Ralph Riggs
Ralph Roland Riggs (February 12, 1885 – September 16, 1951) was an American actor, singer, dancer, and choreographer. He worked primarily on stage as a musical theatre actor, baritone in light opera, and dancer, but also occasionally appeared in straight plays. He also choreographed several Broadway productions. He appeared in several musical short films in the 1930s and at the very end of his career appeared on American television from 1949 to 1951.
Riggs was the son of actress Rose Stillman, and began his career as a child performer in his mother's theatre troupe. He was a member of the Boston Ideal Opera Company in the summer of 1902 and 1903, and performed as a member of the Ed Andrews Opera Company from 1902 to 1905. After making his Broadway debut in 1907 he formed a partnership with his wife, the dancer Katherine Witchie, with whom he toured in vaudeville and starred in several Broadway shows, among them the original productions of The Enchantress (1911), All Aboard (1913), The Princess Pat (1915), and Oh, Ernest! (1927). Without his wife he portrayed The Chief Justice in both the original 1931 production and the 1933 Broadway revival of George and Ira Gershwin's Of Thee I Sing, and appeared in the original Broadway casts of Louisiana Purchase (1941) and Oklahoma! (1943). His final stage appearance was in 1951 as Arvide Abernathy in the first national tour of Guys and Dolls. He died three weeks after leaving that tour in September 1951 at the age of 66.
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