Early Tobacco card of Actress Anna Held

Below is a example of a tobacco card from the early 1900's of actress and stage performer Anna Held. Held’s lively and energetic personality was well-liked. She was recognized for her risqué songs, teasing nature and enthusiasm to reveal her legs on stage. While Held was on the road touring Europe she met Florenz Ziegfeld. Ziegfeld invited her to come back to New York City with him and she agreed. Ziegfeld promoted Held heavily, creating a large amount of public interest in her. By the time Held and Ziegfeld arrived in New York, she was already the subject of extreme public gossip. When she finally performed, the critics were indifferent of her, but the public enjoyed her. From 1905 Held enjoyed a number of successes on Broadway which made her a millions. Ziegfeld's aptitude for producing publicity stunts made certain that Held's name remained well known. Ziegfeld would cheat on Held and remarry another actress in 1914. Held spent the years of World War I performing in vaudeville, and touring Europe, performing for French soldiers. She was regarded as a war heroine for her charity, and was highly regarded for the bravery she demonstrated in traveling to the frontline. In 1916 her health began to fail. She collapsed while performing in 1918 and died after a few months from multiple myeloma at the young age of 45.