Dame Gwen Lucy Ffrangcon-Davies, DBE (25 January 1891 – 27 January 1992) was a British actress who worked mainly in theatre and television, as well as radio and film. She made her last acting appearance as a centenarian in 1991.
She was born in London of a Welsh family; the name "Ffrangcon" is said to originate from a valley in Snowdonia. Her parents were opera baritone David Ffrangcon-Davies (né David Thomas Davies) and Annie Francis Rayner.[1]
Careeredit
Ffrangcon-Davies made her stage debut in 1911, as a singer as well as an actress, and received encouragement in her career from Ellen Terry. In 1924, she played Juliet opposite John Gielgud as Romeo, and Gielgud was grateful to her for the rest of his life for the kindness she showed him,[2] casting her as Queen Anne in Richard of Bordeaux in 1934. In 1925, Ffrangcon-Davies played Tess in a stage version of Tess of the d'Urbervilles, including a special presentation for its author, Thomas Hardy.[3]
Ffrangcon-Davies retired from the stage in 1970, but continued to appear on radio and television; in one such appearance, broadcast on Christmas Day, 1990, a month before her 99th birthday, she featured in the BBC radio show, With Great Pleasure, in which stars chose favourite readings, spoken by others, and by themselves. She chose "The Kingdom of God", by Francis Thompson, read by Alec McCowen; a passage from The Merchant of Venice, read by herself, and Anna Massey and Alec McCowen; "These I Have Loved", by Rupert Brooke, read by Anna Massey; and, a part of the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, by T. E. Lawrence, whom she once met, read by Alec McCowen; it was included in the 1992 compilation cassette With Great Pleasure. In the 1980s, well into her nineties, she appeared on the Wogan chat show, in which she recited, word for word, the famous death scene of Juliet.[5]
Ffrangcon-Davies was created a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1991,[9] aged 100, and was the oldest-ever appointee to that honour until fellow actress Olivia de Havilland received her damehood in 2017.[10] Ffrangcon-Davies died in 1992, two days after her 101st birthday, and a month after her final acting role was screened.[6]
A lesbian, for many years her partner was South African actress Marda Vanne.[11] She lived in the village of Stambourne, Essex.[12]
Ffrangcon-Davies made two appearances on Desert Island Discs: one broadcast on 8 October 1962, and the other on 19 June 1988.[13][14]
^"Davies, Dame Gwen Lucy Ffrangcon- (1891–1992)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/51032. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^"Gielgud: A Theatrical Life 1904–2000" by Jonathan Croall
^Millgate, Michael (2004). Thomas Hardy, a biography revisited. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 517. ISBN9780199275663.
^Rose, Martial (2003). Forever Juliet: the life and letters of Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies, 1891-1992. Dereham, England: Larks Press. p. 155. ISBN9781904006121.
^Walker, Tim (21 September 2020). "Tim Walker on Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies, the actress who made the Queen tearful". The New European. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
^ abPeter Matthews, ed. (1995). The New Guinness book of records, 1996. Norris McWhirter (founding editor). Enfield: Guinness Pub. p. 155. ISBN0-85112-646-4. OCLC 33486454.
^"The Witches". Hammer Films. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
^"The Devil Rides Out". Hammer Films. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
gwen, ffrangcon, davies, dame, gwen, lucy, ffrangcon, davies, january, 1891, january, 1992, british, actress, worked, mainly, theatre, television, well, radio, film, made, last, acting, appearance, centenarian, 1991, damedbe, june, 1928borngwen, lucy, ffrangco. Dame Gwen Lucy Ffrangcon Davies DBE 25 January 1891 27 January 1992 was a British actress who worked mainly in theatre and television as well as radio and film She made her last acting appearance as a centenarian in 1991 DameGwen Ffrangcon DaviesDBEGwen Ffrangcon Davies on 27 June 1928BornGwen Lucy Ffrangcon Davies 1891 01 25 25 January 1891London EnglandDied27 January 1992 1992 01 27 aged 101 Halstead Essex EnglandResting placeSt Peter and St Thomas Churchyard Stambourne Essex EnglandNationalityBritishOccupationActressYears active1911 1991Known forActress and centenarian Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life and death 4 Filmography 5 References 6 Sources 7 External linksEarly life editShe was born in London of a Welsh family the name Ffrangcon is said to originate from a valley in Snowdonia Her parents were opera baritone David Ffrangcon Davies ne David Thomas Davies and Annie Francis