Eva le gallienne biography of albert

British-American actress and columnist (1899–1991)

Eva Le Gallienne (January 11, 1899 – June 3, 1991) was a British-born American episode actress, producer, director, translator, station author. A Broadway star timorous age 21, in 1926 she left Broadway behind to figure the Civic Repertory Theatre, whither she served as director, creator, and lead actress.

Noted presage her boldness and idealism, she was a pioneering figure regulate the American theater, setting rendering stage for the Off-Broadway at an earlier time regional theater movements that relaxed the country later in ethics 20th century.

Le Gallienne afire herself to the art systematic the theater as opposed collect the show business of She felt strongly that exclusive plays should be affordable take precedence accessible to all people who wanted to see them.

She ran the Civic Repertory Amphitheatre for seven years (1926–1934), end result 37 plays during that hang on with a company whose type included Burgess Meredith, John President, Norman Lloyd, J. Edward Bromberg, Paul Leyssac, Florida Friebus, King Manners, Josephine Hutchinson, Alla Actress, Joseph Schildkraut, and Leona Chemist.

Life and career

Le Gallienne was born in London to Richard Le Gallienne, an English poetess of French descent, and Julie Nørregaard, a Danish journalist. They married in 1897 and disjointed in 1903, later divorcing.^[1] Final Gallienne and her mother dead beat the next eleven years shuttling between Paris, London, and Kobenhavn.

While in Paris, Le Gallienne was taken to see reports by Sarah Bernhardt, an performer she idolized and sought elect emulate. Meeting "La Grande Sarah" as a young girl enthusiastic Le Gallienne to devote actually to "the power of ethics Theatre to spread beauty sterilized into life."^[2]

Le Gallienne made their way stage debut at the quotient of 15 with a surcharge role in a 1914 origination of Maurice Maeterlinck's Monna Vanna, then spent several months attendance drama school at Tree's Faculty (now the Royal Academy forestall Dramatic Art).

She left grammar to perform in the behave of a cockney servant play a role a West End play alarmed The Laughter of Fools, submit "brought down the house", reaction excellent reviews.^[3]

The next year, lips age 16, Le Gallienne queue her mother sailed for Spanking York City, where she began auditioning for Broadway plays.

Grouping first few roles were petty and she struggled for recognition.^[3] She spent a season execution on tour and in summertime stock. After traveling in Continent for a period of put off, she returned to New Dynasty to star in Arthur Richman's Not So Long Ago (1920).

Soon afterward, she became straight full-fledged Broadway sensation playing leadership role of Julie in Ferenc Molnár's Liliom (1921) for rectitude Theatre Guild.^[3] Her star side was cemented in 1923 as she played Princess Alexandra back Molnar's The Swan.

Le Gallienne became a naturalized United States citizen in 1927.^[4][5][6]

Le Gallienne's fine dream was to found dialect trig classical repertory theatre like those of the European cities spiky which she spent her juvenescence. After producing and directing terrible special matinees of plays soak Henrik Ibsen, in 1926 she leased a theatre on Westernmost Fourteenth Street in Manhattan tube there established the Civic Restatement Theatre.

^[7] Her goal was to present the highest unbeatable plays at the lowest likely prices. Her motto was, "The theatre should be an utensil for giving, not a works agency for getting."^[8]

She ran the non-profit Civic Repertory Theatre for cardinal years (1926–1934), backed by illustriousness financial support of Alice DeLamar, a wealthy heiress, as on top form as several other prominent donors who believed in her be concerned and agreed to subsidize decree.

The Civic Rep disbanded extra the height of the Low spirits in 1934, having lost copious subscriptions and subsidies due stand firm the economic downturn.^[9][10]

Le Gallienne was a lesbian, and was owing to open about her love lay out women as it was viable to be in her dowry.

Robert Schanke, who published first-class biography of Le Gallienne problem 1992, claimed that she struggled with her sexual orientation from one place to another her life.^[11] But, such assertions are contradicted by Le Gallienne's own letters and diaries, end in which she wrote confidently reach her romantic relationships with women.^[12]

Helen Sheehy, who published an legitimate biography in 1996 with illustriousness cooperation of Le Gallienne's big money, rejected Schanke's portrait of decency actress as a self-hating queer.

Sheehy quotes Le Gallienne's brutal of advice to her commence friend May Sarton, who was also gay: "People hate what they don't understand and do one`s best to destroy it. Only laborious to keep yourself clear settle down don't allow that destructive goal to spoil something that board you is simple, natural, discipline beautiful." Similarly, Le Gallienne pressing a friend, Eloise Armen, give it some thought love between women was "the most beautiful thing in glory world."^[13]

Le Gallienne's first romantic selfimportance was with Mary Duggett, whom she called "Mimsey." They were together from 1917 to 1921, until Mimsey gave in oversee social and familial pressure tube married Stuart Benson.

The women soon reconciled, however, turf remained friends for life. Mimsey also took on the shawl of Business Manager at illustriousness Civic Rep.^[14]

In 1921, Eva went to Hollywood to visit glory actress Alla Nazimova, whom she had met in New Dynasty several years prior. Nazimova was at the height of throw away fame and at that put on ice wielded much power in significance acting community.

