Rigby Foster

Rigby Foster (b. **/**/1917? – d. Johannesburg, **/01/1979) was an actor. Also credited as Cecil Foster and C. Rigby Foster.

Biography

Nothing much is known about Cecil Rigby Foster (or perhaps Cecil Rigby-Foster) until his first acknowledged stage appearance when he acted as Cecil Foster for the Olga Lindo Company in The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1934) at His Majesty’s Theatre in Johannesburg. However, after that he made many stage appearances, notably for the Johannesburg Repertory Players. Especially between 1939 and 1945, he acted in numerous supporting roles, often in plays that were being staged to raise funds for the war effort, as well as assorted variety concerts. He also did frequent radio work. In 1946 he married Hilda Cumberland-Brown and, soon afterwards, left with his wife for England to try his luck in British repertory. During his time there he also acted in two minor films.

Upon his return to South Africa in the early 1950s he resumed his local career. A versatile performer, he acted in everything from Shakespeare to farce, the annual pantomimes produced by Philip D. Levard and occasional appearances for the Children’s Theatre. He also acted in three feature films: Paul Krüger (Werner Grünbauer/1956), Lord Oom Piet (Jamie Uys/1962) and The Men from the Ministry (Tom Meehan/1971). His last role was in Cedric Sundström’s short Suffer Little Children... (1976). During his later years he was based in Durban – he appeared in Abie’s Irish Rose (1964), the last play to be produced at the old Playhouse Theatre – but according to the Rand Daily Mail he died in his Yeoville flat in Johannesburg. He and Hilda were divorced in 1955.

South African Stage Credits

1934 – The Barretts of Wimpole Street, 1936 – Ann (Producer: May Edouin), 1938 – The New Boy (Producer: May Edouin), 1940 – The Best People (Producers: Anna Romain Hoffman & Doreen Yorke), 1940 – Floradora (Producer: Perry Salmon), 1940 – Thunder Rock (Producer: Minna Schneier), 1940 – When We Are Married (Producer: Anna Romain Hoffman), 1941 – The Night of January 16 (Producer: David Goldblatt), 1941 – Quiet Wedding (Producer: Anna Romain Hoffman), 1941 – The Lilac Domino (Producer: Perry Salmon), 1941 – High Jinks (Producer: Perry Salmon), 1941 -Berkeley Square (acted reading) (Producer: Anna Romain Hoffman), 1941 – Our Flat (Producer: May Edouin), 1941 – Outward Bound (Producer: Stuart Brown), 1941 – Tons of Money (Producers: May Edouin & Bruce Meredith Smith), 1941 – Laughter in Court (Producer: Anna Romain Hoffman), 1941 – Jack and the Beanstalk (Producer: Philip D. Levard), 1942 – Escape from the Past (Producer: Rose Ehrlich), 1942 – And so to Bedlam (Producers: Maurice Dicent & Hank Margolies), 1942 – Katinka (Producer: Fred Coyne), 1942 – Mademoiselle (Producer: Siegfried Mynhardt) (in Afrikaans), 1942 – Macbeth (Producer: Henry Miles), 1942 – Love from a Stranger (Producer: Minna Schneier), 1942 – Sleeping Beauty (Producer: Philip D. Levard), 1943 – Hit the Deck (Producer: Philip D. Levard), 1943 – Dick Whittington (Producer: Philip D. Levard), 1944 – Rain (Producer: Ernest Renfield), 1944 – Cottage to Let (Producer: Betty O’Connor), 1944 – Rebecca (Producer: Minna Schneier), 1944 – Cinderella (Producer: Philip D. Levard), Peep Show of 1945 (Producer: Philip D. Levard), 1945 – Date with an Angel (Producer: Mabel Barnes), 1945 – When We Are Married (Producer: Henry Miles), 1945 – Aladdin (Producer: Philip D. Levard), 1951 – King Oedipus (Producer: Taubie Kushlick), 1953 – The Young Elizabeth (Producer: Leonard Schach), 1954 – Hamlet (Producer: Margaret Inglis), 1954 – You Never Can Tell (Producer: Leon Gluckman), 1954 – Colombe (Producer: Anthony Farmer), 1954 – The Pied Piper of Hamelin (Producer: Anna Romain Hoffman), 1955 – Puss in Boots (Producer: Clifford Williams) 1955 – Rose Without a Thorn (Producer: Anthony Farmer), 1955 – Dear Charles (Producer: Anthony Farmer), 1955 – The Immoralist (Producer: Ruth Oppenheim), 1955 – Bus Stop (Producer: Anthony Farmer), 1955 – Book of the Month (Producer: Anthony Farmer), 1956 – The Caine Mutiny Court Martial (Producer: Minna Schneier), 1956 – The Lady's not for Burning (Producer: Will Jamieson), 1956 – Antigone (Producer: Will Jamieson), 1956 – One Bright Day (Producer: Cecil Williams), 1957 – It’s a Girl (Producer: Bill Brewer), 1957 – Affairs of State (in Rhodesia), 1958 – Die Towergees van Arabië (Producer: Hermien Dommisse) (in Afrikaans), 1958 – Small Hotel (Producer: Anthony Farmer), 1958 – The Treasure of Castle Blount (Producer: John Hayter), 1958 – Ever Since Eve (Producer: Anthony Farmer), 1959 – Hay Fever (Producer: Margot Ford), 1961 – The Fantasticks (Director: Leon Gluckman), 1962 – Amelia’s African Adventure (Producer: Ricky Arden), 1962 – The Red Silk Umbrella (Producer: Leon Gluckman), 1964 – Abie’s Irish Rose (Producer: Elizabeth Renfield), 1969 – Androcles and the Lion & Red Peppers (Producer: Charles Hickman), 1970 – Halfway up the Tree (Producer: John Hayter), 1970 – Canterbury Tales (Director: Daniel Thorndike).