Florence Creagh

Florence Creagh (1866–1948) was an actress.

Biography

Florence Creagh was born in Margate, Kent, on 15 October, 1866. She entered the theatrical profession in England and between 1898 and 1913, appeared in repertory in a wide range of plays, with multiple mentions in The Era, a weekly newspaper noted for its theatrical coverage. Her appearances ranged from A Fast Life (1900) at the Pavilion Theatre in Edinburgh to Daddy’s Boy (1908) at the Empire Theatre in Mossley. Born Florence Elizabeth Dentry, she was the daughter of a schoolmaster and in February 1900 she had married fellow actor Dick Cruikshanks, who was eight years her junior. According to The Stage Year Book of 1911, the couple were both members of the Executive Committee of The Sketch Association.

Contribution to South African Theatre & Film

In 1914 they came out to South Africa with an H.G. Brandon play. While continuing her stage career, she also appeared in a number of films for African Film Productions: The Water Cure (B.F. Clinton/1916), A Border Scourge (Ralph Kimpton & Joseph Albrecht/1917), The Piccanin’s Christmas (Dick Cruikshanks & Joseph Albrecht /1917), Bond and Word (Dick Cruikshanks/1918) and Prester John (Dick Cruikshanks/1920). Her stage appearance included Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (1918) and The Thirteenth Chair (1918), for the American Dramatic Company and Bubbly (1919) with Billie Browne and Thomas Pauncefort. In 1920 she toured with Lew James’s local New Comedy Company, notably in the popular The High Cost of Loving and Business Before Pleasure, both of which which also featured Cecil Kellaway, Grafton Williams and Edward Vincent. This was followed by several plays for Allen Doone. After their retirement from the stage, her husband became a cinema manager in East London, where he died in 1947. She died on 2 October, 1948, at the Frere Hospital in East London. According to estate papers she was almost completely blind and virtually penniless.

Theatrical Credits

1914 – The Maid of the Mill (Palladium Theatre), 1914 – Bridget’s Idea (Orpheum Theatre), 1914 - The Octoroon (Produced by Edward Vincent at the Palladium Theatre), 1914 – A Life’s Revenge (London Dramatic Company at the Palladium Theatre), 1914 – What a Man Made Her (Produced by Edward Vincent at the Palladium Theatre), 1914 – No Mother to Guide Her (Palladium Theatre), 1914 – Trilby (Palladium Theatre), 1914 – The Colleen Bawn (Produced by Edward Vincent at the Palladium Theatre), 1914 – Mrs. Gorringe’s Necklace (London Dramatic Company at the Palladium Theatre), 1915 - Proof (Produced by Edward Vincent for the London Dramatic Company at the Palladium Theatre), 1915 – The White Slave Traffic (Palladium Theatre), 1916 – Liberty Hall (Standard Theatre), 1916 – Hindle Wakes (Standard Theatre), 1918 – Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (American Dramatic Company at the Theatre Royal, Durban), 1919 – The Thirteenth Chair (07/1918) (American Dramatic Company at His Majesty’s Theatre), 1919 – Bubbly (His Majesty’s Theatre), 1920 – The High Cost of Loving (New Comedy Company at His Majesty’s Theatre), 1920 – Business Before Pleasure (New Comedy Company), 1921 – Broadway Jones (Produced by E.L. Delaney at the Standard Theatre), 1921 - Captain Kidd, Jr. (Standard Theatre), Hit the Trail Holliday (Staged by Allen Doone at Standard Theatre), 1922 – Possum Paddock (Produced by Kate Howards at the Standard Theatre), 1930 – Why Men Leave Home (His Majesty’s Theatre). (FO)

Sources

Rand Daily Mail (various issues)

Sunday Times (various issues)

Le Roux, André I. & Fourie, Lilla – Filmverlede: geskiedenis van die Suid-Afrikaanse speelfilm

Estate Papers, Western Cape Archives & Records Service

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