Difference between revisions of "Harcourt Collett"

From ESAT
Jump to navigation Jump to search
 
(7 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 +
[[Harcourt Collett]] (b. Tottenham, London, 13/05/1884 - d. Johannesburg, 27/01/1953) was a British-born actor and broadcaster. 
  
(b. Edmonton, Middlesex, 13/05/1884 – d. Johannesburg, **/**/1953)British-born actor and broadcaster. Charles Harcourt Collett was born in England, but by 1909 he was in South Africa, acting with Katherine Pole at the [[Standard Theatre]] in Johannesburg for a thirteen weeks’ season, which included such plays as [[A Doll’s House]], [[Lady Frederick]] and [[Arms and the Man]].  In 1918 he acted in [[Joseph Albrecht]]’s film [[The Voice of the Waters]] and later that year he appeared in the play [[Good Gracious, Annabelle]], which also featured [[Hilda Attenboro]], who had acted with him in [[The Voice of the Waters]], as well as [[Marie Tempest]] and [[Dick Cruikshanks]].  This was followed by a role in another Albrecht film, [[With Edged Tools]] (1919), based on the novel by [[H. Seton Merriman]], as well as one in the play [[Palace, Bedroom and Bath]] at [[His Majesty's Theatre]], which also featured [[Edith Cartwright]], [[Cecil Kellaway]], [[Elise Hamilton]], [[Hilda Attenboro]] and [[Florence Roberts]].
+
Born Charles Harcourt Collett in Tottenham, London, on 13 May 1884, the son of a pharmacistBoth his parents died when he was young and at the age of 16 he was working as a stockbroker’s clerk. Not long afterwards he seems to have come to South Africa for the first time and by 1909 he was on the stage in Johannesburg, acting with [[Katharine Pole]] for a thirteen weeks season in plays such as ''[[Captain Brassbound's Conversion]]'', ''[[Lady Frederick]]'', ''[[Candida]]'' and ''[[Arms and the Man]]''By 1914 he was back in England, but in 1915 he came out again and until 1922 he appeared in numerous plays, acting with [[Ethel Irving]], the [[American Dramatic Company]], [[Marie Tempest]] and [[Gertrude Elliott]] ([[Lady Forbes-Robertson]]).  The plays in which he appeared included ''[[The Ware Case]]'', ''[[The Misleading Lady]]'', ''[[General Post]]'', ''[[The Thirteenth Chair]]'', ''[[Good Gracious, Annabelle!]]'', ''[[Penelope]]'', ''[[Mrs Dot]]'', ''[[Peg o’ My Heart]]'', ''[[A Pair of Sixes]]'', ''[[Parlour, Bedroom and Bath]]'' and ''[[The Dawn of a Tomorrow]]''.  During this time he also acted in [[Joseph Albrecht]]'s film ''[[The Voice of the Waters]]'' (1918) and had a small role in the same director’s ''[[With Edged Tools]]'' (1919).
  
Afterwards he returned to England, acting in such plays as ''The School for Scandal'' and [[The Rising Sun]], both with [[Frank Cellier]] and Angela Baddeley.  However, in 1933 he was back in Johannesburg, where he joined the [[South African Broadcasting Corporation]], first as radio announcer and later as producer.  His early successes included the popular thriller [[The Mystery of Harlow Manner]] (1933) and the title role in the serial [[The Scarlet Pimpernel]].  He was also the announcer on duty on duty on 3 September 1939, to whom it fell to announce to the nation that a state of war existed between Great Britain and Germany and, subsequently, that South Africa had joined the conflict on the side of the Allies.  In 1950 he is known to have appeared as Lord Melbourne in the radio play [[Victoria Regina]] and as the Duke of York in [[Richard II]].  When he died in 1953 he was survived by his wife, Therese Caroline Collett (née Levy).
+
Afterwards he returned to England, where he appeared in such plays as ''[[The School for Scandal]]'' and ''[[The Rising Sun]]'', both with [[Frank Cellier]] and Angela Baddeley.  
  
