Ivan Berlyn (1867 – 11 December 1934) was an English actor of stage and

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...

whose career spanned four decades. An experienced and versatile actor, Beryln played "... weird and eccentric character parts" in everything from

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking ...

to Shakespeare.''The Green Room Book and Who's Who on the Stage 1906'', London. T.Sealey Clark & Co. Ltd (1906), p. 30.

Early life

He was born in

Kensington Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in the West End of London, West of Central London. The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street, running on an east–west axis. The north-east is taken up b ...

in London as Isaac Berlin, the son of Emanuel Berlin (1839–1921) a

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

"mercantile clerk" and a native of Hamburg who immigrated to England in 1857, and his wife Amelia ''née'' Joseph (1836–1915), who married in 1864. In the 1906 edition of the actors' directory ''The Green Room Book'' Berlyn made the spurious claim that he had been born as Ivan Emanuel Julian von Berlin and was descended from an ancient family from Alsace-Lorraine. He further claimed he had originally planned to join the legal profession but instead decided on a career on the stage, training at the London School of Elocution (the South London School of Elocution and Dramatic Art) established by Samuel Brandram. In 1888 as Ivan Berlin he organized a concert at the

Prince's Hall Prince's Hall was a concert venue in Piccadilly, London. It was part of the premises of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours, at 190–195 Piccadilly, situated behind the galleries where annual exhibitions of the Institute took plac ...

Piccadilly Piccadilly () is a road in the City of Westminster, London, to the south of Mayfair, between Hyde Park Corner in the west and Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is part of the A4 road that connects central London to Hammersmith, Earl's Court, ...

in London. Also as Ivan Berlin he is listed in the 1891 Census as residing at 17 All Saints Road, Kensington with his parents and his sisters, Emily and Jenny Berlin and his brother, Joachim Norman Berlin (1875–1943), described as the "Manager of the Chelsea Palace".

Stage career

Berlyn's stage appearances include: Doctor Caius 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 ...

'' with

Oscar Asche John Stange(r) Heiss Oscar Asche (24 January 1871 – 23 March 1936), better known as Oscar Asche, was an Australian actor, director, and writer, best known for having written, directed, and acted in the record-breaking musical ''Chu Chin C ...

at the

Haymarket Theatre The Theatre Royal Haymarket (also known as Haymarket Theatre or the Little Theatre) is a West End theatre on Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in use. Samuel Foote ...

(1929); in ''

Henry V Henry V may refer to: People * Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026) * Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125) * Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161) * Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (c. 1173–1227) * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (121 ...

'', ''

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...

'' and ''

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

Alhambra Theatre The Alhambra was a popular theatre and music hall located on the east side of Leicester Square, in the West End of London. It was built originally as the Royal Panopticon of Science and Arts opening on 18 March 1854. It was closed after two yea ...

in London (1933-1934); Norman in '' 100 Not Out'' at the Queen’s Theatre, London (1930); Weird Sister in ''

Macbeth ''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...

'' at the Prince’s Theatre, London (1926–1927); in ''

The Banana Girl ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' at the

Prince of Wales Theatre The Prince of Wales Theatre is a West End theatre in Coventry Street, near Leicester Square in London. It was established in 1884 and rebuilt in 1937, and extensively refurbished in 2004 by Sir Cameron Mackintosh, its current owner. The theatre ...

, London (1925); Monty Gordon in ''

Camille States Her Case Camille may refer to: Fictional entities * a Power Rangers Jungle Fury character * Camille Wallaby, a character in Alfred Hedgehog * a character from ''League of Legends'' video game voiced by Emily O'Brien Films *''Camille (1912 film)'', a sh ...

'' at the

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 gra ...

(1925); Krashoff in ''The Dare-Devil'' at the Strand Theatre (1924); Ichneumon Fly, Inventor in the British premiere of '' The Insect Play'' at the Regent Theatre, London (1922–1923); Destiny in ''The Betrothal'' at the Gaiety Theatre (1921); Humphrey in ''

The Knight of the Burning Pestle ''The Knight of the Burning Pestle'' is a play in five acts by Francis Beaumont, first performed at Blackfriars Theatre in 1607 and published in a quarto in 1613. It is the earliest whole parody (or pastiche) play in English. The play is a sat ...

