Related Records

1. Booklet of Letters - Booklet of Letters 1) Letter Dated October 1, 1904 - From J. J. Murdock to the Board of Local Improvements about rumors concerning the street paving. 2) Letter Dated October 14, 1904 - From J. J. Murdock to the Board of Local Improvements enclosing a letter from Mr. Robert's report regarding the streets. 3) Letter dated September 28, 1904 - from V. B. Roberts to J. J. Murdock updating him on the investigation and report of quality and character of materials used upon street pavement improvements in progress.

   Doc 2759

   Record Type: Archive

   
2. Lake Bluff Gives Honor to J.J. Murdock for Gift to Firemen - Article in the Lake Bluff Chat detailing that Lake Bluff Gives Honor to J.J. Murdock for Gift to Firemen

   Doc 336

   Record Type: Archive

   
3. Luxurious Fire Laddies of Lake Bluff - Article and pictures in the Sunday Tribune describing the "Laddies of Lake Bluff", or the Volunteers of the Lake Bluff Fire Department.

   Doc 339

   Record Type: Archive

   
4. Martha Sleeper - A black and white photo of Martha Sleeper and Sidney Blackmer. Both actors were in the movie Great God Gold. Martha is wearing a hat and fur stole. Martha Sleeper’s name might not ring a lot of bells today, but she was once well known in Hollywood, on Broadway and in the jewelry and clothing design trades. She was born in Lake Bluff in 1910 to Minnie and William Sleeper, and she had deep theatrical roots, as her father worked for a prominent chain of vaudeville and motion picture theaters –Keith-Albee-Orpheum Corporation — and her uncle, John J. Murdock (who lived at 550 East Center Avenue), was a bigwig in vaudeville and later in Hollywood from the 1900s to the 1930s. Martha was in her first silent movie at age 13 and was soon after signed by the Hal Roach Studio to perform in the "Our Gang" series. Between 1924 and 1925 she appeared in 28 films, as reported by silent Hollywood.com From 1925 to 1927, she played opposite the Hal Roach Studio’s male stars. She moved to the FBO Studio in 1927 and starred in six silent movies in 1928-29. When sound was introduced to movies in 1930, Martha moved to MGM Studios. From 1930 to 1936, she played several supporting roles in "talkies", often cast as a proper, well-dressed socialite who played second fiddle to prominent leading ladies of the time, such as Katherine Hepburn, Barbara Stanwyck and Ingrid Bergman. But she wanted to do more than just play parts where she lost the leading man to another woman. In 1932, she began performing on stage in Los Angeles and the surrounding area, including as Eliza Doolittle in "Pygmalion" in 1932. In 1936 she moved with her husband, actor Hardie Albright, to New York to pursue a career on the stage and performed in 11 Broadway productions into the late 1940s, including as Spencer Tracy’s wife in the Broadway play "The Rugged Path." She returned to film in 1945 to take the role of Patsy’s mother in "The Bells of St. Mary’s", which was her last screen performance. Off-stage and away from cameras, her career veered in new directions. Prior to World War II, Martha started designing whimsical costume jewelry made of bakelite, wood and metal, which you can still find for sale today on websites like ebay and Etsy. In 1950, a year after she moved to Puerto Rico, she began designing and selling clothing, according to the Vintage Fashion Guild. (LBHM Website)

