Difference between revisions of "Frank Harrison"

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(b. **/**/1864? - d. **/**/****). Actor.  According to [[Stage & Cinema]], Frank Harrison was an American actor who toured South Africa with the [[Frank Cellier]] companyHowever, Cellier had already arrived with [[Ethel Irving]] in December 1915 and F.D. Harrison only came out in May 1916.  His first role with the [[London Gaiety Company]] was in ''[[To-night’s the Night]]'', followed by ''[[The Girl in the Taxi]]'', ''[[Mr. Manhattan]]'', ''[[The Red Widow]]'', ''[[Theodore & Co]]'', ''[[The Country Girl]]'', ''[[The Maid of the Mountains]]'', ''[[Princess Caprice]]'' and ''[[So Long, Letty]]'', all during 1916/1917.  Other members of the company at the time were [[Grafton Williams]] and [[Thomas Pauncefort]]. During this period he also acted in the short film ''[[£20,000]]'' (1916), directed by [[B.F. Clinton]] and co-starring [[Violet Dickens]] and [[Marie Ault]].  Previously he had appeared on the English stage in the epic production of ''Robespierre'' (1899) at the Lyceum Theatre in London, starring Sir Henry Irving and Ellen Terry, as well as in various productions at the Theatre Royal in Leeds. In 1918 it was reported that he would be leaving for India to join the company of Maurice E. Bandman, his last performance in South Africa being in ''[[Dick Whittington and his Cat]]'' at the Pretoria [[Opera House]].  By November he was with the New Bandman Comedy Company in Egypt, but 1919 he wrote from Alexandria that he had left Bandman and was building his own theatre, hoping to open early in July. Nevertheless, in February 1922 Variety reported from Chicago that Janet Merle (Janet King Lyle) and Frank Harrison would shortly launch a new vaudeville vehicle.  (FO)
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'''Frank Harrison''' (b. Birkenhead, Cheshire, **/**/1869 - d. **/**/****) was an actor and stage manager.
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== Biography ==
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Robert Frank Harrison was the son of Robert Thomas Harrison, an accountant, and his wife Frances Eleanor StevensonBy 1886 he was already employed by Sir Augustus Harris at the Drury Lane Theatre in London and he basically spent all of his life playing in repertory, occasionally acting with the big names, like Henry Irving and Ellen Terry in ''Robespierre'' (1899), but usually featuring in popular hits – ''The Girl in the Taxi'', ''East Lynne'', ''Under Two Flags'' – in the provinces.  He was also stage manager at various theatres, including the new Coliseum in London (1904) for Oswald Stoll, and was occasionally asked to produce end-of-the-year pantomimes like ''Cinderella''.
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In April 1916 he came out to South Africa for an engagement with the [[African Theatres Trust]].  The first production in which he appeared was ''[[The Lady of Ostend]]'' at the [[Standard Theatre]], produced by [[Ralph Kimpton]] for [[Leonard Rayne]].  Later he switched to the [[London Gaiety Company]] at [[His Majesty’s Theatre]], acting with the likes of [[Marie Ault]], [[Nancy Benyon]], [[Thomas Pauncefort]] and [[Grafton Williams]].  His last appearance in South Africa was in ''[[Dick Whittington and his Cat]]'' (1917/18), first at [[His Majesty’s Theatre]] and then at the [[Pretoria Opera House]]. In between he also found time to act in the short film ''[[£20,000]]'' (1916), directed by [[B.F. Clinton]] and co-starring [[Violet Dickens]] and [[Marie Ault]].  Altogether he spent more than a year-and-a-half in the country.
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In 1918 it was reported that he would be leaving for India to join the company of Maurice E. Bandmann.  By November of that year he was with the Bandman Musical Comedy Company in Egypt, but in 1919 he wrote from Alexandria that he had left Bandmann and was building his own theatre, hoping to open early in July. However, these plans do not seem to have worked out.  It is not known where he went afterwards.  He may have gone to the United States, because on 24 February 1922 Variety reported from Chicago that Janet Merle (Janet King Lyle) and a Frank Harrison would shortly launch a new vaudeville vehicle, written by Will Bradshaw and Gil Brown.  However, by 1925 he was back in England to resume his repertory career there.
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In 1896, Frank Harrison married actress Ethel Kay, with whom he had appeared in ''The Prodigal Daughter'' at the Royal Court in LiverpoolThey had a daughter called Doris, but the couple divorced in 1911.  In 1919, he wrote to [[S.A. Pictorial]] from Egypt to tell them that he had married Lily Stewart, whom he said was the granddaughter of Sir Oliver Stewart. (FO)
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== South African Stage Appearances ==
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''[[The Lady of Ostend]]'' (1916), ''[[Jane]]'' (1916), ''[[The Passport]]'' (1916), ''[[Tiger’s Cub]]'' (1916), ''[[To-night’s the Night]]'' (1916), ''[[The Girl in the Taxi]]'' (1916), ''[[Mr. Manhattan]]'' (1917), ''[[The Red Widow]]'' (1917), ''[[Theodore & Co.]]'' (1917), ''[[So Long, Letty!]]'' (1917), ''[[A Country Girl]]'' (1917), ''[[The Maid of the Mountains]]'' (1917), ''[[Princess Caprice]]'' (1917), ''[[Dick Whittington and his Cat]]'' (1917).
  
