HOME

TheInfoList



Click Here for Items Related To - Hermione Gingold
OR:
Hermione Gingold on:   [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Amazon]

Hermione Ferdinanda Gingold (; 9 December 189724 May 1987) was an English actress known for her sharp-tongued, eccentric character. Her signature drawling, deep voice was a result of nodules on her vocal cords she developed in the 1920s and early 1930s. After a successful career as a child actress, she established herself on the stage as an adult, playing in comedy, drama and experimental theatre, and radio broadcasting. She found her milieu in revue, which she played from the 1930s to the 1950s, co-starring several times with the English actress
Hermione Baddeley Hermione Youlanda Ruby Clinton-Baddeley (13 November 1906 – 19 August 1986) was an English actress of theatre, film and television. She typically played brash, vulgar characters, often referred to as "brassy" or "blowsy".Folkart, Burt, "Noted ...
. Later she played formidable elderly characters in such films and stage musicals as '' Gigi'' (1958), ''
Bell, Book and Candle ''Bell, Book and Candle'' is a 1958 American fantasy romantic comedy film directed by Richard Quine from a screenplay by Daniel Taradash, based on the 1950 Broadway play of the same title by John Van Druten. It stars Kim Novak as a witch who c ...
'' (1958), ''
The Music Man ''The Music Man'' is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and ...
'' (1962) and ''
A Little Night Music ''A Little Night Music'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler. Inspired by the 1955 Ingmar Bergman film ''Smiles of a Summer Night'', it involves the romantic lives of several couples. Its title is a ...
'' (1973). From the early 1950s Gingold lived and made her career mostly in the U.S. Her American stage work ranged from ''
John Murray Anderson's Almanac ''John Murray Anderson's Almanac'' is a musical revue, featuring the music of the songwriting team of Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, as well as other composers. It was conceived by John Murray Anderson. Productions ''John Murray Anderson's Almanac ...
'' (1953) to ''
Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad ''Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad: A Pseudoclassical Tragifarce in a Bastard French Tradition'' was the first play written by Arthur Kopit. Background Kopit was on a postgraduate scholarship from Harvard ...
'' (1963), the latter of which she also played in London. She became a well known guest on television talk shows. She made further appearances in revue and toured in plays and musicals until an accident ended her performing career in 1977.


