Virginia Berkley Bowie (1880-1976)
Virginia Berkley Bowie straddled the line between society woman and actress. Born in Baltimore in 1880, she attended the Bard-Avon School of Expression in Baltimore and became well known as an actress. As a descendent of the proment Evensfield family, she debuted in society when she came of age but did not marry until 1928, when she was in her late thirties. Bowie was an excellent student of foreign languages and had also travelled extensively in Europe. Serving as Secretary and Treasurer of the Stagecraft Studios in Baltimore, she performed in King Lear’s Wife and numerous other plays. She also served as historian of the Baltimore chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
A member of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore from 1909 until at least 1920, she served on the Committees of Unfamiliar Records, Colonial and Revolutionary History, and Foreign Languages. She wrote many essays and short stories and translated numerous plays and texts from Italian and French, reading some at club meetings.
Relation
Frederick Schoenfeld
References
“Leading Society Folk Who Will Appear in the Chinese Musical Comedy at Lehmann’s Hall.” Baltimore Sun, Sunday, March 3, 1906: 7.
“Society Papers.” Baltimore Sun, Saturday, June 23, 1928: 4.
“Stagecraft Studio Casts Opening Play.” Evening Sun, Wednesday, January 31, 1923: 10.
“Washington-Custis Chapter,” Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine 36 (January-June 1910): 430.
Contributors
Monica Malouf