'' at the Kingsway Theatre (1920) with

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 ...

and

Roger Livesey Roger Livesey (25 June 1906 – 4 February 1976) was a British stage and film actor. He is most often remembered for the three Powell & Pressburger films in which he starred: ''The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp'', ''I Know Where I'm Going!' ...

; in ''Double Dutch'' at the

Apollo Theatre The Apollo Theatre is a Grade II listed West End theatre, on Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster, in central London.

Shaftesbury Avenue Shaftesbury Avenue is a major road in the West End of London, named after The 7th Earl of Shaftesbury. It runs north-easterly from Piccadilly Circus to New Oxford Street, crossing Charing Cross Road at Cambridge Circus. From Piccadilly Cir ...

(1916–1917); Signor Berchili in ''

The Dancing Mistress ''The Dancing Mistress'' is a Edwardian musical comedy, musical comedy with music by Lionel Monckton, book by James T. Tanner and lyrics by Adrian Ross and Percy Greenbank. It depicts the fortunes of a school dancing mistress who is dismissed and ...

'' starring

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 ...

and with music by

Lionel Monckton Lionel John Alexander Monckton (18 December 1861 – 15 February 1924) was an English composer of musical theatre. He became Britain's most popular composer of Edwardian musical comedy in the early years of the 20th century. Life and career ...

at the

Adelphi Theatre The Adelphi Theatre is a West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster, central London. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiv ...

, London (1912); Sambaroff in ''The Great Young Man'', a comedy by Prince Vladimir Vladimirovich Baryatinsky (revised version of his ''The Career of Nablotsky'') at the Kingsway Theatre in London (1911); Sambaroff in ''The Career of Nablotsky'' by Prince V. V. Baryatinsky at the

Royalty Theatre The Royalty Theatre was a small London theatre situated at 73 Dean Street, Soho. Established by the actress Frances Maria Kelly in 1840, it opened as Miss Kelly's Theatre and Dramatic School and finally closed to the public in 1938.

(1910–1911);J. P. Wearing
''The London Stage 1910-1919: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel''
Rowman & Littlefield (2014) - Google Books. Yepikhodov in ''

The Cherry Orchard ''The Cherry Orchard'' (russian: Вишнёвый сад, translit=Vishnyovyi sad) is the last play by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. Written in 1903, it was first published by ''Znaniye'' (Book Two, 1904), and came out as a separate edition ...

'' at the

Aldwych Theatre The Aldwych Theatre is a West End theatre, located in Aldwych in the City of Westminster, central London. It was listed Grade II on 20 July 1971. Its seating capacity is 1,200 on three levels. History Origins The theatre was constructed in th ...

, London (1910–1911); in ''Links'' at the

Scala Theatre The Scala Theatre was a theatre in Charlotte Street, London, off Tottenham Court Road. The first theatre on the site opened in 1772, and the theatre was demolished in 1969, after being destroyed by fire. From 1865 to 1882, the theatre was kn ...

, London (1907–1908); in '' Véronique'' at the Prince’s Theatre in

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

(1905–1906), and

Fagin Fagin is a fictional character and the secondary antagonist in Charles Dickens's 1838 novel ''Oliver Twist''. In the preface to the novel, he is described as a "receiver of stolen goods". He is the leader of a group of children (the Artful Dod ...

in ''

Oliver Twist ''Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress'', Charles Dickens's second novel, was published as a serial from 1837 to 1839, and as a three-volume book in 1838. Born in a workhouse, the orphan Oliver Twist is bound into apprenticeship with ...

'' at the Grand Theatre in

Islington Islington () is a district in the north of Greater London, England, and part of the London Borough of Islington. It is a mainly residential district of Inner London, extending from Islington's High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the ar ...

(1903).