Biography


Early years

Hermione Ferdinanda Gingold was born in Carlton Hill,
Maida Vale Maida Vale ( ) is an affluent residential district consisting of the northern part of Paddington in West London, west of St John's Wood and south of Kilburn. It is also the name of its main road, on the continuous Edgware Road. Maida Vale is ...
, London, the elder daughter of a prosperous
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
n-born Jewish
stockbroker A stockbroker is a regulated broker, broker-dealer, or registered investment adviser (in the United States) who may provide financial advisory and investment management services and execute transactions such as the purchase or sale of stocks an ...
, James Gingold, and his wife, Kate Frances (née Walter). Her paternal grandparents were the Ottoman-born British subject, Moritz "Maurice" Gingold, a London stockbroker, and his Austrian-born wife, Hermine, after whom Hermione was named (Gingold mentions in her autobiography that her mother might have got 'Hermione' from Shakespeare's play ''
The Winter's Tale ''The Winter's Tale'' is a play by William Shakespeare originally published in the First Folio of 1623. Although it was grouped among the comedies, many modern editors have relabelled the play as one of Shakespeare's late romances. Some criti ...
'', which she was reading shortly before her birth). On her father's side, she was descended from Solomon Sulzer, a synagogue cantor and Jewish liturgical composer in Vienna. James felt that religion was something children needed to decide on for themselves, and Gingold grew up with no particular religious beliefs.Gingold, p. 7 Gingold's professional début was in 1908 when she had just turned 11. She played the herald in
Herbert Beerbohm Tree Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree (17 December 1852 – 2 July 1917) was an English actor and theatre manager. Tree began performing in the 1870s. By 1887, he was managing the Haymarket Theatre in the West End, winning praise for adventurous progra ...
's production of ''Pinkie and the Fairies'' by W. Graham Robertson, in a cast including
Ellen Terry Dame Alice Ellen Terry, (27 February 184721 July 1928), was a leading English actress of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born into a family of actors, Terry began performing as a child, acting in Shakespeare plays in London, and tour ...
,
Frederick Volpe Frederick Volpe (31 July 1865 – 7 March 1932), sometimes printed Volpé, was an English actor. He made his stage debut in his early twenties. From 1894 until his death he was a familiar figure on the West End stage, generally in undemanding co ...
,
Marie Löhr Marie may refer to: People Name * Marie (given name) * Marie (Japanese given name) * Marie (murder victim), girl who was killed in Florida after being pushed in front of a moving vehicle in 1973 * Marie (died 1759), an enslaved Cree person in T ...
and
Viola Tree Viola Tree (17 July 1884 – 15 November 1938) was an English actress, singer, playwright and author. Daughter of the actor Herbert Beerbohm Tree, she made many of her early appearances with his company at His Majesty's Theatre. Later she appe ...
."At the Play: His Majesty's Pinkie and the Fairies", ''
The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the w ...
'' 20 December 1908, p. 7 She was promoted to the leading role of Pinkie for a provincial tour. Sherrin, Ned
"Gingold, Hermione Ferdinanda (1897–1987)"
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 3 October 2013 Tree cast her as Falstaff's page, Robin, in ''
The Merry Wives of Windsor ''The Merry Wives of Windsor'' or ''Sir John Falstaff and the Merry Wives of Windsor'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare first published in 1602, though believed to have been written in or before 1597. The Windsor of the play's title is a ref ...
''. She attended Rosina Filippi's stage school in London. In 1911, she was cast in the original production of ''
Where the Rainbow Ends ''Where the Rainbow Ends'' is a children's play, originally written for Christmas 1911 by Clifford Mills and John Ramsey. The incidental music was composed by Roger Quilter. ''Where the Rainbow Ends'' is a fantasy story which follows the journe ...
'' which opened to very good reviews on 21 December 1911. On 10 December 1912, the day after her 15th birthday, Gingold played Cassandra in
William Poel William Poel (1852-1934) was an English actor, theatrical manager and dramatist best known for his presentations of Shakespeare. Life and career A son of William Pole, he grew up among Pre-raphaelite painters and reportedly sat for William Holm ...
's production of ''
Troilus and Cressida ''Troilus and Cressida'' ( or ) is a play by William Shakespeare, probably written in 1602. At Troy during the Trojan War, Troilus and Cressida begin a love affair. Cressida is forced to leave Troy to join her father in the Greek camp. Meanwh ...
'' at the King's Hall,
Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist si ...
, with
Esmé Percy Saville Esmé Percy (8 August 1887 – 17 June 1957) was an English actor who specialized in the plays of G.B. Shaw and appeared in 40 films between 1930 and 1956. He was born in London and died in Brighton. Partial filmography * ''Murder! ...
as Troilus and Edith Evans as Cressida. The following year she appeared in a musical production, ''The Marriage Market'', in a small role in a cast that included
Tom Walls Thomas Kirby Walls (18 February 1883 – 27 November 1949) was an English stage and film actor, producer and director, best known for presenting and co-starring in the Aldwych farces in the 1920s and for starring in and directing the film adapt ...
,
W H Berry William Henry Berry (23 March 1870 – 2 May 1951), always billed as W. H. Berry, was an English comic actor. After learning his craft in pierrot and concert entertainments, he was spotted by the actor-manager George Grossmith Jr., and appeared i ...
, and
Gertie Millar Gertrude Ward, Countess of Dudley ( Millar; 21 February 1879 – 25 April 1952), known as Gertie Millar, was an English actress and singer of the early 20th century, known for her performances in Edwardian musical comedies. Beginning her care ...
. In 1914, she played Jessica in ''
The Merchant of Venice ''The Merchant of Venice'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. A merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. Although classified as ...
'' at the
Old Vic Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary * Old, Northamptonshire, England *Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Ma ...
. In 1918, Gingold married the publisher Michael Joseph, with whom she had two sons, the younger of whom,
Stephen Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; ...
, became a pioneer of theatre in the round in Britain.


