1953 Actress Maude Adams dies today. Born in 1873, Adams, at the age of 32, played the title role in James M. Barrie's Peter Pan when it had its American premiere at the Empire Theatre in 1905. (Nina Boucicault played the role in London in 1904). Barrie wrote the part with Adams in mind.
SOURCE: Playbill at 12:01AM on July 17, 2011