# Digby Bell
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{{Short description|American actor and vaudeville entertainer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Digby Bell
| image = Actor Digby Bell (SAYRE 4457) (cropped).jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Bell c. 1906
| birth_name = Digby Valentine Bell
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1849|11|08}}
| birth_place = [Milwaukee](/source/Milwaukee), Wisconsin, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1917|06|20|1849|08|11}}
| death_place = [New York City](/source/New_York_City), U.S.
| occupation = [Vaudeville](/source/Vaudeville) entertainer and Broadway performer
| alias =
| years_active =
| spouse = Lillian Brooks (divorced, 1883)
{{marriage|[Laura Joyce Bell](/source/Laura_Joyce_Bell)|1883|1904|reason=died}}
}}
'''Digby Bell''' (born '''Digby Valentine Bell'''; November 8, 1849 – June 20, 1917) was a popular [vaudeville](/source/vaudeville) entertainer and [Broadway](/source/Broadway_theatre) performer at the beginning of the 20th century.
==Early life==
Bell was born in [Milwaukee](/source/Milwaukee), [Wisconsin](/source/Wisconsin) on November 8, 1849.[{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068152/bio|title=Digby Bell|website=IMDb|accessdate=Oct 4, 2019}}]
==Performing career==
[[File:Harvard Theatre Collection - Digby Bell TCS 1.1981.jpg|thumb|left|Bell featured on [cabinet card](/source/cabinet_card), c. 1885]]
Bell studied in Europe to become a concert singer, and became famous for his roles in comic musical productions, such as [Gilbert and Sullivan](/source/Gilbert_and_Sullivan) comic operas and with the [McCaull Comic Opera Company](/source/McCaull_Comic_Opera_Company). His first starring role was in the musical ''Jupiter'' in 1892. He appeared many times with [Lillian Russell](/source/Lillian_Russell) in shows such as ''Princess Nicotine'', ''[The Queen of Brilliants](/source/The_Queen_of_Brilliants)'' and ''[The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein](/source/The_Grand_Duchess_of_Gerolstein)''. He introduced the song '"[The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo](/source/The_Man_Who_Broke_the_Bank_at_Monte_Carlo_(song))".
Bell gave a concert at Chickering Hall in New York City on April 26, 1878, that was favorably reviewed by the ''New York Times''.[{{Cite news |date=April 27, 1878 |title=Amusements. Mr. Digby Bell's concert |work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times) |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1878/04/27/80375019.pdf}}]
Much of Bell's later career was in nonmusical plays or vaudeville.
===Notable stage appearances===
'''Broadway appearances'''[{{Cite web |title=Digby Bell – Broadway Cast & Staff |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/digby-bell-31549 |website=Internet Broadway Database |accessdate=Oct 4, 2019}}]
* ''The Begum'', Sep 21, 1887 - Dec 10, 1887, role - Myhnt-Jhuleep
* ''The Hoosier Doctor'', Apr 18, 1898 - [unknown], role - Dr. Willow
* ''Mr. Pickwick'', Jan 19, 1903 - May 1903, role - [Sam Weller](/source/Sam_Weller_(character))
* ''The Education of Mr. Pipp'', Feb 20, 1905 - Apr 1905, role - J. Wesley Pipp
* ''An International Marriage'', Jan 4, 1909 - Jan 1909
* ''The Debtors'', Oct 12, 1909 - Oct 1909, role - William Dorritt
* ''[The Yeomen of the Guard](/source/The_Yeomen_of_the_Guard)'', Apr 19, 1915 - May 8, 1915, role - Chorus
* ''The Sorcerer'', May 24, 1915 - Jun 5, 1915, role - Dr. Daly
===Film appearances===
* ''[The Education of Mr. Pipp](/source/The_Education_of_Mr._Pipp)'' (1914)
* ''[Father and the Boys](/source/Father_and_the_Boys)'' (1915)
===Partial discography===
1909[{{Cite web |title=Digby Bell |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/200651 |website=Discography of American Historical Recordings |accessdate=Oct 4, 2019}}]
* The Tough Boy on the Right Field Fence
* The Blind Boy in the Gallery
* The Man Who Fanned Casey (A reply to 'Casey at the Bat'.)
* Experiences of a Commuter
* Day and Knight
* A Discontented Egg
==Personal life==
[[File:DigbyBell.jpg|thumb|right|Bell playing golf in [Siasconset, Massachusetts](/source/Siasconset%2C_Massachusetts), c. 1911]]
Bell was married at least twice. His first wife, Lillian Brooks, divorced him in March 1883. He married his second wife, [Laura Joyce Bell](/source/Laura_Joyce_Bell) (née Hannah Joyce Maskell), a day or so after his divorce from Brooks was finalized. Laura Joyce Bell died in New York in 1904.[^ Digby V. Bell again Married. ''The New York Times,'' March 19, 1883, p. 14][{{Cite web|url=https://www.answers.com/search|title=Answers - The Most Trusted Place for Answering Life's Questions|website=Answers.com|accessdate=Oct 4, 2019}}]
Bell was a fervent golfer and New York Giants baseball fan, as was his best friend and frequent co-star [DeWolf Hopper](/source/DeWolf_Hopper).