1920 to 1948

Gingold's adult stage career was slow to take off. She played Liza in ''If'' at the Ambassador's in May 1921, and the Old Woman in
Ben Travers Ben Travers (12 November 188618 December 1980) was an English writer. His output includes more than 20 plays, 30 screenplays, 5 novels, and 3 volumes of memoirs. He is best remembered for his long-running Aldwych farce, series of farces first ...
's farcical comedy ''
The Dippers ''The Dippers'' is a comedy play by the British writer Ben Travers first performed in 1922 and based on his own 1920 novel of the same title. It premiered at the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool before transferring to the Criterion Theatre in Lond ...
'' produced by Sir Charles Hawtrey at the Criterion in August 1922.Morley, pp. 143–144 In 1926 Gingold was divorced from Joseph. Later in the same year she married the writer and lyricist Eric Maschwitz, whom she divorced in 1945. She underwent a vocal crisis in the late 1920s and early 1930s: she had hitherto described herself as "Shakespearian and soprano" but nodules on her vocal cords brought a drastic drop in pitch, about which she commented, "One morning it was Mozart and the next 'Old Man River'". The critic
J. C. Trewin John Courtenay Trewin (4 December 1908 – 16 February 1990) was a British journalist, writer and drama critic. Trewin was born in Plymouth, Devon, although both his parents were Cornish. He was educated at Plymouth College and in 1926 joi ...
described her voice as "powdered glass in deep syrup". During this period she broadcast frequently for the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
and established herself at the experimental theatre-club the
Gate Theatre Studio Gate Theatre Studio, often referred to as simply the Gate Theatre, is a former independent theatre on Villiers Street in London. History Founded in October 1925 by Peter Godfrey and his wife Molly Veness, the theatre was originally on the top ...
in London, first as a serious actress and later in the genre for which she became famous,
revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own dur ...
. According to ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'' it was in ''Spread It Abroad'' (1936) a revue at another theatre, the
Saville SAVILLE is a classified NSA Type 1 encryption algorithm, developed in the late 1960s, jointly by the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) in the UK and the National Security Agency (NSA) in the US. It is used broadly, often for voice e ...
, with material by
Herbert Farjeon Herbert (Bertie) Farjeon (5 March 1887 – 3 May 1945) was a major figure in the British theatre from 1910 until his death. He was a presenter of revues in London's West End, a theatre critic, lyricist, librettist, playwright, theatre manager and ...
that she truly found her milieu."Obituary – Hermione Gingold – Kindly malice in wonderland", ''The Times'', 25 May 1987, p. 14 In the 10 years from 1938, Gingold concentrated on revue, appearing in nine productions in the West End. The first four were ''The Gate Revue'' (transferred from the Gate to the
Ambassadors An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or so ...
, 1939), ''Swinging the Gate'' (1940), ''Rise Above It'' (1941) and ''Sky High'' (1942). During this period she and
Hermione Baddeley Hermione Youlanda Ruby Clinton-Baddeley (13 November 1906 – 19 August 1986) was an English actress of theatre, film and television. She typically played brash, vulgar characters, often referred to as "brassy" or "blowsy".Folkart, Burt, "Noted ...
established a stage partnership of what ''The Times'' called "briskly sustained mock-rivalry". In June 1943 she opened in a revue at the Ambassadors, '' Sweet and Low'', which was continually revised and refreshed over a run of almost six years, first as ''Sweeter and Lower'' and then ''Sweetest and Lowest''. In her sketches she tended, as the writer of the shows,
Alan Melville Alan Melville (19 May 1910 – 18 April 1983) was a South African cricketer who played in 11 Tests from 1938 to 1949. He was born in Carnarvon, Northern Cape, South Africa and died at Sabie, Transvaal. Early life and cricket career Melville w ...
, recalled, to portray "grotesque and usually unfortunate ladies of dubious age and occasionally, morals; the unhappy female painted by Picasso who found herself lumbered with an extra limb or two … the even less fortunate female who, after years of playing the cello in Palm Court orchestras, ended up bow-legged beyond belief". In a biographical sketch,
Ned Sherrin Edward George Sherrin (18 February 1931 – 1 October 2007) was an English broadcaster, author and stage director. He qualified as a barrister and then worked in independent television before joining the BBC. He appeared in a variety of r ...
writes "Gingold became a special attraction for American soldiers and 'Thanks, Yanks' was one of her most appropriate numbers. During the astringent, name-dropping 'Sweet' series, she played 1,676 performances, before 800,000 people, negotiating 17,010 costume changes".