   Martha Sleeper

   Record Type: Photo

   
5. Martha Sleeper - A black and white photo of Martha Sleeper as a young girl in braids wearing a checkered dress. Martha Sleeper’s name might not ring a lot of bells today, but she was once well known in Hollywood, on Broadway and in the jewelry and clothing design trades. She was born in Lake Bluff in 1910 to Minnie and William Sleeper, and she had deep theatrical roots, as her father worked for a prominent chain of vaudeville and motion picture theaters –Keith-Albee-Orpheum Corporation — and her uncle, John J. Murdock (who lived at 550 East Center Avenue), was a bigwig in vaudeville and later in Hollywood from the 1900s to the 1930s. Martha was in her first silent movie at age 13 and was soon after signed by the Hal Roach Studio to perform in the "Our Gang" series. Between 1924 and 1925 she appeared in 28 films, as reported by silent Hollywood.com From 1925 to 1927, she played opposite the Hal Roach Studio’s male stars. She moved to the FBO Studio in 1927 and starred in six silent movies in 1928-29. When sound was introduced to movies in 1930, Martha moved to MGM Studios. From 1930 to 1936, she played several supporting roles in "talkies", often cast as a proper, well-dressed socialite who played second fiddle to prominent leading ladies of the time, such as Katherine Hepburn, Barbara Stanwyck and Ingrid Bergman. But she wanted to do more than just play parts where she lost the leading man to another woman. In 1932, she began performing on stage in Los Angeles and the surrounding area, including as Eliza Doolittle in "Pygmalion" in 1932. In 1936 she moved with her husband, actor Hardie Albright, to New York to pursue a career on the stage and performed in 11 Broadway productions into the late 1940s, including as Spencer Tracy’s wife in the Broadway play "The Rugged Path." She returned to film in 1945 to take the role of Patsy’s mother in "The Bells of St. Mary’s", which was her last screen performance. Off-stage and away from cameras, her career veered in new directions. Prior to World War II, Martha started designing whimsical costume jewelry made of bakelite, wood and metal, which you can still find for sale today on websites like ebay and Etsy. In 1950, a year after she moved to Puerto Rico, she began designing and selling clothing, according to the Vintage Fashion Guild. (LBHM Website)

   Martha Sleeper

   Record Type: Photo

   
6. Martha Sleeper - A black and white photo of Martha Sleeper holding her head in her hand. Martha Sleeper’s name might not ring a lot of bells today, but she was once well known in Hollywood, on Broadway and in the jewelry and clothing design trades. She was born in Lake Bluff in 1910 to Minnie and William Sleeper, and she had deep theatrical roots, as her father worked for a prominent chain of vaudeville and motion picture theaters –Keith-Albee-Orpheum Corporation — and her uncle, John J. Murdock (who lived at 550 East Center Avenue), was a bigwig in vaudeville and later in Hollywood from the 1900s to the 1930s. Martha was in her first silent movie at age 13 and was soon after signed by the Hal Roach Studio to perform in the "Our Gang" series. Between 1924 and 1925 she appeared in 28 films, as reported by silent Hollywood.com From 1925 to 1927, she played opposite the Hal Roach Studio’s male stars. She moved to the FBO Studio in 1927 and starred in six silent movies in 1928-29. When sound was introduced to movies in 1930, Martha moved to MGM Studios. From 1930 to 1936, she played several supporting roles in "talkies", often cast as a proper, well-dressed socialite who played second fiddle to prominent leading ladies of the time, such as Katherine Hepburn, Barbara Stanwyck and Ingrid Bergman. But she wanted to do more than just play parts where she lost the leading man to another woman. In 1932, she began performing on stage in Los Angeles and the surrounding area, including as Eliza Doolittle in "Pygmalion" in 1932. In 1936 she moved with her husband, actor Hardie Albright, to New York to pursue a career on the stage and performed in 11 Broadway productions into the late 1940s, including as Spencer Tracy’s wife in the Broadway play "The Rugged Path." She returned to film in 1945 to take the role of Patsy’s mother in "The Bells of St. Mary’s", which was her last screen performance. Off-stage and away from cameras, her career veered in new directions. Prior to World War II, Martha started designing whimsical costume jewelry made of bakelite, wood and metal, which you can still find for sale today on websites like ebay and Etsy. In 1950, a year after she moved to Puerto Rico, she began designing and selling clothing, according to the Vintage Fashion Guild. (LBHM Website)

