Edward Vincent

(b. Liverpool, 14/12/1862 - d. Bulawayo, 25/11/1932. Actor, theatrical manager. Edward (Timothy) Vincent left England for Australia at an early age and made his debut at the Melbourne Opera House on Christmas Eve 1885. In 1891 he appeared in the play Claudian at the Prince’s Theatre in Bristol, in 1895 he acted in Wilson Barrett’s hugely popular The Sign of the Cross and in 1908 he was in London in With the Lid Off at the Theatre Royal in Stratford, but in between he was in South Africa, appearing on the stage in both Cape Town and Johannesburg. In 1904 a New Zealand newspaper reported that he was “piloting Johnny Sheridan’s Company through South Africa“ and at one stage he was also associated with Leonard Rayne, as well as with the Wheeler Theatre Company. In Cape Town he was one of the founders of the famous Owl Club and later became its president. Amongst his most significant roles in this country were Pope Pius in The Eternal City, Zakkuri in The Darling of the Gods and the merchant on the jury in the stage version of Tolstoy’s Resurrection. At some stage he also directed Ethel Irving and Frank Cellier in The Ware Case, with Harcourt Collett in a supporting role.

All the films in which he featured were shot between 1918 and 1920 while he was with African Film Productions. By that time he was a distinguished-looking, white-haired gentleman and the parts he played corresponded to his age and looks. The films were: The Voice of the Waters (Joseph Albrecht/1918), The Bridge (Dick Cruikshanks/1918), Fallen Leaves (Dick Cruikshanks/1919), Allan Quatermain (H. Lisle Lucoque/1919), With Edged Tools (Joseph Albrecht/1919), Isban (Joseph Albrecht/1920), Prester John (Dick Cruikshanks/1920) and The Madcap of the Veld (Joseph Albrecht/1920). During this time he worked as a scenario editor for AFP and also wrote the screenplay for Prester John.

In later years he gradually withdrew from the stage, though he still gave occasional recitals and was active as a producer in the amateur theatre. He settled in Bulawayo, where he became the Rhodesian manager of African Consolidated Theatres. (FO)

Sources

Dictionary of South African Biography

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

Return to

Return to ESAT Personalities V

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page