Postwar

Gingold's first new revue after the war was ''Slings and Arrows'' at the
Comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...
in 1948. She was praised, but the material was judged inferior to that of her earlier shows. She appeared in cameo roles in British films, of which Sherrin singles out ''
The Pickwick Papers ''The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club'' (also known as ''The Pickwick Papers'') was Charles Dickens's first novel. Because of his success with ''Sketches by Boz'' published in 1836, Dickens was asked by the publisher Chapman & Hall to s ...
'' (1952), in which she played the formidable schoolmistress, Miss Tompkins. Gingold became well known to BBC radio audiences in "Mrs Doom's Diary" in the weekly show ''Home at Eight''; this was a parody of the radio soap opera ''
Mrs Dale's Diary ''Mrs Dale's Diary'' was the first significant BBC radio serial drama. It was first broadcast on 5 January 1948 on the BBC Light Programme, later BBC Radio 2; it ran until 25 April 1969. A new episode was broadcast each weekday afternoon, wit ...
'' in the manner of
the Addams Family ''The Addams Family'' is a fictional family created by American cartoonist Charles Addams. They originally appeared in a series of 150 unrelated single-panel cartoons, about half of which were originally published in ''The New Yorker'' over ...
with Gingold as Drusilla Doom and
Alfred Marks Alfred Edward Marks OBE (born Alfred Edward Touchinsky; 28 January 19211 July 1996) was a British actor and comedian. In his 60-year career, he played dramatic and comedy roles in numerous television programmes, stage shows and films. His self- ...
as her sepulchral husband. Gingold and Baddeley co-starred in a
Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time'' magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and ...
double bill in November 1949, presenting ''
Fumed Oak ''Fumed Oak'' is a short play in two scenes by Noël Coward, one of ten that make up '' Tonight at 8.30'', a cycle written to be performed across three evenings. Coward billed the work as an "unpleasant comedy in two scenes". The play concerns ...
'' and ''
Fallen Angels A fallen angel is an angel that has been exiled or banished from Heaven. Fallen Angels may also refer to: Film and television * ''Fallen Angels'' (1948 film), a Greek film by Nikos Tsiforos * Fallen Angels (1985 documentary film) by Gregory Dark * ...
''. Reviews were poor, and Coward thought the performances crude and overdone, but the production was a box-office success, running until August the following year. Between 1951 and 1969 Gingold worked mostly in the US. Her first engagement there was at the
Brattle Theatre The Brattle Theatre is a repertory movie theater located in Brattle Hall at 40 Brattle Street near Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The theatre is a small movie house with one screen. It is one of the few remaining movie theaters, if ...
in Cambridge, Massachusetts in ''It's About Time,'' a revue that incorporated some of her London material. In December 1953, she opened in ''
John Murray Anderson's Almanac ''John Murray Anderson's Almanac'' is a musical revue, featuring the music of the songwriting team of Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, as well as other composers. It was conceived by John Murray Anderson. Productions ''John Murray Anderson's Almanac ...
'' which made her an instant Broadway success and for which she won the
Donaldson Award The Donaldson Awards were a set of theatre awards established in 1944 by the drama critic Robert Francis in honor of W. H. Donaldson (1864–1925), the founder of ''The Billboard'' (now ''Billboard'') magazine. Categories included "best new pla ...
in 1954. She also became a regular guest on talk shows. In 1951 she cited as her hobbies; 'Interior decoration' and 'collecting china'. Gingold continued to make films. In 1956 she played a London "sporting lady" in ''
Around the World in 80 Days ''Around the World in Eighty Days'' (french: link=no, Le tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours) is an adventure novel by the French writer Jules Verne, first published in French in 1872. In the story, Phileas Fogg of London and his newly employe ...
'', and won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the 1958 film '' Gigi'' playing Madame Alvarez, Gigi's loving grandmother. In the film, she sang "I Remember It Well" with Maurice Chevalier. She said "It was my first American film and I was very nervous." Chevalier put her at ease. "I had to sing, and I hadn't got a great voice, but with him, I felt the greatest prima donna in the world." Gingold followed this with another hit film ''
Bell, Book and Candle ''Bell, Book and Candle'' is a 1958 American fantasy romantic comedy film directed by Richard Quine from a screenplay by Daniel Taradash, based on the 1950 Broadway play of the same title by John Van Druten. It stars Kim Novak as a witch who c ...
'', also 1958, in which her role was Mrs Bianca De Pass. She played the haughty wife, Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn, of River City Mayor George Shinn, played by character actor
Paul Ford Paul Ford Weaver (November 2, 1901 – April 12, 1976) was an American character actor who came to specialize in authority figures whose ineptitude and pompous demeanor were played for comic effect, notably as Mayor Shinn in ''The Music Man (196 ...
, in ''
The Music Man ''The Music Man'' is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and ...
'' (1962) starring Robert Preston and
Shirley Jones Shirley Mae Jones (born March 31, 1934) is an American actress and singer. In her six decades in show business, she has starred as wholesome characters in a number of musical films, such as '' Oklahoma!'' (1955), ''Carousel'' (1956), and ''The M ...
. In October 1963, Gingold opened in
Arthur Kopit Arthur Lee Kopit (' Koenig; May 10, 1937 – April 2, 2021) was an American playwright. He was a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist for '' Indians'' and '' Wings''. He was also nominated for three Tony Awards: Best Play for ''Indians'' (1970) a ...
's ''
Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad ''Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad: A Pseudoclassical Tragifarce in a Bastard French Tradition'' was the first play written by Arthur Kopit. Background Kopit was on a postgraduate scholarship from Harvard ...
'', playing a monstrously possessive mother driving her son crazy. She played the role in the London production in 1965. Reviewing the latter, and noting that the first night had been greeted with cheering at the end, the critic
Philip Hope-Wallace Philip Adrian Hope-Wallace CBE (6 November 1911 – 3 September 1979) was an English music and theatre critic, whose career was mostly with ''The Manchester Guardian'' (later known as ''The Guardian''). From university he went into journalism afte ...
wrote:


