Anna Held (1872 – 1918): Broadway’s Belle and Belgrade’s Brief Star
Anna Held, born Helene Anna Held in Warsaw, Poland, was a luminous figure of the stage whose charm helped shape American theater at the turn of the 20th century. Best known for her partnership with famed impresario Florenz Ziegfeld, she was as famous for her coquettish persona and mischievous smile as for her extravagant performances.
Born into a Jewish family during a time of great unrest, Held’s early years took her across Europe, from Warsaw to Paris to London, as her family sought safety. After the loss of her parents, she found solace and success onstage, first with Jacob Adler’s Yiddish Theater in London, and later in the Parisian world of light comedy. With her tiny frame, dazzling costumes, and captivating flair, she enchanted audiences on both sides of the Atlantic.
When Florenz Ziegfeld brought her to America in 1896, he masterfully promoted her as a European sensation. Together, they lived and worked in a dazzling partnership for over a decade, and her success helped pave the way for Ziegfeld’s legendary Follies.
A Summer Haven in Belgrade Lakes
Amidst the rush of fame, Anna Held found a quieter refuge in the Belgrade Lakes region of Maine. In the early 1900s she would arrive at the Belgrade Depot with her trunks and travel by Studebaker “stage” to Belgrade Mills, where she enjoyed restful days at her cottage on the grounds of the Belgrade Hotel. There, the woman famed for bathing in milk and champagne found peace beside the shimmering lakes and wooded hills.
In 1902, the Bangor Daily News reported that Held purchased the Blaisdell Farm, just over the Belgrade Lakes line in Rome, for $2,500. Though the land was too rocky and hilly for serious farming, it was hailed as an “ideal summer home” for the actress and her circle of friends. Held and her companions stayed at the farm for two delightful weeks, during which they hosted a spirited concert for the local community, a rare treat that the townspeople long remembered with pride and joy.
Yet fate intervened: shortly after acquiring the property, Held left for Paris, and never returned to live in Maine.
Anna Held’s cottage on the grounds of the former Belgrade Hotel circa 1905
A Final Act
In her final years, Held battled serious illness, ultimately succumbing in 1918 to pernicious anemia complicated by pneumonia. Though myths swirled, blaming tight corsets or a broken heart, the truth reflects a woman of resilience, artistry, and spirit.
Anna Held left an indelible mark on American entertainment, and for a brief, golden moment, her star shone over the quiet waters of Belgrade Lakes.