 +
However, in 1933 he was back in Johannesburg, where he joined the [[South African Broadcasting Corporation]], first as radio announcer/actor and later as producer. His early successes included the popular thriller ''[[The Mystery of Harlow Manor]]'' (1933) and the title role in the serial ''[[The Scarlet Pimpernel]]''. He was also the announcer on duty on 3 September 1939, to whom it fell to announce to the nation that a state of war existed between Great Britain and Germany and, subsequently, that South Africa had joined the conflict on the side of the Allies. He retired from the [[SABC]] in 1944, but is known to have appeared as Lord Melbourne in the radio play ''[[Victoria Regina]]'' and as the Duke of York in ''[[Richard II]]'' in 1950.
 +
 +
His personal life was somewhat complicated.  He had been married to Theresa Caroline Levy and was unable to get a divorce when he met and fell in love with Elsie Alice Goodwin Rookledge.  She, in turn, had discovered that her previous husband, Harold Rookledge, was already married and was therefore a bigamist.  The marriage was declared null and void, though she retained the Rookledge surname.  She and Collett had five children together, but she remained behind when he finally settled in South Africa, bringing up four of their five offspring alone, with one daughter, Joy, being put up for adoption. When he died in 1953, Theresa Caroline Collett was identified as his widow. (FO)
  
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==
  
The Outspan, 25 August 1944
+
[[Rand Daily Mail]], 26 November 1938
 +
 
 +
[[The Outspan]], 25 August 1944
  
 
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=TO19190111.2.8
 
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=TO19190111.2.8
  
 
http://www.collettfamilyhistory.net/Part-21-The-Cornwall-Line-1840-to-1890-Rev.18.htm
 
http://www.collettfamilyhistory.net/Part-21-The-Cornwall-Line-1840-to-1890-Rev.18.htm
 +
 +
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5391683/bio
 +
 +
E-mail correspondence from Ian Harcourt Rookledge, 27/04/2016
  
 
== Return to ==
 
== Return to ==

Latest revision as of 15:31, 3 November 2018

Harcourt Collett (b. Tottenham, London, 13/05/1884 - d. Johannesburg, 27/01/1953) was a British-born actor and broadcaster.

Born Charles Harcourt Collett in Tottenham, London, on 13 May 1884, the son of a pharmacist. Both his parents died when he was young and at the age of 16 he was working as a stockbroker’s clerk. Not long afterwards he seems to have come to South Africa for the first time and by 1909 he was on the stage in Johannesburg, acting with Katharine Pole for a thirteen weeks season in plays such as Captain Brassbound's Conversion, Lady Frederick, Candida and Arms and the Man. By 1914 he was back in England, but in 1915 he came out again and until 1922 he appeared in numerous plays, acting with Ethel Irving, the American Dramatic Company, Marie Tempest and Gertrude Elliott (Lady Forbes-Robertson). The plays in which he appeared included The Ware Case, The Misleading Lady, General Post, The Thirteenth Chair, Good Gracious, Annabelle!, Penelope, Mrs Dot, Peg o’ My Heart, A Pair of Sixes, Parlour, Bedroom and Bath and The Dawn of a Tomorrow. During this time he also acted in Joseph Albrecht's film The Voice of the Waters (1918) and had a small role in the same director’s With Edged Tools (1919).

Afterwards he returned to England, where he appeared in such plays as The School for Scandal and The Rising Sun, both with Frank Cellier and Angela Baddeley.

However, in 1933 he was back in Johannesburg, where he joined the South African Broadcasting Corporation, first as radio announcer/actor and later as producer. His early successes included the popular thriller The Mystery of Harlow Manor (1933) and the title role in the serial The Scarlet Pimpernel. He was also the announcer on duty on 3 September 1939, to whom it fell to announce to the nation that a state of war existed between Great Britain and Germany and, subsequently, that South Africa had joined the conflict on the side of the Allies. He retired from the SABC in 1944, but is known to have appeared as Lord Melbourne in the radio play Victoria Regina and as the Duke of York in Richard II in 1950.

His personal life was somewhat complicated. He had been married to Theresa Caroline Levy and was unable to get a divorce when he met and fell in love with Elsie Alice Goodwin Rookledge. She, in turn, had discovered that her previous husband, Harold Rookledge, was already married and was therefore a bigamist. The marriage was declared null and void, though she retained the Rookledge surname. She and Collett had five children together, but she remained behind when he finally settled in South Africa, bringing up four of their five offspring alone, with one daughter, Joy, being put up for adoption. When he died in 1953, Theresa Caroline Collett was identified as his widow. (FO)

Sources

Rand Daily Mail, 26 November 1938

The Outspan, 25 August 1944

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=TO19190111.2.8

http://www.collettfamilyhistory.net/Part-21-The-Cornwall-Line-1840-to-1890-Rev.18.htm

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5391683/bio

E-mail correspondence from Ian Harcourt Rookledge, 27/04/2016

Return to

Return to ESAT Personalities C

Return to South African Personalities

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page