Last years

In 1972, she was among the guests in David Winters' musical
television special A television special (often TV special, or rarely television spectacular) is a standalone television show which may also temporarily interrupt episodic programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Some specials provide a full range of ent ...
'' The Special London Bridge Special'', starring Tom Jones, and
Jennifer O'Neill Jennifer O'Neill (born February 20, 1948) is a Brazilian-born American actress, model, author, and activist. She is known for her modeling and spokesperson work for CoverGirl cosmetics starting in 1963, and her starring role in the Oscar-winnin ...
. Gingold was a member of the original 1973 Broadway cast of
Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March 22, 1930November 26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. One of the most important figures in twentieth-century musical theater, Sondheim is credited for having "reinvented the American musical" with sho ...
's ''
A Little Night Music ''A Little Night Music'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler. Inspired by the 1955 Ingmar Bergman film ''Smiles of a Summer Night'', it involves the romantic lives of several couples. Its title is a ...
'' in the role of the elderly Mme. Armfeldt, a former
courtesan Courtesan, in modern usage, is a euphemism for a "kept" mistress (lover), mistress or prostitute, particularly one with wealthy, powerful, or influential clients. The term historically referred to a courtier, a person who attended the Royal cour ...
.
Clive Barnes Clive Alexander Barnes (13 May 1927 – 19 November 2008) was an English writer and critic. From 1965 to 1977, he was the dance and theater critic for ''The New York Times'', and, from 1978 until his death, '' The New York Post.'' Barnes had sig ...
wrote of her performance, "Hermione Gingold is immeasurably grande dame as the almost Proustian hostess (I haven't loved her so much since she sang about the Borgia orgies 30 years ago)." When the production transferred to London in 1975 Gingold reprised the role, and later played it in the
film version A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dia ...
of the musical (1977). At the age of 77, Gingold made her operatic début, joining the
San Francisco Opera San Francisco Opera (SFO) is an American opera company founded in 1923 by Gaetano Merola (1881–1953) based in San Francisco, California. History Gaetano Merola (1923–1953) Merola's road to prominence in the Bay Area began in 1906 when h ...
to play the spoken role of the Duchess of Crackenthorp in Donizetti's ''
La fille du régiment ' (''The Daughter of the Regiment'') is an opéra comique in two acts by Gaetano Donizetti, set to a French libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Jean-François Bayard. It was first performed on 11 February 1840 by the Paris Opéra ...
'' in 1975. In 1977 she took over the narrator's role in ''
Side by Side by Sondheim ''Side by Side by Sondheim'' is a musical revue featuring the songs of Broadway and film composer Stephen Sondheim. Its title is derived from the song "Side by Side by Side" from '' Company''. History The musical had its origins when David ...
'' on Broadway. After the New York run, the show toured the U.S. In Kansas City, the 79-year-old Gingold suffered an accident that broke her knee and dislocated her arm; this brought her performing career to an end. Still, she appeared in a 1980s
Goya Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (; ; 30 March 174616 April 1828) was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker. He is considered the most important Spanish artist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His paintings, drawings, and ...
commercial for its drink Coca Goya Colada while lounging on a
chaise longue A chaise longue (; , "long chair") is an upholstered sofa in the shape of a chair that is long enough to support the legs of the sitter. In modern French the term ''chaise longue'' can refer to any long reclining chair such as a deckchair. ...
, shaking the two cans like
maracas A maraca (), sometimes called shaker or chac-chac, is a rattle which appears in many genres of Caribbean and Latin music. It is shaken by a handle and usually played as part of a pair. Maracas (from Guaraní ), also known as tamaracas, were r ...
.


