Frederic Warriner (June 2, 1916 – November 10, 1992) was an American stage actor.
Early years
Warriner was the son of Frederic E. Warriner and Hildreth Vail Warriner, who was an actress. He was born in
Pasadena, California
Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial district.
I ...
. He graduated from
Pasadena City College
Pasadena City College (PCC) is a Public college, public community college in Pasadena, California.
History
Pasadena, California, Pasadena City College was founded in 1924 as Pasadena Junior College. From 1928 to 1953, it operated as a four- ...
and performed at the
Pasadena Community Playhouse
The Pasadena Playhouse is a historic performing arts venue located 39 S. El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, California, United States. The 686-seat auditorium produces a variety of cultural and artistic events, professional shows, and community engage ...
for five years.
He served in the Army for five years during World War II.
His work with shows at military camps led to his being transferred from Alaska to a tour of bases in the South Pacific.
Career
Warriner performed on stage in a variety of venues across the United States. They included the
American Shakespeare Festival Theater in Connecticut,
Barter Theater
Barter Theatre, in Abingdon, Virginia, opened on June 10, 1933. It is the longest-running professional Equity theatre in the United States.
History
Concept
In 1933, when the United States was in the middle of the Great Depression, many peop ...
in Virginia, Folger Theater in Washington, Phoenix Theater Company in New York City, Wellesley Group 20 in Massachusetts,
Hartford Summer Stage in Connecticut, New York Shakespeare Festivals, and
Yale Repertory.
He traveled with
Margaret Webster's Shakespearean company
and in
''Oliver'''s original national company.
Warriner debuted on Broadway in ''
King Lear
''King Lear'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare.
It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. He becomes destitute and insane an ...
'' (1950). His other Broadway credits included ''
The Taming of the Shrew
''The Taming of the Shrew'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1592. The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunken ...
'' (1951), ''
Getting Married
''Getting Married'' is a play by George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influenc ...
'' (1951), ''
Saint Joan'' (1951), ''A Pin to See the Peepshow'' (1953), ''The Wayward Saint'' (1955), ''The Carefree Tree'' (1955), ''
Six Characters in Search of an Author
''Six Characters in Search of an Author'' ( it, Sei personaggi in cerca d'autore, link=no ) is an Italian play by Luigi Pirandello, written and first performed in 1921. An absurdist fiction, absurdist metatheatrical, metatheatric play about th ...
'' (1955), ''
Major Barbara
''Major Barbara'' is a three-act English play by George Bernard Shaw, written and premiered in 1905 and first published in 1907. The story concerns an idealistic young woman, Barbara Undershaft, who is engaged in helping the poor as a Major in ...
'' (1956), ''Time Remembered'' (1957), ''
Caligula
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (31 August 12 – 24 January 41), better known by his nickname Caligula (), was the third Roman emperor, ruling from 37 until his assassination in 41. He was the son of the popular Roman general Germanicu ...
'' (1960), ''
She Stoops to Conquer
''She Stoops to Conquer'' is a comedy by Oliver Goldsmith, first performed in London in 1773. The play is a favourite for study by English literature and theatre classes in the English-speaking world. It is one of the few plays from the 18th ...
'' (1960), ''
The Plough and the Stars
''The Plough and the Stars'' is a four-act Play (theatre), play by the Irish writer Seán O'Casey that was first performed on 8 February 1926 at the Abbey Theatre. It is set in Dublin and addresses the 1916 Easter Rising. The play's title refe ...
'' (1960), ''
The Octoroon
''The Octoroon'' is a play by Dion Boucicault that opened in 1859 at The Winter Garden Theatre, New York City. Extremely popular, the play was kept running continuously for years by seven road companies. Among antebellum melodramas, it was con ...
'' (1961), ''
Hamlet
''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
'' (1961), ''
Portrait of a Queen
''Portrait of a Queen'' is a play about the life of Queen Victoria based on her letters. Dorothy Tutin played the role of Victoria on the West End and Broadway. '' (1968), and ''
Two Gentlemen of Verona
''The Two Gentlemen of Verona'' is a Shakespearean comedy, comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1589 and 1593. It is considered by some to be Shakespeare's first play, and is often seen as showing his first tent ...
'' (1971).
Off-Broadway plays in which Warriner acted included ''The Carefree Tree'' (1955), ''Androcles the Lion / The Policeman'' (1961), ''
The White Devil
''The White Devil'' (full original title: ''The White Divel; or, The Tragedy of Paulo Giordano Ursini, Duke of Brachiano. With The Life and Death of Vittoria Corombona the famous Venetian Curtizan'') is a tragedy by English playwright John We ...
'' (1965), ''Hamlet'' (1967), ''
Romeo and Juliet
''Romeo and Juliet'' is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetim ...
'' (1968), ''Invitation to a Beheading'' (1969), ''
Trelawney of the "Wells"'' (1970), and ''Two Gentlemen of Verona''.
Personal life
Warriner was married to Elinor Wright, a playwright and actress; they divorced in the 1950s.
Death
On November 10, 1992, Warriner died of a brain hemorrhage at Middlesex Memorial Hospital in
Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States, Located along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, it is south of Hartford, Connecticut, Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated by English settler ...
. He was 76.
Recognition
Warriner received a
Clarence Derwent Awards The Clarence Derwent Awards are theatre awards given annually by the Actors' Equity Association on Broadway in the United States and by Equity, the performers' union, in the West End in the United Kingdom.
Clarence Derwent (23 March 1884 – 6 Aug ...
(for "best supporting performance in non-featured roles") in recognition of his performance in ''Getting Married'' in the 1950-1951 theater season.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Warriner, Frederic
1916 births
1992 deaths
20th-century American male actors
American male stage actors
Male actors from Pasadena, California