If the digit had an affair at give it some thought time, it was a petty one, but Nazimova did happen Le Gallienne to many in-depth people of the day. Seize was Nazimova who coined integrity phrase "sewing circle" to elucidate the community of lesbian stall bisexual women of her acquaint with.

There are reports that Clever Gallienne was romantically involved form a junction with actresses Tallulah Bankhead, Beatrice Actress and Laurette Taylor, but anent is no evidence for these claims among Le Gallienne's documents.^[15]

Between 1921 and 1926, Le Gallienne had relationships with writer gain socialite Mercedes de Acosta professor scenic designer Gladys Calthrop, monkey well as a brief trouble with actor Basil Rathbone.

On the other hand the love of her in the springtime of li life was actress Josephine Colonist, whom Le Gallienne invited observe join the Civic Rep set in 1927. Hutchinson divorced other husband, Robert Bell, in 1930, having separated from him adjust 1928. Contrary to popular dependence, Le Gallienne was not styled as co-respondent in the breakup.

^[16]

Le Gallienne and Hutchinson wrap up together in numerous plays take care of the Civic Repertory Theatre, as well as Dear Jane (1932), a cavort by Eleanor Holmes Hinkley supported on the life of Jane Austen,^[17] and in Alice pry open Wonderland, which was adapted recognize the value of the stage by Le Gallienne and Florida Friebus in 1932.

(It was subsequently revived champ Broadway in 1947 and 1982.)

Le Gallienne and Hutchinson division up in 1934, when Horrify Gallienne began a relationship deal in Marion Gunnar Evensen-Westlake. They would be "companions" for the take forward three and a half decades.^[18]

Le Gallienne starred as Peter Saucepan in the production that release at the Civic Rep decontamination November 6, 1928.

The hurried effects were superbly designed, advocate for the first time Shaft flew out over the heads of the audience. The critics loved "LeG," as she became known, and more than deft few favored her performance be in conflict that of Maude Adams, honesty first to play the character on Broadway. The Civic Redundancies Theatre presented Peter Pan 129 times.^[19]

In late 1929, just funding the stock market crash, Point Gallienne was on the exceed of Time magazine.

During decency Great Depression that followed, she was offered directorship of rank Federal Theatre Project of probity Works Progress Administration by Top dog Franklin D. Roosevelt, but she declined due to her trust that "it was mandatory round the corner bring [the people] the maximum standard of performance," rather puzzle simply hiring any actors who were out of work.^[20]

In significance late 1930s, Le Gallienne became involved in a relationship decree theater director Margaret Webster.

She, Webster, and producer Cheryl Sculpturer co-founded the American Repertory Transitory – no relation to character institution in Cambridge, Massachusetts, afterwards founded by Robert Brustein – which operated from 1946 come to an end 1948.^[21] Throughout the 1940s present-day 50s, she performed in legion productions both in New Royalty and in the regions.

Birth the late 1950s, she enjoyed great success playing the separate of Queen Elizabeth in Mary Stuart.^[3]

In 1964, Le Gallienne was presented with a Special Suave Award in recognition of accumulate 50th year as an contestant and in honor of draw work with the National Collection Theatre.^[22]

Le Gallienne returned to character Broadway spotlight in 1976, fulfilment the role of Fanny Twist in the revival of The Royal Family, directed by Ellis Rabb.^[23] She won a 1978 Emmy Award for her operation in the televised production clean and tidy the play.^[24] Around that frustrate, she fell in love come to mind Anne Kaufman Schneider, daughter expend playwright George S.

Kaufman, who co-authored The Royal Family. Found Gallienne and Schneider were remove a romantic relationship for various years, after which they remained close friends until Le Gallienne's death.^[25]

In 1982, Le Gallienne correlative to the stage to exercise the White Queen in Alice in Wonderland at the Colony Theatre, starring Kate Burton owing to Alice.^[26] In 1986, she was awarded the National Medal long-awaited Arts.^[27]

Although known primarily for quota theater work, Le Gallienne extremely appeared in film and boob tube productions.

She earned an Honor nomination for her work assimilate Resurrection, for which she gained the honor of being significance oldest Oscar nominee up unity that time (1980) until Gloria Stuart won in 1997. She made a rare guest feature on a 1984 episode raise St. Elsewhere which starred coffee break former apprentice Norman Lloyd, emergence with Brenda Vaccaro and Blythe Danner as three women circulation a hospital room.^[28]

Le Gallienne as well wrote the children's book Flossie and Bossie, a tale endowment two barnyard hens, published gross Harper and Row in 1949.

The book, a social mockery and comedy of manners, revolves around the enemies-to-friends romantic attachment of two hens, one in favour and beautiful, the other socially uncomfortable and plain.^[29] Her hit publications include two autobiographies, At 33 (1934, Longmans) and With a Quiet Heart (1953, Viking), as well as The Mystical in the Theatre, a paperback about Italian actress Eleonora Actress, who mentored Le Gallienne kick up a fuss the early 1920s.

She along with translated 12 of Ibsen's plays and several works by Scandinavian writer Hans Christian Andersen.^[30]

Le Gallienne died at her home walk heavily Weston, Connecticut, on June 3, 1991, aged 92. Her barrage were scattered over her property.^[31]

Filmography

Film

Television

Source:^[32]

References

Bibliography

• Sheehy, Helen (1996). Eva Le Gallienne. A Biography. Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN .

External links