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==
  
South Afrcan Pictorial
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The Stage, 13 April 1916
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Stage & Cinema, 13 April 1918
  
Le Roux, André I. & Fourie, Lilla – Filmverlede: geskiedenis van die Suid-Afrikaanse speelfilm
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Neil Parsons - Black and white bioscope: making movies in Africa 1899 to 1925 (2018)
  
 
== Return to ==
 
== Return to ==
  
Return to [[ESAT Personalities V]]
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Return to [[ESAT Personalities H]]
  
 
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]]
 
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]]

Latest revision as of 20:57, 11 May 2020

Frank Harrison (b. Birkenhead, Cheshire, **/**/1869 - d. **/**/****) was an actor and stage manager.

Biography

Robert Frank Harrison was the son of Robert Thomas Harrison, an accountant, and his wife Frances Eleanor Stevenson. By 1886 he was already employed by Sir Augustus Harris at the Drury Lane Theatre in London and he basically spent all of his life playing in repertory, occasionally acting with the big names, like Henry Irving and Ellen Terry in Robespierre (1899), but usually featuring in popular hits – The Girl in the Taxi, East Lynne, Under Two Flags – in the provinces. He was also stage manager at various theatres, including the new Coliseum in London (1904) for Oswald Stoll, and was occasionally asked to produce end-of-the-year pantomimes like Cinderella.

In April 1916 he came out to South Africa for an engagement with the African Theatres Trust. The first production in which he appeared was The Lady of Ostend at the Standard Theatre, produced by Ralph Kimpton for Leonard Rayne. Later he switched to the London Gaiety Company at His Majesty’s Theatre, acting with the likes of Marie Ault, Nancy Benyon, Thomas Pauncefort and Grafton Williams. His last appearance in South Africa was in Dick Whittington and his Cat (1917/18), first at His Majesty’s Theatre and then at the Pretoria Opera House. In between he also found time to act in the short film £20,000 (1916), directed by B.F. Clinton and co-starring Violet Dickens and Marie Ault. Altogether he spent more than a year-and-a-half in the country.

In 1918 it was reported that he would be leaving for India to join the company of Maurice E. Bandmann. By November of that year he was with the Bandman Musical Comedy Company in Egypt, but in 1919 he wrote from Alexandria that he had left Bandmann and was building his own theatre, hoping to open early in July. However, these plans do not seem to have worked out. It is not known where he went afterwards. He may have gone to the United States, because on 24 February 1922 Variety reported from Chicago that Janet Merle (Janet King Lyle) and a Frank Harrison would shortly launch a new vaudeville vehicle, written by Will Bradshaw and Gil Brown. However, by 1925 he was back in England to resume his repertory career there.

In 1896, Frank Harrison married actress Ethel Kay, with whom he had appeared in The Prodigal Daughter at the Royal Court in Liverpool. They had a daughter called Doris, but the couple divorced in 1911. In 1919, he wrote to S.A. Pictorial from Egypt to tell them that he had married Lily Stewart, whom he said was the granddaughter of Sir Oliver Stewart. (FO)

South African Stage Appearances

The Lady of Ostend (1916), Jane (1916), The Passport (1916), Tiger’s Cub (1916), To-night’s the Night (1916), The Girl in the Taxi (1916), Mr. Manhattan (1917), The Red Widow (1917), Theodore & Co. (1917), So Long, Letty! (1917), A Country Girl (1917), The Maid of the Mountains (1917), Princess Caprice (1917), Dick Whittington and his Cat (1917).

Sources

The Stage, 13 April 1916

Stage & Cinema, 13 April 1918

Neil Parsons - Black and white bioscope: making movies in Africa 1899 to 1925 (2018)

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