Death

Gingold died from heart problems and pneumonia at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan on 24 May 1987, aged 89.Saxon, Wolfgang
"Hermione Gingold, English Actress, Dies At 89"
''The New York Times'', 25 May 1987. She is interred at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.


Legacy

Gingold's autobiography, ''How to Grow Old Disgracefully'', was published posthumously in 1988. It was published in installments: ''The World Is Square'' (1946), ''My Own Unaided Work'' (1952) and ''Sirens Should Be Seen and Not Heard'' (1963). She also wrote a play titled ''Abracadabra'' and contributed original material to the many revues in which she performed. The Gingold Theatrical Group in New York is a company devoted to producing plays about human rights. It was founded by
David Staller David Staller (born November 16, 1955) is an American theatre director and actor. He is the founding artistic director of the Off-Broadway theatre company, Gingold Theatrical Group. Early life Staller was born in Glencoe, Illinois. He attende ...
, a great friend of Gingold for many years, as a tribute to her. They specialise in presenting the works of
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 influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from ...
and are the first group to present all of Shaw's 65 plays.Gingold Theatrical Group website
accessed 1 October 2013


Screen performances


Film

* ''
Dance Pretty Lady ''Dance Pretty Lady'' is a 1931 British drama film directed by Anthony Asquith and starring Ann Casson, Carl Harbord, Michael Hogan, Moore Marriott and Flora Robson. It was based on the 1912 novel '' Carnival'' by Compton Mackenzie. The novel ...
'' (1931) * ''
Public Nuisance No. 1 ''Public Nuisance No. 1'' is a 1936 British musical comedy film directed by Marcel Varnel and starring Frances Day, Arthur Riscoe and Muriel Aked. It was made at Beaconsfield Studios. The screenplay concerns a young man who goes to work as a wa ...
'' (1936) * '' Someone at the Door'' (1936) - Lizzie Appleby * ''
Merry Comes to Town ''Merry Comes to Town'' is a 1937 British comedy film directed by George King and starring Zasu Pitts, Guy Newall and Betty Ann Davies. It was made at Shepperton Studios.Wood p.95 Cast * Zasu Pitts as Winnie Oatfield * Guy Newall as Prof. Joh ...
'' (1937) - Ida Witherspoon * '' Meet Mr. Penny'' (1938) - Mrs. Wilson * '' The Butler's Dilemma'' (1943) - Aunt Sophie * ''
The Pickwick Papers ''The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club'' (also known as ''The Pickwick Papers'') was Charles Dickens's first novel. Because of his success with ''Sketches by Boz'' published in 1836, Dickens was asked by the publisher Chapman & Hall to s ...
'' (1952) - Miss Tompkins * ''
Cosh Boy ''Cosh Boy'' (released in the United States as ''The Slasher'') is a 1953 British film noir directed by Lewis Gilbert and starring James Kenney and Joan Collins. It was made at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith. Plot Based on an original play ...
'' (1953) - Queenie * ''
Our Girl Friday ''Our Girl Friday'' (U.S. title ''The Adventures of Sadie'') is a 1953 British comedy film starring Joan Collins, George Cole, Kenneth More and Robertson Hare. It is about a woman who is shipwrecked with three men on a deserted island. The film ...
'' (1953) - Spinster * ''
Around the World in 80 Days ''Around the World in Eighty Days'' (french: link=no, Le tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours) is an adventure novel by the French writer Jules Verne, first published in French in 1872. In the story, Phileas Fogg of London and his newly employe ...