Rayner 1 Career editFfrangcon Davies made her stage debut in 1911 as a singer as well as an actress and received encouragement in her career from Ellen Terry In 1924 she played Juliet opposite John Gielgud as Romeo and Gielgud was grateful to her for the rest of his life for the kindness she showed him 2 casting her as Queen Anne in Richard of Bordeaux in 1934 In 1925 Ffrangcon Davies played Tess in a stage version of Tess of the d Urbervilles including a special presentation for its author Thomas Hardy 3 In 1938 Ffrangcon Davies appeared with Ivor Novello in a production of Henry V at Drury Lane Later the same year she appeared as Mrs Manningham in the first production of Gaslight by Patrick Hamilton Ffrangcon Davies played Lady Macbeth for almost an entire year in 1942 opposite John Gielgud s Macbeth She won the Evening Standard Award in 1958 for her performance as Mary Tyrone in Long Day s Journey Into Night 4 nbsp 1933 portrait by Philip Alexius de Laszlo Ffrangcon Davies retired from the stage in 1970 but continued to appear on radio and television in one such appearance broadcast on Christmas Day 1990 a month before her 99th birthday she featured in the BBC radio show With Great Pleasure in which stars chose favourite readings spoken by others and by themselves She chose The Kingdom of God by Francis Thompson read by Alec McCowen a passage from The Merchant of Venice read by herself and Anna Massey and Alec McCowen These I Have Loved by Rupert Brooke read by Anna Massey and a part of the Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T E Lawrence whom she once met read by Alec McCowen it was included in the 1992 compilation cassette With Great Pleasure In the 1980s well into her nineties she appeared on the Wogan chat show in which she recited word for word the famous death scene of Juliet 5 She made her final acting appearance in a teleplay of the Sherlock Holmes mystery The Master Blackmailer at the age of 100 She was listed in The Guinness Book of Records under the category Oldest performer UK for this role 6 Her films included The Witches 1966 and The Devil Rides Out 1968 both for Hammer Films 7 8 Personal life and death editFfrangcon Davies was created a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1991 9 aged 100 and was the oldest ever appointee to that honour until fellow actress Olivia de Havilland received her damehood in 2017 10 Ffrangcon Davies died in 1992 two days after her 101st birthday and a month after her final acting role was screened 6 A lesbian for many years her partner was South African actress Marda Vanne 11 She lived in the village of Stambourne Essex 12 Ffrangcon Davies made two appearances on Desert Island Discs one broadcast on 8 October 1962 and the other on 19 June 1988 13 14 Filmography editYear Title Role Notes1936 Tudor Rose Mary Tudor1940 Busman s Honeymoon Woman Uncredited1956 Paul Kruger Queen Victoria1966 The Witches Granny Rigg1968 The Devil Rides Out Countess1970 Leo the Last HildaReferences edit Davies Dame Gwen Lucy Ffrangcon 1891 1992 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 51032 Subscription or UK public library membership required Gielgud A Theatrical Life 1904 2000 by Jonathan Croall Millgate Michael 2004 Thomas Hardy a biography revisited Oxford Oxford University Press p 517 ISBN 9780199275663 Rose Martial 2003 Forever Juliet the life and letters of Gwen Ffrangcon Davies 1891 1992 Dereham England Larks Press p 155 ISBN 9781904006121 Walker Tim 21 September 2020 Tim Walker on Gwen Ffrangcon Davies the actress who made the Queen tearful The New European Retrieved 20 June 2021 a b Peter Matthews ed 1995 The New Guinness book of records 1996 Norris McWhirter founding editor Enfield Guinness Pub p 155 ISBN 0 85112 646 4 OCLC 33486454 The Witches Hammer Films Retrieved 20 June 2021 The Devil Rides Out Hammer Films Retrieved 20 June 2021 No 52563 The London Gazette Supplement 14 June 1991 p 7 Olivia de Havilland on Becoming the Oldest Person to Be Named a Dame I m Extremely Proud People 17 June 2017 Retrieved 18 June 2017 Gwen Ffrangcon Davies Twentieth Century Actress by Dr Helen Grime pg 52 Wright Richard June 2011 Gwen Ffrangcon Davies Stambourne Retrieved 20 June 2021 Gwen Ffrangcon Davies Desert Island Discs 1962 BBC Gwen Ffrangcon Davies Desert Island Discs 1988 BBCSources editMartial Rose Forever Juliet the Life and Letters of Gwen Ffrangcon Davies 1891 1992 2003 Helen Grime Gwen Ffrangcon Davies Twentieth Century Actress London Routledge 2015 ISBN 9781848933194External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gwen Ffrangcon Davies Gwen Ffrangcon Davies at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gwen Ffrangcon Davies amp oldid 1187251827, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
