As a Gaiety Girl, Morrell's appearance and gowns were at least as reviewed as her talents, and she was a popular subject for photo postcards.[9] In 1904, Morrell defended actresses from criticism by writer Marie Corelli, writing: "Actresses are not more extravagant than other people".[10]
She toured as a performer in musicals and pantomime in Australia for six months in the 1906–1907 season.[2][11] The press interest in her appearance continued: "She is distinctly English, with her lovely complexion of milk and roses, a skin as fine as a baby's, straight delicate features, and good grey eyes," wrote one interviewer in a Melbourne newspaper, continuing to describe her teeth ("perfect"), her smile ("bewitching"), her eyebrows, her hair, her height, and her dress.[12] In the same 1906 interview, Morrell said:
"If any girl has any ability for the stage, I never blame her for going on. ... It is really the best thing a woman can do, and now there is a very much better class upon the stage. Managers have realized, I think, that a girl who is decently educated and nicely brought up is quicker to understand and learn, and also that she generally makes a better impression than the comparatively uneducated girl."[12]
Personal life
Morrell married Australian politician Willie Kelly in 1908, in London.[13][14] In 1909 the couple had a daughter, Mary Wentworth Kelly, and in 1911 they were living with four servants in Knightsbridge in London.[15] When they separated, Morrell moved back to England with their daughter.[16]
^"Miss Olive Morrell", Punch, November 8, 1906, p. 8, via Trove
^"Corelli Attacks the Women", Buffalo Times, August 28, 1904, p. 14, via Newspapers.com
^"Miss Olive Morrell", The Sunday Sun, October 7, 1906, p. 1, via Trove
^ ab"The Interviewer: Miss Olive Morrell", Table Talk, November 1, 1906, p. 12, via Trove
^Kelly, Frederick Septimus (2004). Thérèse Radic (ed.). Race Against Time: The Diaries of F.S. Kelly. National Library Australia. p. 395. ISBN9780642107404.
^"Mr. William Kelly M. P., Marriage to Miss Morrell", The Telegraph, February 20, 1908, p. 4, via Trove
^1911 England Census for Olive Kelly, London, St Margaret and St John, via Ancestry.com (subscription required)
^Rutledge, Martha. "William Henry Kelly", Australian Dictionary of Biography (1983).
^England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 for Olive Kelly 1937, Q1, via Ancestry.com (subscription required)
The U. S. National Library of Medicine has a photograph of Olive Morrell in a nurse's uniform, from about 1908, in their digital collections.
January 08, 2023
olive, morrell, born, olive, miller, 1877, 1937, english, actress, gaiety, girl, best, known, roles, edwardian, musical, comedies, contents, early, life, career, personal, life, references, external, linksearly, life, editmorrell, born, highbury, 1877, grew, h. Olive Morrell born Olive Miller 1877 1937 was an English actress and Gaiety Girl best known for her roles in Edwardian musical comedies Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 References 5 External linksEarly life EditMorrell was born in Highbury in 1877 1 and grew up in Highgate near London A singing teacher introduced her to theatrical producer George Edwardes which led to roles at the Gaiety Theatre London 2 Career EditMorrell played roles in the Edwardian musical comedies A Greek Slave 1898 1899 3 San Toy 1900 4 A Country Girl 1902 1904 The Catch of the Season 1904 1906 Sergeant Brue 1904 Under a Panama 1904 5 The Talk of the Town 1905 and The Spring Chicken 1905 6 She appeared in a benefit performance of Gilbert and Sullivan s Trial by Jury in 1906 7 8 As a Gaiety Girl Morrell s appearance and gowns were at least as reviewed as her talents and she was a popular subject for photo postcards 9 In 1904 Morrell defended actresses from criticism by writer Marie Corelli writing Actresses are not more extravagant than other people 10 She toured as a performer in musicals and pantomime in Australia for six months in the 1906 1907 season 2 11 The press interest in her appearance continued She is distinctly English with her lovely complexion of milk and roses a skin as fine as a baby s straight delicate features and good grey eyes wrote one interviewer in a Melbourne newspaper continuing to describe her teeth perfect her smile bewitching her eyebrows her hair her height and her dress 12 In the same 1906 interview Morrell said If any girl has any ability for the stage I never blame her for going on It is really the best thing a woman can do and now there is a very much better class upon the stage Managers have realized I think that a girl who is decently educated and nicely brought up is quicker to understand and learn and also that she generally makes a better impression than the comparatively uneducated girl 12 Personal life EditMorrell married Australian politician Willie Kelly in 1908 in London 13 14 In 1909 the couple had a daughter Mary Wentworth Kelly and in 1911 they were living with four servants in Knightsbridge in London 15 When they separated Morrell moved back to England with their daughter 16 Morrell died in Hampstead in London in 1937 17 References Edit 1901 England Census for Olive Morrell London St Marylebone via Ancestry com subscription required a b Confidences of Stage Favorites Miss Olive Morell The Sunday Times December 9 1906 p 5 via Trove Wearing J P The London Stage 1890 1899 A Calendar of Productions Performers and Personnel Scarecrow Press 2013 p 382 ISBN 9780810892828 Grand Theatre The Age April 21 1900 p 8 via Newspapers com Sergeant Brue at the Prince of Wales Sketch August 31 1904 p 260 Caryll Ivan and Lionel Monckton The Spring Chicken Chappell amp Company 1905 unnumbered cast page Trial by Jury at the Terry Matinee The Bystander June 20 1906 p 603 Edwards G Spencer Concerning Olive Morrell The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News August 5 1905 p 894 Miss Olive Morrell Punch November 8 1906 p 8 via Trove Corelli Attacks the Women Buffalo Times August 28 1904 p 14 via Newspapers com Miss Olive Morrell The Sunday Sun October 7 1906 p 1 via Trove a b The Interviewer Miss Olive Morrell Table Talk November 1 1906 p 12 via Trove Kelly Frederick Septimus 2004 Therese Radic ed Race Against Time The Diaries of F S Kelly National Library Australia p 395 ISBN 9780642107404 Mr William Kelly M P Marriage to Miss Morrell The Telegraph February 20 1908 p 4 via Trove 1911 England Census for Olive Kelly London St Margaret and St John via Ancestry com subscription required Rutledge Martha William Henry Kelly Australian Dictionary of Biography 1983 England amp Wales Civil Registration Death Index 1916 2007 for Olive Kelly 1937 Q1 via Ancestry com subscription required External links EditThe National Portrait Gallery UK has six postcard images of Olive Morrell by various photographic studios The U S National Library of Medicine has a photograph of Olive Morrell in a nurse s uniform from about 1908 in their digital collections Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Olive Morrell amp oldid 1097752087, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
