The Telephone Girl is a farce musical comedy by C. M. S. McLellan (as Hugh Morton), with music by composer Gustave Kerker. The play made its New York debut at the Casino Theatre under the direction of George W. Lederer on December 27, 1897. Though not a favorite with the critics, The Telephone Girl would go on to have a successful run at the Casino and do well on subsequent road tours. The original New York cast starred Clara Lipman as ‘Estelle Cookoo’ and her real life husband, Louis Mann, as 'Hans Nix', roles assumed by Mabel Hite and Harry Hermsen two years later during an extensive road tour of North America.