   Martha Sleeper

   Record Type: Photo

   
7. Martha Sleeper - A black and white photo of Martha Sleeper in an evening dress standing between two men in tuxedo and white tie. Martha Sleeper’s name might not ring a lot of bells today, but she was once well known in Hollywood, on Broadway and in the jewelry and clothing design trades. She was born in Lake Bluff in 1910 to Minnie and William Sleeper, and she had deep theatrical roots, as her father worked for a prominent chain of vaudeville and motion picture theaters –Keith-Albee-Orpheum Corporation — and her uncle, John J. Murdock (who lived at 550 East Center Avenue), was a bigwig in vaudeville and later in Hollywood from the 1900s to the 1930s. Martha was in her first silent movie at age 13 and was soon after signed by the Hal Roach Studio to perform in the "Our Gang" series. Between 1924 and 1925 she appeared in 28 films, as reported by silent Hollywood.com From 1925 to 1927, she played opposite the Hal Roach Studio’s male stars. She moved to the FBO Studio in 1927 and starred in six silent movies in 1928-29. When sound was introduced to movies in 1930, Martha moved to MGM Studios. From 1930 to 1936, she played several supporting roles in "talkies", often cast as a proper, well-dressed socialite who played second fiddle to prominent leading ladies of the time, such as Katherine Hepburn, Barbara Stanwyck and Ingrid Bergman. But she wanted to do more than just play parts where she lost the leading man to another woman. In 1932, she began performing on stage in Los Angeles and the surrounding area, including as Eliza Doolittle in "Pygmalion" in 1932. In 1936 she moved with her husband, actor Hardie Albright, to New York to pursue a career on the stage and performed in 11 Broadway productions into the late 1940s, including as Spencer Tracy’s wife in the Broadway play "The Rugged Path." She returned to film in 1945 to take the role of Patsy’s mother in "The Bells of St. Mary’s", which was her last screen performance. Off-stage and away from cameras, her career veered in new directions. Prior to World War II, Martha started designing whimsical costume jewelry made of bakelite, wood and metal, which you can still find for sale today on websites like ebay and Etsy. In 1950, a year after she moved to Puerto Rico, she began designing and selling clothing, according to the Vintage Fashion Guild. (LBHM Website)

   Martha Sleeper

   Record Type: Photo

   
8. Martha Sleeper - A black and white photo of Martha Sleeper sitting on a velvet chair with a legs exposed. Martha Sleeper’s name might not ring a lot of bells today, but she was once well known in Hollywood, on Broadway and in the jewelry and clothing design trades. She was born in Lake Bluff in 1910 to Minnie and William Sleeper, and she had deep theatrical roots, as her father worked for a prominent chain of vaudeville and motion picture theaters –Keith-Albee-Orpheum Corporation — and her uncle, John J. Murdock (who lived at 550 East Center Avenue), was a bigwig in vaudeville and later in Hollywood from the 1900s to the 1930s. Martha was in her first silent movie at age 13 and was soon after signed by the Hal Roach Studio to perform in the "Our Gang" series. Between 1924 and 1925 she appeared in 28 films, as reported by silent Hollywood.com From 1925 to 1927, she played opposite the Hal Roach Studio’s male stars. She moved to the FBO Studio in 1927 and starred in six silent movies in 1928-29. When sound was introduced to movies in 1930, Martha moved to MGM Studios. From 1930 to 1936, she played several supporting roles in "talkies", often cast as a proper, well-dressed socialite who played second fiddle to prominent leading ladies of the time, such as Katherine Hepburn, Barbara Stanwyck and Ingrid Bergman. But she wanted to do more than just play parts where she lost the leading man to another woman. In 1932, she began performing on stage in Los Angeles and the surrounding area, including as Eliza Doolittle in "Pygmalion" in 1932. In 1936 she moved with her husband, actor Hardie Albright, to New York to pursue a career on the stage and performed in 11 Broadway productions into the late 1940s, including as Spencer Tracy’s wife in the Broadway play "The Rugged Path." She returned to film in 1945 to take the role of Patsy’s mother in "The Bells of St. Mary’s", which was her last screen performance. Off-stage and away from cameras, her career veered in new directions. Prior to World War II, Martha started designing whimsical costume jewelry made of bakelite, wood and metal, which you can still find for sale today on websites like ebay and Etsy. In 1950, a year after she moved to Puerto Rico, she began designing and selling clothing, according to the Vintage Fashion Guild. (LBHM Website)

