Dame Florence Lilian BraithwaiteDBE (9 March 1873 – 17 September 1948) was an English actress, primarily of the stage, although she appeared in both silent and talkie films.
She was born in Ramsgate, Kent, the daughter of the Revd John Masterman Braithwaite (1846–1889), then a curate and later vicar of Croydon, and his wife, Elizabeth Jane, daughter of Colonel Thomas Sidney Powell, CB.[1] Educated at Croydon High School, she was the eldest of seven children, having five brothers, two of whom—Colonel Francis Powell Braithwaite and Vice-Admiral Lawrence Walter Braithwaite—served with distinction in the military.[2] Her sister Dorothy Louisa married Philip Maud.
Lilian Braithwaite first acted with amateur companies including the Strolling Players and the Oxford University Dramatic Society, but her decision to turn professional was met with strong opposition from her parents. However, in 1897 at the age of 24, she joined the William Haviland and Gerald Lawrence Shakespearean company, making her first professional appearances in minor roles during a tour of South Africa in 1897.[1] She had married Lawrence on 2 June 1897 at the church of St Stephen in Kensington in London,[3] and their daughter, the actress Joyce Carey (1898–1993) was born on their return to London from South Africa. The couple divorced in 1905 following his adultery and desertion.[2][4]
Careeredit
Braithwaite in early 1900s
Braithwaite made her first professional London appearance as Celia in As You Like It in 1900. Next she appeared in Paul Kester's Sweet Nell of Old Drury at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. In 1901 she joined the company of Frank Benson and with him appeared in a season of the works of Shakespeare at the Comedy Theatre. She then toured with George Alexander and appeared under his management at the St James's Theatre from 1901 to 1904. In 1912 she appeared as the Madonna in C. B. Cochran's production of the mystery play The Miracle at Olympia while in 1913 she played Mrs Gregory in Mr. Wu. In 1921 she was Margaret Fairfield in A Bill of Divorcement by Clemence Dane.[2]
Braithwaite with Noël Coward, her co-star in The Vortex
Her greatest triumph was as the alcoholic mother in Noël Coward's ground-breaking drama The Vortex in 1924. She appeared in the 1927Alfred Hitchcock film Downhill. Until then associated with tragic heroines, she proved that comedy was her greatest asset in a succession of drawing-room dramas and light comedies. In 1928 Braithwaite demonstrated her talent as a light comedienne when she played a ‘ten per cent lady’ in Ivor Novello's The Truth Game at the Globe Theatre. She went on to play in a succession of successful comedies including Flat to Let, Fresh Fields (1933), Family Affairs, Full House, The Lady of La Paz and Bats in the Belfry. However, she did not turn her back on more serious roles when she played the title role in Elizabeth, la femme sans homme at the Haymarket Theatre (1938) and Lady Mountstephan in A House in the Square (1940) at St Martin's Theatre.[2]
Braithwaite responded to the assertion of critic James Agate that she was "the second most beautiful woman in London" by replying "I shall long cherish that, coming from our second-best theatre critic."[7]
Dame Lilian Braithwaite died in London on 17 September 1948 in the belief that her illness was temporary and that soon she would be rehearsing a new play.[2]
^London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1932 for Florence Lilian Braithwaite: Kensington and Chelsea, St Stephen, Kensington, 1888-1931 - Ancestry.com (subscription required)
lilian, braithwaite, dame, florence, march, 1873, september, 1948, english, actress, primarily, stage, although, appeared, both, silent, talkie, films, damedbeby, charles, simsbornflorence, 1873, march, 1873ramsgate, kent, englanddied17, september, 1948, 1948,. Dame Florence Lilian Braithwaite DBE 9 March 1873 17 September 1948 was an English actress primarily of the stage although she appeared in both silent and talkie films DameLilian BraithwaiteDBEby Charles SimsBornFlorence Lilian Braithwaite 1873 03 09 9 March 1873Ramsgate Kent EnglandDied17 September 1948 1948 09 17 aged 75 Alma materCroydon High SchoolOccupationActressYears active1897 1948Spouse s Gerald Lawrence m 1897 div 1905 ChildrenJoyce Carey Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Selected filmography 4 References 5 External linksEarly life edit nbsp Lilian Braithwaite in 1921She was born in Ramsgate Kent the daughter of the Revd John Masterman Braithwaite 1846 1889 then a curate and later vicar of Croydon and