjects were vaudeville celebrities who wanted publicity for their acts. At the Baltimore Hotel in Kansas City,
Hixon, at his home at 2013 Harwood Road, recalled an encounter between Thdo Dara, a music teacher in San Antonio, "The Vamp," and Valeska Suratt, surreal for her musical showc performances and a recording session.
"The last time I saw them was down at a theater in Kansas City. They were down
there at the same time, fussing as to who
would get the star dressing room," he said.
HIXON ADDEN that Suratn, a voluptuous woman with large, sultry eyes, loved pearls and flowers. He said ever time she came to Kansas City she would have her picture
Laughingly, Hixon said, "She used to get in front of the mirror and say, 'Suratt, you beautiful thing.' "
Vaudeville star Al Jolson was another Hixon subject.
radio," he sang 'Sonny Boy.' He was one of the best."
Hixon photographed the best in the world, a film made of white film. When cauduleid died, he moved to Lawrence, where he opened a studio on the ground nearly twenty years ago, he had retired in darkroom in his basement. He still uses some equipment that is nearly forty years old.
"The first time I heard him sing on the
and this is the element which pervades his pictures.
HIXON IS a small man, with a lively curiosity and enchantment about people.
Patty Boyer, Lawrence graduate student,
saw personality as Hixon captured it.
Some of Hison's subjects were former KU professors, students, area lawyers, family
"There's a real sense of drama," she said.
"The they must make you want to laugh."
James Eneyart, former curator at the Spencer Art Museum who mounted the first 100 Hixon photographs, wrote to Hixon of meaning in Hixon's success to others.
"Your success is our enjoyment," he wrote.
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