Edward Donnelly

(b. Benson, Vermont, **/09/1871 - d. **/**/****). An American stage actor who was active between 1898 and 1930, Edward Donnelly was born in rural Vermont and according to the local Bennington Evening Banner, he retained his link with the area. His name first comes up in the cast list of Rupert of Hentzau (1898) and the last appearance we could find was in Don Marquis's almost forgotten Everything's Jake (1930), which ran briefly on Broadway. In between he toured all over the United States with various stock companies.

In March 1917 it was announced that he was a member of J.C. Williamson's American Dramatic Company that would sail for a tour of South Africa to play the houses controlled by the African Theatre Trust. The company was under the direction of Wryley Birch and also included Florence Roberts, Richard Scott and Naomi Rutherford. Towards the end of 1917 his brother received a letter to say that they were doing excellent business and likely to stay for another year.

In South Africa he is known to have appeared in Kick In and The Easiest Way (both at the Cape Town Opera House/1917) and Cinderella Man and Nothing But the Truth (both at His Majesty's Theatre in Johannesburg/1918). Other plays the company staged were The 13th Chair, Daddy Long Legs, Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch and Turn to the Right. In 1919 he also acted in Romance, with Madge Fabian and Frank Cellier. During this time he appeared in the role of Mr. Bond in Dick Cruikshanks's film Bond and Word (1918), written by F. Horace Rose and produced for African Film Productions. He returned to the United States in June 1919, travelling via London. (FO)

Sources

The New York Clipper, 21 March 1917

The Bennington Evening Banner, 15 August 1917

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