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The Improper Duchess (play)
''The Improper Duchess'' is a 1931 comedy play by the Irish-born writer James Fagan. It premiered at the Empire Theatre in Southampton before transferring to the Globe Theatre in London's West End where it ran for 348 performances between 22 January and 21 November 1931. It starred Yvonne Arnaud in the title role. The cast also included Frank Cellier, Hartley Power, John Laurie, Annie Esmond and Julie Suedo.Wearing p.87 Film adaptation In 1936 the play was made into a film ''The Improper Duchess ''The Improper Duchess'' is a 1936 British comedy film directed by Harry Hughes and starring Yvonne Arnaud, Hugh Wakefield and Wilfrid Caithness. The film is based on the 1931 play of the same name by J. B. Fagan in which Arnaud had starred. ...'' with Arnaud reprising her role. References Bibliography * Wearing, J.P. ''The London Stage 1930-1939: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel''. Rowman & Littlefield, 2014. 1931 plays Comedy plays West End ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mayflower Theatre
Mayflower Theatre (formerly the Gaumont Theatre and originally The Empire Theatre) is a Grade II listed theatre in the city centre of Southampton, England, with a capacity of 2,300. It features West End theatre shows when they tour the United Kingdom. In addition to this, one-off comedy shows and music events often take place at the theatre too. History The Empire Theatre (1928–1950) The theatre opened on 22 December 1928 as The Empire Theatre, part of the Moss Empire theatre group. It was part of the company's expansion of the late 1920s which also saw theatres constructed in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Oxford and The Dominion, in London. At the time of construction, it was the largest theatre in the south of England, a title it still holds. In the early days, many shows were transported by train. The theatre's proximity to Southampton Central railway station made its location ideal, but meant that many shows were not as spectacular as their London counterparts. The thea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Southampton
Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Portsmouth and the towns of Havant, Waterlooville, Eastleigh, Fareham and Gosport. A major port, and close to the New Forest, it lies at the northernmost point of Southampton Water, at the confluence of the River Test and Itchen, with the River Hamble joining to the south. Southampton is classified as a Medium-Port City . Southampton was the departure point for the and home to 500 of the people who perished on board. The Spitfire was built in the city and Southampton has a strong association with the ''Mayflower'', being the departure point before the vessel was forced to return to Plymouth. In the past century, the city was one of Europe's main ports for ocean liners and more recently, Southampton is known as the home port of some of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Comedy Play
Comedy is a genre of dramatic performance having a light or humorous tone that depicts amusing incidents and in which the characters ultimately triumph over adversity. For ancient Greeks and Romans, a comedy was a stage-play with a happy ending. In the Middle Ages, the term expanded to include narrative poems with happy endings and a lighter tone. In this sense Dante used the term in the title of his poem, the ''Divine Comedy'' (Italian: ''Divina Commedia''). The phenomena connected with laughter and that which provokes it have been carefully investigated by psychologists. The predominating characteristics are incongruity or contrast in the object, and shock or emotional seizure on the part of the subject. It has also been held that the feeling of superiority is an essential factor: thus Thomas Hobbes speaks of laughter as a "sudden glory." Modern investigators have paid much attention to the origin both of laughter and of smiling, as well as the development of the "play insti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Globe Theatre
The Globe Theatre was a theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, on land owned by Thomas Brend and inherited by his son, Nicholas Brend, and grandson, Sir Matthew Brend, and was destroyed by fire on 29 June 1613. A second Globe Theatre was built on the same site by June 1614 and stayed open until the London theatre closures of 1642. A modern reconstruction of the Globe, named "Shakespeare's Globe", opened in 1997 approximately from the site of the original theatre.Measured using Google earth Locations Examination of old property records has identified the plot of land occupied by the Globe as extending from the west side of modern-day Southwark Bridge Road eastwards as far as Porter Street and from Park Street southwards as far as the back of Gatehouse Square. The precise location of the building remained unknown until a small part of the foundations, including one original p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a major settlement for two millennia. The City of London, its ancient core and financial centre, was founded by the Romans as '' Londinium'' and retains its medieval boundaries.See also: Independent city § National capitals The City of Westminster, to the west of the City of London, has for centuries hosted the national government and parliament. Since the 19th century, the name "London" has also referred to the metropolis around this core, historically split between the counties of Middlesex, Essex, Surrey, Kent, and Hertfordshire, which largely comprises Greater London, governed by the Greater London Authority.The Greater London Authority consists of the Mayor of London and the London Assembly. The London Mayor is distinguished fr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
West End Theatre
West End theatre is mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres in and near the West End of London.Christopher Innes, "West End" in ''The Cambridge Guide to Theatre'' (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998), pp. 1194–1195, Along with New York City's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English-speaking world. Seeing a West End show is a common tourist activity in London. Famous screen actors, British and international alike, frequently appear on the London stage. There are a total of 39 theatres in the West End, with the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, opened in May 1663, the oldest theatre in London. The Savoy Theatre – built as a showcase for the popular series of comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan – was entirely lit by electricity in 1881. Opening in October 2022, @sohoplace is the first new West End theatre in 50 years. The Society of London Theatre (SOLT) announced ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yvonne Arnaud
