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Cavalcade (play)
''Cavalcade'' is a play by Noël Coward with songs by Coward and others. It focuses on three decades in the life of the Marryots, an upper-middle-class British family, and their servants, beginning in 1900 and ending in 1930, a year before the premiere. It is set against major historical events of the period, including the Relief of Mafeking; the death of Queen Victoria; the sinking of the RMS ''Titanic''; and the First World War. The popular songs at the time of each event were interwoven into the score. The play was premiered in London in 1931 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, directed by the author. The spectacular production presented by the impresario Charles B. Cochran, involved a huge cast and massive sets. The play was very successful and ran for almost a year. It took advantage of the large stage of the Drury Lane Theatre with its hydraulics and moving components to dramatise the events. Background and production During the run of his successful comedy ''Private ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Una O'Connor (actress)
Una O'Connor (born Agnes Teresa McGlade, 23 October 1880 – 4 February 1959) was an Irish-born American actress who worked extensively in theatre before becoming a character actress in film and in television. She often portrayed comical wives, housekeepers and servants. In 2020, she was listed at number 19 on ''The Irish Times'' list of Ireland's greatest film actors. Life and work O'Connor was born to a Catholic nationalist family in Belfast, Ireland. Her mother died when she was two; her father was a landowner/ farmer, ensuring that the family always had income from family land."Notes on a Cockney Accent," ''New York Times'' (1 September 1940). He soon left for Australia and McGlade was brought up by an aunt, studying at St Dominic's School, Belfast, convent schools and in Paris. Thinking she would pursue teaching, she enrolled in the South Kensington School of Art. Before taking up teaching duties, she enrolled in the Abbey School of Acting (affiliated with Dublin's Abb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously awarded by countries of the Commonwealth of Nations, most of which have established their own honours systems and no longer recommend British honours. It may be awarded to a person of any military rank in any service and to civilians under military command. No civilian has received the award since 1879. Since the first awards were presented by Queen Victoria in 1857, two-thirds of all awards have been personally presented by the British monarch. The investitures are usually held at Buckingham Palace. The VC was introduced on 29 January 1856 by Queen Victoria to honour acts of valour during the Crimean War. Since then, the medal has been awarded 1,358 times to 1,355 individual recipients. Only 15 medals, of which 11 to members of the Britis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Edwardian Musical Comedy
Edwardian musical comedy was a form of British musical theatre that extended beyond the reign of King Edward VII in both directions, beginning in the early 1890s, when the Gilbert and Sullivan operas' dominance had ended, until the rise of the American musicals by Jerome Kern, Rodgers and Hart, George Gershwin and Cole Porter following the First World War. Between '' In Town'' in 1892 and ''The Maid of the Mountains'', premiering in 1917, this new style of musical theatre became dominant on the musical stage in Britain and the rest of the English-speaking world. The popularity of ''In Town'' and ''A Gaiety Girl'' (1893), led to an astonishing number of hits over the next three decades, the most successful of which included '' The Shop Girl'' (1894), '' The Geisha'' (1896), ''Florodora'' (1899), '' A Chinese Honeymoon'' (1901), '' The Earl and the Girl'' (1903), '' The Arcadians'' (1909), ''Our Miss Gibbs'' (1909), ''The Quaker Girl'' (1910), ''Betty'' (1914), ''Chu Chin Chow'' ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anthony Pelissier
Harry Anthony Compton Pelissier (27 July 1912 – 2 April 1988) was an English actor, screenwriter, producer and director. Biography Pelissier was born in Barnet and came from a theatrical family. His parents were the theatre producer H. G. Pelissier (who presented ''Pelissier's Follies'') and the actress Fay Compton. His uncle was Compton MacKenzie, who wrote '' Whisky Galore''. Pelissier began acting in the 1930s. In 1935 and 1936, he was featured in Noël Coward's play cycle, '' Tonight at 8.30'', both in Britain and on Broadway. He also played in Coward's ''Set to Music'' (1939) He began writing in 1937 and directing in 1949. He was the screenwriter and director of four popular films: ''The History of Mr Polly'' (1949), ''The Rocking Horse Winner'' (1950), ''Night Without Stars'' (1951), and ''Personal Affair'' starring Gene Tierney written by Lesley Storm. He also directed ''Encore'' (1951). He also directed Ealing's satire on television '' Meet Mr Lucifer'' (1953). He lat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Edie Martin
Edie Martin (1 January 1880 – 22 February 1964) was a British actress. She was a ubiquitous performer, on stage from 1886, playing generally small parts but in high demand, appearing in scores of British films (although often uncredited). She frequently appeared in memorable Ealing comedies as their resident ”little old lady.” Selected filmography * ''M'Blimey'' (1931) * ''Late Extra'' (1935) - Apartment Resident (uncredited) * ''Broken Blossoms'' (1936) - Woman in West End Party Visit (uncredited) * '' Educated Evans'' (1936) - Bit Part (uncredited) * '' The Big Noise'' (1936) - Old Lady * ''Feather Your Nest'' (1937) - Blanche (uncredited) * '' Return of a Stranger'' (1937) - Mrs. Stevens (uncredited) * ''Farewell Again'' (1937) - Mrs. Bulger * '' Under the Red Robe'' (1937) - Maria * '' St. Martin's Lane'' (1938) - Libby's Dresser (uncredited) * '' Bad Boy'' (1938) - Mrs. Bryan * ''A Spot of Bother'' (1938) - An Occasional Bar-Lady (uncredited) * ''Old Mother Riley ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Merle Tottenham
