Jean Robertson (16 February 1893 – 24 August 1967) was an Australian stage and screen actress.

Biography

Robertson was born on 16 February 1893 and grew up in

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

, South Australia. She performed with the

Adelaide Repertory Theatre 'The Adelaide Repertory Theatre, often called Adelaide Rep or The Rep, is an amateur theatre company in Adelaide, South Australia, founded in 1908. It usually presents its productions at The Arts Theatre. History Adelaide Rep is the longest sur ...

, before moving to Melbourne in 1914 to begin her professional career with the Julius Knight Company. She also appeared with the George Willoughby Co. and

J. C. Williamson Ltd J. C. Williamson's, formerly Williamson, Garner, & Musgrove and Williamson and Musgrove, was an Australian theatrical management company and theatre owner. With its beginnings in the theatrical productions of J. C. Williamson and his pa ...

. Her first screen role was as the angel in George Willoughby's first film, '' The Joan of Arc of Loos'' and followed up as Margaret Rolfe in the 1916 Australian silent film, '' The Woman in the Case''. Jean_Robertson_in_The_Unknown_Woman_-_White

Jean_Robertson_in_The_Unknown_Woman_-_White

In 1917, she moved to America, where she starred as a Babylonian siren in ''The Wanderer'' on the New York stage the following year. She played the dope fiend in ''The Unknown Woman'', with

Lumsden Hare Francis Lumsden Hare (17 October 1874 – 28 August 1964) was an Irish-born film and theatre actor. He was also a theatre director and theatrical producer. Early years Hare studied at St. Dunstan's College in London. Career Hare appeare ...

as her husband in New York in 1919. While overseas she toured in productions to San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia and Toronto. She appeared in the American 1922 film, '' Flesh and Spirit''. Back in New York she appeared in ''Lawful Larceny'' on Broadway, and transferred to London with the full production in 1922. She subsequently toured England in ''If Winter Comes''. Robertson returned to Sydney in 1924 and appeared as Portia 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 ...

'' in Melbourne with Maurice Moscovich. Following a successful run in '' The Outsider'' at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, the play's producer, Moscovich, invited Robertson to perform the role in London. With Mosovich she toured New Zealand from June to August 1925 where the reviewer for the ''Evening Post'' described her in ''The Outsider'' as "one of the finest leading ladies we have seen. She possesses a lovely round voice, and uses all her grace and charm with telling effect." She starred as Mrs Webster in

Ken G. Hall Kenneth George Hall, AO, OBE (22 February 1901 – 8 February 1994), better known as Ken G. Hall, was an Australian film producer and director, considered one of the most important figures in the history of the Australian film industry. ...

's 1940 comedy film, ''

Dad Rudd, M.P. ''Dad Rudd, M.P.'' is a 1940 comedy that was the last of four films made by Ken G. Hall starring Bert Bailey as Dad Rudd. It was the last feature film directed by Hall prior to the war and the last made by Cinesound Productions, Bert Bailey and F ...

'' She filled the leading role in Schiller's play '' Mary Stuart'' in 1946 where her performance was described as "striking". Her stage career continued into the 1950s when she appeared in the leading role of Lady Jane Franklin in the play ''Jane My Love'' at the Theatre Royal in Hobart.

Personal

Robertson married scientist Henry Herman Brose in London on 14 May 1927. Their son, John Kelvin Brose, was born the following year. Robertson died in Sydney on 24 August 1967. Her husband predeceased her in 1965.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robertson, Jean 1893 births 1967 deaths 20th-century Australian actresses