Film roles

In 1922 Berlyn played

Shylock Shylock is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's play ''The Merchant of Venice'' (c. 1600). A Venetian Jewish moneylender, Shylock is the play's principal antagonist. His defeat and conversion to Christianity form the climax of the ...

in the Trial Scene from ''

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 a ...

'' section of the film ''Tense Moments from Great Plays'' (1922) and

in the '' Nancy'' section of the film ''Tense Moments with Great Authors'' (1922), with

Sybil Thorndike Dame Agnes Sybil Thorndike, Lady Casson (24 October 18829 June 1976) was an English actress whose stage career lasted from 1904 to 1969. Trained in her youth as a concert pianist, Thorndike turned to the stage when a medical problem with her ...

as Nancy.Denis Gifford
''The British Film Catalogue: The Fiction Film''
Google Books. His other film roles include: Isaac Bernstein in ''The Phantom Picture'' (1916); Giovanni Leraca in ''

Honour in Pawn ''Honour in Pawn'' is a 1916 British silent film which starred Helen Haye in her first film role.''Honou ...

'' opposite

Helen Haye Helen Haye (born Helen Hay, 28 August 1874 – 1 September 1957) was a British stage and film actress.
New York Times. 3 Septem ...

(1916); Giuseppe in '' The Usurper'' (1919); Ernest in ''Bookworms'' by

A. A. Milne Alan Alexander Milne (; 18 January 1882 – 31 January 1956) was an English writer best known for his books about the teddy bear Winnie-the-Pooh, as well as for children's poetry. Milne was primarily a playwright before the huge success of Winni ...

(1920) and a posthumous appearance as Father /Aguecheek in ''

Immortal Gentleman ''Immortal Gentleman'' is a 1935 British historical drama film directed by Widgey R. Newman and starring Basil Gill, Rosalinde Fuller and Dennis Hoey.Wood p.82 It was a low-budget B film, which usually did not have historical settings. Synops ...

'' (1935).

Radio work

In June 1925 Berlyn played

Nick Bottom Nick Bottom is a character in Shakespeare's ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' who provides comic relief throughout the play. A weaver by trade, he is famously known for getting his head transformed into that of a donkey by the elusive Puck. Bott ...

in an early

BBC Radio BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927). The service provides national radio stations covering th ...

broadcast of ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict amon ...

''.

Personal life

In the 1911 Census Ivan Berlyn is listed as living at 3 King William Street in London; also listed is his boarder, Australian

actor-manager An actor-manager is a leading actor who sets up their own permanent theatrical company and manages the business, sometimes taking over a theatre to perform select plays in which they usually star. It is a method of theatrical production used co ...

Henry Louis Winthrop Armstrong (1881–1915).Henry Louis Winthrop Armstrong (1881-1915) - Herts at War
/ref> Berlyn and Armstrong appeared together in ''The Great Young Man'', a comedy by Prince Vladimir Vladimirovich Baryatinsky and produced at the Kingsway Theatre in London in October 1911.Biography of Ivan Berlyn - Footlight Notes website
/ref> In about 1915, Berlyn became the third husband of Hiene Riva Grinblat (Khana Rebecca Greenblatt, 1870–1949) and with her had two step-children: Abraham (Albert) Berlyn (Abrahams) (1903–1992) and Katie Berlyn (Abrahams) (1904–1934). Ivan Berlyn died in 1934 at the National Hospital in Queen Square in

Holborn Holborn ( or ) is a district in central London, which covers the south-eastern part of the London Borough of Camden and a part ( St Andrew Holborn Below the Bars) of the Ward of Farringdon Without in the City of London. The area has its roots ...

. In his will he left £2,000 7s 4d.England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858–1995 for Ivan Berlyn 1935- Ancestry.com
/ref>

References

External links

Ivan Berlyn
on the

Internet Movie Database IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Berlyn, Ivan 1867 births 1934 deaths 19th-century English male actors 20th-century English male actors British Shakespearean actors English Jews English male film actors English male musical theatre actors English male radio actors English male silent film actors English male stage actors English people of German-Jewish descent Jewish English male actors Male actors from London People from Kensington