'' (1956) - Sporting Lady * '' Gigi'' (1958) - Madame Alvarez * ''
Bell, Book and Candle ''Bell, Book and Candle'' is a 1958 American fantasy romantic comedy film directed by Richard Quine from a screenplay by Daniel Taradash, based on the 1950 Broadway play of the same title by John Van Druten. It stars Kim Novak as a witch who c ...
'' (1958) - Bianca de Passe * ''
The Naked Edge ''The Naked Edge'' is a 1961 thriller film starring Gary Cooper (in his final film role) and Deborah Kerr. The film was a British-American co-production distributed by United Artists, directed by Michael Anderson and produced by George Glass a ...
'' (1961) - Lilly Harris * ''
The Music Man ''The Music Man'' is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and ...
'' (1962) - Eulalie Mackechnie Shinn * ''
Gay Purr-ee ''Gay Purr-ee'' is a 1962 American animated musical film produced by United Productions of America and released by Warner Bros. It features the voice of Judy Garland in her only animated-film role, as well as Robert Goulet in his first feature ...
'' (1962) - voice of Mme. Rubens-Chatte * ''
The World of Henry Orient ''The World of Henry Orient'' is a 1964 American comedy film directed by George Roy Hill and starring Peter Sellers, Paula Prentiss, Angela Lansbury, Tippy Walker, Merrie Spaeth, Phyllis Thaxter, Bibi Osterwald and Tom Bosley. It is based o ...
'' (1964, scenes deleted) * ''
I'd Rather Be Rich ''I'd Rather Be Rich'' is a 1964 romantic comedy film with musical aspects directed by Jack Smight, produced by Ross Hunter and starring Sandra Dee. The film focuses on a dying man who wishes to meet his granddaughter's fiancé, but he is unavail ...
'' (1964) - Miss Grimshaw * '' Harvey Middleman, Fireman'' (1965) - Mrs. Koogleman * ''The Itch'' (1965) (short subject) - voice of Woman * ''
Promise Her Anything ''Promise Her Anything'' is a 1965 British-American romantic comedy film directed by Arthur Hiller and starring Warren Beatty and Leslie Caron. The screenplay by William Peter Blatty is based on a story by Arne Sultan and Marvin Worth. The supp ...
'' (1966) - Mrs. Luce * ''
Munster, Go Home! ''Munster, Go Home!'' is a 1966 American comedy film based on the 1960s family sitcom ''The Munsters''. It was directed by Earl Bellamy, who also directed a number of episodes in the series. The film was produced immediately after the television ...
'' (1966) - Lady Effigie Munster * ''
Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon ''Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon'' is a 1967 Eastman color British science fiction comedy film directed by Don Sharp and starring Burl Ives, Troy Donahue, Gert Fröbe and Terry-Thomas. It was released in the US as ''Those Fantastic Flying Foo ...
'' (1967) - Angelica *
Winter of the Witch
' (short) (1969) - the Old Witch * '' Tubby the Tuba'' (1975) - voice of Miss Squeek * ''
A Little Night Music ''A Little Night Music'' is a Musical theatre, musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler. Inspired by the 1955 Ingmar Bergman film ''Smiles of a Summer Night'', it involves the romantic lives of several couples. ...
'' (1977) - Mme. Armfeldt * ''
Garbo Talks ''Garbo Talks'' is a 1984 American comedy-drama film directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Anne Bancroft, Ron Silver, and Carrie Fisher, with a cameo appearance by Betty Comden as Greta Garbo. The film was written by Larry Grusin, and also stars ...
'' (1984) - Elizabeth Rennick


