| Flora Robson | |
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 as Elizabeth I of England in Fire Over England (1937) |
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| Born | Flora McKenzie Robson March 28, 1902 South Shields, England |
| Died | July 7, 1984 (aged 82) Brighton, Sussex, England |
Dame Flora McKenzie Robson DBE (28 March 1902–7 July 1984) was an Oscar-nominated English actress, renowned as one of the great character players and one of Britain's theatrical grandes dames. Fire Over England is a 1937 London Film Productions film drama notable for providing the first pairing of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh Events 37 - Roman Emperor Caligula accepts the titles of the Principate, entitled to him by the Senate. Year 1902 ( MCMII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting South Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Events 1456 - A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy 25 years after her death Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) Brighton ( is a town on the south coast of England and with its neighbour Hove, forms the city of Brighton and Hove. Sussex is a historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British Order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. Events 37 - Roman Emperor Caligula accepts the titles of the Principate, entitled to him by the Senate. Year 1902 ( MCMII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 1456 - A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy 25 years after her death Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. The English people (from the adjective in Englisc) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to England who predominantly speak English An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works
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Early Life
She was born in South Shields,[1] of Scottish descent. South Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne. The Scots people ( Scots Gaelic: Albannaich) are a Nation and an Ethnic group indigenous to Scotland. Many of her forebears were engineers, mostly in shipping. Her father, who was a major influence in her life was a ship's engineer, prior to retiring and moving from South Shields to Welwyn Garden City. She was one of a large family, with two brothers, John and David, and sisters Eliza (Lila), Margaret (Darge), Helen (Nellie) and Shela. Flora, Lila and Darge remained unmarried.
Very early in life, her father discovered that Flora had a talent for recitation and from the age of six, she was taken around by horse and carriage to recite, and to compete in recitations. She grew very used to winning and was always distraught if she lost. She was educated at the Palmers Green High School. Palmers Green High School is an independent girls' school located in Hoppers Road Palmers Green, North London in the London Borough of Enfield.
Career
This established a pattern which remained with her. She acted almost into her eighties, latterly for American television films largely, but in her later years, she also gave several outstanding performances for British TV, including in The Shrimp and the Anemone. Sadly much of this material is unavailable, including a fine "Mother Courage" which she did for television in days when intellectual content was not forbidden. She also continued to act in the West End theatre, in such plays as Ring Round the Moon, The Importance of Being Earnest and The Three Sisters. The Importance of Being Earnest is a play by Oscar Wilde. It premiered on February 14, 1895 at the St She saw herself primarily as a stage actress and had that sadness that many such have, that the performance, once over, is gone forever, however fine.
Both the BBC and ITV made special programmes to celebrate her 80th birthday. Her private life was largely focused on her large family of sisters, nephews and nieces, who used the home in Wykeham Terrace Brighton, which she shared with sisters Darge and Shela, as a hub of activities.
Robson made her stage debut in 1921 at the age of nineteen. Standing 5 feet 10 inches (1. 78 m), but decidedly lacking the glamorous looks of a leading lady, she specialized in character roles, notably that of Queen Elizabeth I in both Fire Over England (1937) and The Sea Hawk (1940). Fire Over England is a 1937 London Film Productions film drama notable for providing the first pairing of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh The Sea Hawk ( 1940) is a Warner Bros Feature film starring Errol Flynn in a story about an English privateer defending his nation's At the age of thirty-two, Robson played the Empress Elizabeth in Alexander Korda's Catherine the Great (1934). Sir Alexander Korda (September 16 1893 - January 23 1956 was a Hungarian-born Film director and producer. Catherine the Great is a 1934 film based on the play The Czarina by Lajos Biró and Melchior Lengyel, about the rise to She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Saratoga Trunk (1945). Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS Saratoga Trunk is a 1945 film written by Edna Ferber and Casey Robinson based on Ferber's best-selling novel of the same name After the war, demonstrating her range, she appeared in Holiday Camp (1947), the first of a series of films which featured the very ordinary Huggett family; as Sister Philippa in Black Narcissus (1947); as a magistrate in Goodtime Girl (1948); as a prospective Labour MP in Frieda (1947); and in costume melodrama, Saraband for Dead Lovers (1948). Melodrama refers to theatre in which music is used to increase the spectator's emotional response or to suggest character types Saraband for Dead Lovers (released in the US as Saraband) is a 1948 Costume drama film starring Stewart Granger and Her success in Hollywood brought her wider recognition.
She was created a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 1952, and raised to Dame Commander (DBE) in 1960, an award which was partly for her charity work, largely un-noted, but which she did until her death, often for small and rather obscure charities, rather than the grand ones which would have given her more publicity. The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British Order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. This was part of her Christian upbringing and her sense that she should "give something back". She was also the first famous name to become President of the Brighton Little Theatre.
She died in Brighton of cancer at the age of 82, never having married or had children. Brighton ( is a town on the south coast of England and with its neighbour Hove, forms the city of Brighton and Hove. Cancer (medical term Malignant Neoplasm) is a class of Diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled The sisters with whom she shared her life and her house died around the same time: Shela shortly before her in 1984, and Margaret on February 1, 1985. Events 1327 - Teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) There is a plaque on their house in Wykeham Terrace, Dyke Road, Brighton, and also one in the doorway of the church of St. Nicholas, just up the hill from their house and of which Flora was a great supporter. The Church of Saint Nicholas of Myra, usually known as St Nicholas Church, is an Anglican church in Brighton, England. In 1996, the British Film Institute erected a plaque at number 14 Marine Gardens, location of Flora's other Brighton home, where she lived from 1961 to 1976.
Partial filmography
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References
- ^ GRO Register of Births: JUN 1902 10a 829 S. Catherine the Great is a 1934 film based on the play The Czarina by Lajos Biró and Melchior Lengyel, about the rise to Fire Over England is a 1937 London Film Productions film drama notable for providing the first pairing of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh Wuthering Heights is a 1939 film directed by William Wyler and produced by Samuel Goldwyn. Invisible Stripes is a 1939 film about a gangster unable to go straight after returning home from prison The Sea Hawk ( 1940) is a Warner Bros Feature film starring Errol Flynn in a story about an English privateer defending his nation's Saratoga Trunk is a 1945 film written by Edna Ferber and Casey Robinson based on Ferber's best-selling novel of the same name Caesar and Cleopatra is a 1945 film starring Claude Rains and Vivien Leigh, produced and directed by Gabriel Pascal from the Saraband for Dead Lovers (released in the US as Saraband) is a 1948 Costume drama film starring Stewart Granger and Malta Story is a 1953 black and white War film based on the heroic defence of Malta, the island itself its people and the RAF Romeo and Juliet is a 1954 film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's play of the same title. 55 Days at Peking is a 1963 historical Epic film made by Samuel Bronston Productions and released by Allied Artists Murder at the Gallop is the second of four Films, made by MGM, based on the novel After the Funeral by Agatha Christie Guns at Batasi ( 1964) is a Film set in East Africa during the last days of the British Empire. Young Cassidy is a 1965 film directed by Jack Cardiff, and starring Julie Christie. Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines Or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes is a British comedy film directed by Ken Annakin 7 Women, also known as Seven Women, is a 1966 film drama made by MGM. Eye of the Devil is a 1967 Film with Occult and Supernatural themes Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is a 1972 British musical film based on the Lewis Carroll novel of the same name. Clash of the Titans is a 1981 Fantasy and Mythology movie based on the myth of Perseus. SHIELDS - Flora McKenzie Robson
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