Born: 11 January 1899, United Kingdom
Died: 3 June 1991
Country most active: United States
Also known as: NA
The following is republished from the Library of Congress. This piece falls under under public domain, as copyright does not apply to “any work of the U.S. Government” where “a work prepared by an officer or employee of the U.S. Government as part of that person’s official duties” (See, 17 U.S.C. §§ 101, 105).
1899, Jan. 11 Born, London, England
1914 Professional stage debut in Monna Vanna, Queen’s Theatre, London, England
1914-1915 Attended Sir Herbert Tree’s Academy of Dramatic Art (later named Royal Academy of Dramatic Art), London, England
1915 First important stage role in The Laughter of Fools, Prince of Wales Theatre, London, England. Moved to the United States. Broadway stage debut in Mrs. Boltay’s Daughters, Manhattan Theatre, New York, N.Y.
1916-1917 First leading role in Mr. Lazarus, Shubert Theatre, New York, N.Y.; toured California and Arizona with same play titled The Happy Stranger
1918 Joined Ethel Barrymore’s acting company
1921 Role of Julie in Liliom produced by the Theatre Guild. Active in National Woman’s Party
1923-1924 Role of Princess Alexandra in The Swan, Cort Theatre, New York, N.Y., and on tour
1925 Starred in Jehanne d’Arc, Porte Saint Martin Theatre, Paris, France. Produced, directed, and starred in The Master Builder, New York, N.Y.
1926 Produced, directed, and starred in John Gabriel Borkman, New York, N.Y.. Toured withThe Master Builder and John Gabriel Borkman. Founded Civic Repertory Theatre, based in Fourteenth Street Theatre, New York, N.Y.
1931 Closed Civic Repertory Theatre. Seriously injured in propane explosion in her home; later campaigned to have a distinguishing odor added to tank gas
1932 Reopened Civic Repertory Theatre
1933 Closed Fourteenth Street Theatre; brought her repertory company to Broadway and on national tour
1934 Published At 33. New York: Longmans Green and Co.
1935 Disbanded Civic Repertory Theatre. Declined offer to head Federal Theatre Project
1937 Played role of Hamlet, Cape Playhouse, Dennis, Mass.
1946 Founded American Repertory Theatre with Cheryl Crawford and Margaret Webster
1948 Dissolved American Repertory Theatre
1948-1949 Recital tour performing scenes from classical plays
1949 Published Flossie and Bossie. New York: Harper
1950 Published Six Plays by Henrik Ibsen. New York: Modern Library
1950-1951 Recital tour performing scenes from classical plays
1952 Founded Theatre Masterworks with Margaret Webster and Maurice Evans
1953 Published With A Quiet Heart. New York: Viking Press
1955 Appeared in film The Prince of Players
1958 Appeared in film The Devil’s Disciple
1959 Published Seven Tales. New York: Harper
1961-1962 Performed with National Repertory Theatre on tour
1962 Directed and acted in Association of Producing Artists production of Ghosts, Ann Arbor, Mich.
1963-1967 Toured with National Repertory Theatre as actor and director
1966 Published The Mystic in the Theatre: Eleonora Duse. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux.
1968 Joined Association of Producing Artists (APA) Phoenix Theatre as actress and director
1975-1976 Starred as Fanny Cavendish in The Royal Family at Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C., on Broadway, and on tour
1978 Received Emmy Award for performance in television production of The Royal Family
1980 Appeared in film Resurrection; received Academy Award nomination for her performance. Published The Spider and Other Stories. New York: Thomas Crowell Co.
1982-1983 Directed and appeared as White Queen in Alice in Wonderland
1984 Final acting performance in episode of television program “St. Elsewhere”
1986 Awarded National Medal of Arts
1991, June 3 Died, Weston, Conn.