Television

* ''
The Tonight Show ''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. The show has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2009 and 201 ...
'' with
Jack Paar Jack Harold Paar (May 1, 1918 – January 27, 2004) was an American talk show host, author, radio and television comedian, and film actor. He was the second host of ''The Tonight Show'' from 1957 to 1962. ''Time'' magazine's obituary of Paar repo ...
and later
Johnny Carson John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, writer and producer. He is best known as the host of ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' (1962–1992). Carson received six Pr ...
(frequent guest from 1958 to 1962) * ''
The Merv Griffin Show ''The Merv Griffin Show'' is an American television talk show starring Merv Griffin. The series ran from October 1, 1962 to March 29, 1963 on NBC, May 10, 1965 to July 4, 1969 in first-run syndication, from August 18, 1969 to February 11, 1972 a ...
'' with
Merv Griffin Mervyn Edward Griffin Jr. (July 6, 1925 – August 12, 2007) was an American television show host and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer, later appearing in film and on Broadway. From 1965 to 1986 he hosted his own ta ...
(frequent guest) * ''
I've Got a Secret ''I've Got a Secret'' is an American panel game show produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman for CBS television. Created by comedy writers Allan Sherman and Howard Merrill, it was a derivative of Goodson-Todman's own panel show, ''What's My Line ...
'' panelist (12/8/1959, 30/12/1959, 14/1/1963) * ''
What's My Line? ''What's My Line?'' is a panel game show that originally ran in the United States on the CBS Television Network from 1950 to 1967, originally in black and white and later in color, with subsequent U.S. revivals. The game uses celebrity panelis ...
'' Mystery Challenger (19/4/1959, 8/9/1963) * ''
Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was ren ...
'' ("The Schartz-Metterklume Method"—1960) - Miss Hope/Lady Charlotte * '' Beyond the Fringe'' (1967) (14 episodes) * '' It Takes a Thief'' (1968) ("Lay of the Land" – S01E15) - Duchess Christina * ''Winter of the Witch'' (1969) - Witch * '' Ironside'' ("Check Mate and Murder") (1970) - Ernestine Mugford * ''
Love, American Style ''Love, American Style'' is an anthology comedy television series that aired on ABC from 1969 to 1974. The series was produced by Paramount Television. During the 1971–72 and 1972–73 seasons, it was a part of ABC's Friday primetime lineup ...
'' (1971) - Jane (segment "Love and the Heist") * ''
Banyon ''Banyon'' is a detective series broadcast in the United States by NBC as part of its 1972-73 television schedule, though a standalone two-hour television movie was broadcast first in March 1971. The series was a Quinn Martin Production (in assoc ...
'' (1971) (pilot for series) - Peggy Revere * ''Simple Gifts'' (1977) - Narrator (segment "The Great Frost") (voice) * ''Amy & the Angel'' (1982) - Pincus * ''
Hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...
'' ("Charades") (1983) - Felicity * ''
How to Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days ''How to Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days'' is a 1984 American television family comedy film directed by Joan Micklin Silver and written by Bruce Harmon, based on the 1982 children's book ''Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days!'' by Ste ...
'' (1983) - Miss Sandwich


Works

* * * *


References


Sources

* * * *


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gingold, Hermione 1897 births 1987 deaths People from Maida Vale 20th-century English actresses Actresses from London Audiobook narrators Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe (film) winners Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) Deaths from pneumonia in New York City Donaldson Award winners English emigrants to the United States English film actresses English musical theatre actresses English people of Jewish descent English stage actresses English voice actresses Grammy Award winners Jewish English actresses 20th-century English singers 20th-century English women singers