Merle Tottenham (22 January 1901 – 18 July 1958) was a British stage and film actress. Her stage work included the original West End production of Noël Coward's ''Cavalcade'' in 1931; and she reprised her role as Annie the servant in the subsequent Hollywood film, in 1933. She also appeared as Dora, the maid in ''Night Must Fall'' (1937) with Robert Montgomery and Rosalind Russell, and the film version of Coward's ''This Happy Breed'' (1944), as Edie, the maid. Partial filmography * ''Immediate Possession'' (1931, Short) - Polly Baxter * ''Down Our Street'' (1932) - Rose * ''Here's George'' (1932) - Perkins * ''Cavalcade'' (1933) - Annie * '' Bondage'' (1933) - Ruth * '' Paddy the Next Best Thing'' (1933) - Maid * ''The Invisible Man'' (1933) - Millie * ''The Night Club Queen'' (1934) - Alice Lamont * ''Borrowed Clothes'' (1934) - Minor Role (uncredited) * ''Youthful Folly'' (1934) * '' Sporting Love'' (1936) - Maid * '' Chick'' (1936) - Maid * '' The Man in the Mirror'' ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maidie Andrews
Maidie Andrews (27 September 1893 – 13 October 1986) was an English actress and singer who, in career that spanned six decades, was a child actress and later a stage beauty who appeared in musical comedy including the original London productions of ''No, No, Nanette'' (1925) and ''Cavalcade'' (1931). The latter years of her career saw her taking roles in television and film. Early life Maidie Andrews was born in Camden Town in London in 1893, the only daughter and second eldest of four children of Ada Harriet ''née'' Judd (1873–1946) and Walter Andrews (1861–1935), variously a furniture remover, a horsebus inspector and a refreshment attendant. Her younger brother Robert Andrews, born as Reginald Frank Andrews (1895–1976), was also a British child actor and later a stage and film actor. He is perhaps best known as the long-term partner of Ivor Novello.Principal Probate Registry. Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration made in t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Strella Wilson
Austral Groves "Strella" Wilson (19 December 1894 – 10 February 1989) was an Australian soprano, World War II troop entertainer, and radio personality. She was not only a favorite in Australia, but also performed in North America, England, Hong Kong and Japan. She was appointed Order of the British Empire in 1950. Early life Wilson was born on 19 December 1894 in Broken Hill, New South Wales and grew up in Melbourne. Her father was Harry Wilson Carpenter, a mining engineer from America, and her mother was Anne née Skewes from South Australia. She was the second of five children. The name 'Austral' was given to her by her godparents. This was often shortened to 'Aussie', so her parents gave her the nickname 'Strella' which made her full title resemble 'Australia'. Wilson was educated at Church of England Girls' Grammar School in Melbourne from 1907 to 1910. Wilson's mother was an amateur singer and was a formative influence on the artist. Wilson was later taught singing by A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alison Leggatt
Alison Joy Leggatt (7 February 1904 – 15 July 1990) was an English character actress. Career Born in the Kensington district of London, Leggatt trained under Elsie Fogerty at the Central School of Speech and Drama, then based in the Royal Albert Hall, London. Leggatt spent the early part of her career primarily on the stage. Her performance in Miles Malleson's ''The Fanatics'' in 1927 launched her, according to ''The New York Times'', as "one of the most promising theatrical newcomers of her generation". Other stage work included the original 1931 Drury Lane production of ''Cavalcade'' by Noël Coward. Her first major film credit was as Aunt Sylvia in ''This Happy Breed'' (1944), Noël Coward's homage to the British working class. She was known for playing a variety of disapproving in-laws, motherly landladies, nosy neighbours and helpful housekeepers. She played opposite Petula Clark three times, in ''Here Come the Huggetts'' (1948), ''The Card'' (1952) and ''Goodbye, Mr. Chips ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Irene Browne
Irene Browne (29 June 1896 – 24 July 1965) was an English stage and film actress and singer who appeared in plays and musicals including ''No, No, Nanette''. Later in her career, she became particularly associated with the works of Noël Coward and acted in films. Career Irene Browne was born in London, England. She began her theatrical career in 1910 as a dancer in H.B. Irving's company''The Times'', 26 July 1965, p. 12 and soon graduated to dramatic roles, appearing in J. Comyns Carr's dramatisation of '' Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'' the following year. For three years, she acted in Australia (''The Times'' mistook her for Australian in 1915). After returning to London, Browne played in musical comedy, in the title role of ''My Lady Frayle'' with Courtice Pounds in 1916. She appeared in revue alongside Beatrice Lillie in 1922, where she was spotted by Basil Dean and cast in his revival of Arthur Wing Pinero's 1899 play'' The Gay Lord Quex'' at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane sta ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fred Groves (actor)
Fred Groves (8 August 1880 – 4 June 1955) was a British actor of the celebrated Groves acting family. On stage from 1896, he appeared in the original West End production of Noël Coward's ''Cavalcade'' (1931-2); and was a leading man in silent films, latterly becoming a character player in movies. He appeared in the 1925 play '' Number 17'' in the West End. He was a son of Charles Groves (1843-1909), a well-known Victorian and Edwardian comedic actor who made appearances on Broadway and in London's West End. He was also a nephew of the Fred Karno comedian Walter Groves (1856-1906), and a half-brother to the film and stage actor Charles Groves (1875-1955). Among his feature film appearances was the comedy ''Sally In Our Alley''. It marked the screen debut of Gracie Fields, an established music hall star. Gracie's husband, the screenwriter Archie Pitt was set to play the leading role of Alf Cope, but during the first week of filming, as Fields and Pitt were travelling back fr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