his wife Elizabeth Jane daughter of Colonel Thomas Sidney Powell CB 1 Educated at Croydon High School she was the eldest of seven children having five brothers two of whom Colonel Francis Powell Braithwaite and Vice Admiral Lawrence Walter Braithwaite served with distinction in the military 2 Her sister Dorothy Louisa married Philip Maud Lilian Braithwaite first acted with amateur companies including the Strolling Players and the Oxford University Dramatic Society but her decision to turn professional was met with strong opposition from her parents However in 1897 at the age of 24 she joined the William Haviland and Gerald Lawrence Shakespearean company making her first professional appearances in minor roles during a tour of South Africa in 1897 1 She had married Lawrence on 2 June 1897 at the church of St Stephen in Kensington in London 3 and their daughter the actress Joyce Carey 1898 1993 was born on their return to London from South Africa The couple divorced in 1905 following his adultery and desertion 2 4 Career edit nbsp Braithwaite in early 1900sBraithwaite made her first professional London appearance as Celia in As You Like It in 1900 Next she appeared in Paul Kester s Sweet Nell of Old Drury at the Theatre Royal Haymarket In 1901 she joined the company of Frank Benson and with him appeared in a season of the works of Shakespeare at the Comedy Theatre She then toured with George Alexander and appeared under his management at the St James s Theatre from 1901 to 1904 In 1912 she appeared as the Madonna in C B Cochran s production of the mystery play The Miracle at Olympia while in 1913 she played Mrs Gregory in Mr Wu In 1921 she was Margaret Fairfield in A Bill of Divorcement by Clemence Dane 2 nbsp Braithwaite with Noel Coward her co star in The VortexHer greatest triumph was as the alcoholic mother in Noel Coward s ground breaking drama The Vortex in 1924 She appeared in the 1927 Alfred Hitchcock film Downhill Until then associated with tragic heroines she proved that comedy was her greatest asset in a succession of drawing room dramas and light comedies In 1928 Braithwaite demonstrated her talent as a light comedienne when she played a ten per cent lady in Ivor Novello s The Truth Game at the Globe Theatre She went on to play in a succession of successful comedies including Flat to Let Fresh Fields 1933 Family Affairs Full House The Lady of La Paz and Bats in the Belfry However she did not turn her back on more serious roles when she played the title role in Elizabeth la femme sans homme at the Haymarket Theatre 1938 and Lady Mountstephan in A House in the Square 1940 at St Martin s Theatre 2 In 1940 during World War II Braithwaite served as chairman and chief organiser of the hospital division of Entertainments National Service Association ENSA and in 1943 she was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire DBE for services to the stage 2 5 She returned to comedy in Arsenic and Old Lace in December 1942 which played for three years 6 Her last known notable performance was as Mrs Armitage in the film A Man About the House 1947 2 Braithwaite responded to the assertion of critic James Agate that she was the second most beautiful woman in London by replying I shall long cherish that coming from our second best theatre critic 7 Dame Lilian Braithwaite died in London on 17 September 1948 in the belief that her illness was temporary and that soon she would be rehearsing a new play 2 Selected filmography editThe World s Desire 1915 Justice 1917 Dombey and Son 1917 The Gay Lord Quex 1917 Because 1918 Castles in Spain 1920 Mary Find the Gold 1921 A Man of Mayfair 1931 The Chinese Puzzle 1932 Moscow Nights 1935 A Man About the House 1947 References edit a b Biography of Dame Lilian Braithwaite encyclopedia com a b c d e f g Dame Lilian Braithwaite Oxford Dictionary of National Biography ODNB London England Church of England Marriages and Banns 1754 1932 for Florence Lilian Braithwaite Kensington and Chelsea St Stephen Kensington 1888 1931 Ancestry com subscription required England amp Wales Civil Divorce Records 1858 1918 1905 Ancestry com subscription required No 35841 The London Gazette 29 December 1942 p 15 CollectionsOnline Name garrick ssl co uk Retrieved 14 July 2018 Nightingale Benedict For love and money The Times Literary Supplement 11 April 1986 p 383External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lilian Braithwaite Lilian Braithwaite at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lilian Braithwaite amp oldid 1216384571, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