Germaine Yvonne Arnaud (20 December 1890 – 20 September 1958) was a French-born pianist, singer and actress, who was well known for her career in Britain, as well as her native land. After beginning a career as a concert pianist as a child, Arnaud acted in musical comedies. She switched to non-musical comedy and drama around 1920 and was one of the players in the second of the Aldwych farces, ''A Cuckoo in the Nest'', a hit in 1925. She also had dramatic roles and made films in the 1930s and 1940s, and continued to act into the 1950s. She occasionally performed as a pianist later in her career. The Yvonne Arnaud Theatre was named in her memory in Guildford, Surrey. Life and career Arnaud was the daughter of Charles Leon Arnaud and his wife Antoinette (née Montegut). She was brought up in Paris and entered the Paris Conservatoire aged 9, studying piano under Alphonse Duvernoy and other teachers. In 1905, she won the conservatory's Premier Prix for piano. Beginning that year, ag ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frank Cellier (actor)
Frank Cellier (23 February 1884 – 27 September 1948) was an English actor. Early in his career, from 1903 to 1920, he toured in Britain, Germany, the West Indies, America and South Africa. In the 1920s, he became known in the West End for Shakespearean character roles, among others, and also directed some plays in which he acted. He continued to act on stage until 1946. During the 1930s and 1940s, he also appeared in more than three dozen films. Biography Early years François Cellier,''The Times'', 27 March 1925, p. 5 always known as Frank, was born in Surbiton, Surrey, the only son of the conductor François Cellier and his wife, Clara ''née'' Short. He had five sisters and was educated at Cranleigh School.''The Times'', obituary notice, 28 September 1948, p. 7 After leaving school, he spent three years in business. In 1903, Cellier made his first stage appearance as Clement Hale in Arthur Wing Pinero's '' Sweet Lavender'' at the ''Town Hall'' in Reigate and thereaf ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hartley Power
Hartley Power (14 March 1894 – 29 January 1966) was an American-born British film and television actor, who made his Broadway debut in ''Dolly Jordan'' in 1922. He is best remembered for two roles: "Sylvester Kee" the ventriloquist who is shot and almost killed by "Maxwell Frere" (Michael Redgrave) as a rival for his dummy's "affections" in ''Dead of Night'' and Mr. Hennessy, the chief of the news agency that Gregory Peck worked for in ''Roman Holiday ''Roman Holiday'' is a 1953 American romantic comedy film directed and produced by William Wyler. It stars Audrey Hepburn as a princess out to see Rome on her own and Gregory Peck as a reporter. Hepburn won an Academy Award for Best Actress f ...''. He died in a Brighton nursing home on 29 January 1966 aged 71. Filmography Film References External links * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Power, Hartley 1894 births 1966 deaths 20th-century American male actors American emigrants to the United Kingdom ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Laurie
John Paton Laurie (25 March 1897 – 23 June 1980) was a Scottish actor. In the course of his career, Laurie performed on the stage and in films as well as television. He is perhaps best remembered for his role in the sitcom ''Dad's Army'' (1968-1977) as Private Frazer, a member of the Home Guard. Laurie appeared in scores of feature films with directors such as Alfred Hitchcock, Michael Powell, and Laurence Olivier, generally playing memorable small or supporting roles rather than leading ones. As a stage actor, he was cast in Shakespearean roles and was a speaker of verse, especially of Robert Burns. Early life John Paton Laurie was born on 25 March 1897 in Dumfries, Dumfriesshire to William Laurie (1856–1903), a clerk in a tweed mill and later a hatter and hosier, and Jessie Ann Laurie (''née'' Brown; 1858–1935). Laurie attended Dumfries Academy (a grammar school at the time), before abandoning a career in architecture to serve in the First World War as a member of th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Annie Esmond
Annie Esmond (27 September 1873 – 4 January 1945) was a British stage and film actress. Esmond was born in Surrey, England. She made her stage debut in pantomime in Sheffield in 1891 and later appeared on the American as well as British stage for many years before going into silent films and later talkies. She became a prolific supporting actress in films, often playing servants and nannies, as in ''Dear Octopus'' (1943). Selected filmography * '' The Right Element'' (1919) * ''Damaged Goods'' (1919) * ''Possession'' (1919) * ''Unmarried'' (1920) * ''The Tidal Wave'' (1920) * ''Tit for Tat'' (1921) * ''Kipps'' (1921) * '' The Knave of Diamonds'' (1921) * '' The Mystery of Mr. Bernard Brown'' (1921) * ''Innocent'' (1921) * ''Mr. Pim Passes By'' (1921) * '' The Yellow Claw'' (1921) * '' The Recoil'' (1922) * '' The Passionate Friends'' (1922) * '' The Flying Fifty-Five'' (1924) * ''The Sins Ye Do'' (1924) * '' God's Clay'' (1928) * '' After the Verdict'' (1929) * '' Alf's Button ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Julie Suedo
Julie Suedo (1901–1978) was a British actress. She played a succession of glamorous roles in the 1920s and 1930s, usually in supporting roles. Filmography *''One Arabian Night'' (1923) *'' The Rat'' (1925) *''One Colombo Night'' (1926) *''The Triumph of the Rat'' (1926) *'' One of the Best'' (1927) *'' The Fake'' (1927) *'' Two Little Drummer Boys'' (1928) *''The Vortex'' (1928) *''Victory'' (1928) *''A Window in Piccadilly'' (1928) *'' Afterwards'' (1928) *''The Physician'' (1928) *''The White Sheik'' (1928) *'' Smashing Through'' (1929) *''The Woman from China'' (1930) *'' Dangerous Seas'' (1931) *''Paris Plane'' (1933) *''Commissionaire'' (1933) *''Love's Old Sweet Song'' (1933) *''Nell Gwyn'' (1934) *''Play Up the Band'' (1935) *''Dream Doctor'' (1936) *''Queen of Hearts'' (1936) *''The Lilac Domino'' (1937) *''Our Fighting Navy'' (1937) *''The Life of Chopin'' (1938, short) *''A Dream of Love'' (1938, short) *'' Georges Bizet, Composer of Carmen'' (1938, short) *'' Irelan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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