   Martha Sleeper

   Record Type: Photo

   
9. Martha Sleeper - A black and white studio photo of Martha Sleeper. Martha Sleeper’s name might not ring a lot of bells today, but she was once well known in Hollywood, on Broadway and in the jewelry and clothing design trades. She was born in Lake Bluff in 1910 to Minnie and William Sleeper, and she had deep theatrical roots, as her father worked for a prominent chain of vaudeville and motion picture theaters –Keith-Albee-Orpheum Corporation — and her uncle, John J. Murdock (who lived at 550 East Center Avenue), was a bigwig in vaudeville and later in Hollywood from the 1900s to the 1930s. Martha was in her first silent movie at age 13 and was soon after signed by the Hal Roach Studio to perform in the "Our Gang" series. Between 1924 and 1925 she appeared in 28 films, as reported by silent Hollywood.com From 1925 to 1927, she played opposite the Hal Roach Studio’s male stars. She moved to the FBO Studio in 1927 and starred in six silent movies in 1928-29. When sound was introduced to movies in 1930, Martha moved to MGM Studios. From 1930 to 1936, she played several supporting roles in "talkies", often cast as a proper, well-dressed socialite who played second fiddle to prominent leading ladies of the time, such as Katherine Hepburn, Barbara Stanwyck and Ingrid Bergman. But she wanted to do more than just play parts where she lost the leading man to another woman. In 1932, she began performing on stage in Los Angeles and the surrounding area, including as Eliza Doolittle in "Pygmalion" in 1932. In 1936 she moved with her husband, actor Hardie Albright, to New York to pursue a career on the stage and performed in 11 Broadway productions into the late 1940s, including as Spencer Tracy’s wife in the Broadway play "The Rugged Path." She returned to film in 1945 to take the role of Patsy’s mother in "The Bells of St. Mary’s", which was her last screen performance. Off-stage and away from cameras, her career veered in new directions. Prior to World War II, Martha started designing whimsical costume jewelry made of bakelite, wood and metal, which you can still find for sale today on websites like ebay and Etsy. In 1950, a year after she moved to Puerto Rico, she began designing and selling clothing, according to the Vintage Fashion Guild. (LBHM Website)

   Martha Sleeper

   Record Type: Photo

   
10. Martha Sleeper - Two obituaries for Lake Bluff native, actress Martha Sleeper who died at 72. Sleeper started in the movies at age 12. She made her Broadway debut in 1934 in Good Men and True. A five page Xerox document from silenthollywood.com, which includes pictures of Sleeper, and a brief biography. Martha Sleeper’s name might not ring a lot of bells today, but she was once well known in Hollywood, on Broadway and in the jewelry and clothing design trades. She was born in Lake Bluff in 1910 to Minnie and William Sleeper, and had deep theatrical roots, as her father worked for a prominent chain of vaudeville and motion picture theaters –Keith-Albee-Orpheum Corporation — and her uncle, John J. Murdock (who lived at 550 East Center Avenue), was a bigwig in vaudeville and later in Hollywood from the 1900s to the 1930s. Martha was in her first silent movie at age 13 and was soon after signed by the Hal Roach Studio to perform in the "Our Gang" series. Between 1924 and 1925 she appeared in 28 films, as reported by silent Hollywood.com From 1925 to 1927, she played opposite the Hal Roach Studio’s male stars. She moved to the FBO Studio in 1927 and starred in six silent movies in 1928-29. When sound was introduced to movies in 1930, Martha moved to MGM Studios. From 1930 to 1936, she played several supporting roles in "talkies", often cast as a proper, well-dressed socialite who played second fiddle to prominent leading ladies of the time, such as Katherine Hepburn, Barbara Stanwyck and Ingrid Bergman. But she wanted to do more than just play parts where she lost the leading man to another woman. In 1932, she began performing on stage in Los Angeles and the surrounding area, including as Eliza Doolittle in "Pygmalion" in 1932. In 1936 she moved with her husband, actor Hardie Albright, to New York to pursue a career on the stage and performed in 11 Broadway productions into the late 1940s, including as Spencer Tracy’s wife in the Broadway play "The Rugged Path." She returned to film in 1945 to take the role of Patsy’s mother in "The Bells of St. Mary’s", which was her last screen performance. Off-stage and away from cameras, her career veered in new directions. Prior to World War II, Martha started designing whimsical costume jewelry made of bakelite, wood and metal, which you can still find for sale today on websites like ebay and Etsy. In 1950, a year after she moved to Puerto Rico, she began designing and selling clothing, according to the Vintage Fashion Guild. (LBHM Website)

    Martha Sleeper

    Record Type: Archive

    
11. Party like it's Nineteen-09 - This newsletter covers the history of the Pink Rabbit Ball in Lake Bluff while promoting its 100th anniversary celebration.

    Party like its Nineteen-09

    Record Type: Archive