Nora Lancaster

(1882- ?) Nora Lancaster, born in London, first performed with Sir George Alexander’s company in 1901. She next acted briefly with Sir Henry Irving‘s troupe and toured America, Canada, and the English provincial cities. In 1906 she played Imogen in Cymbeline in Manchester’s series of Shakespeare revivals; she also played leading parts with Sir Frank Benson at his annual summer Shakespeare festivals in Stratford-on-Avon. She rejoined Benson’s company in 1909 playing, among other parts, Juliet, Portia and Rosalind. In 1910Read more

Dorothy Green

(1886-1961) Dorothy Green was only fifteen when she made her first professional appearance in 1901 in Henry V, and from that point on she was never far between parts in Shakespeare’s plays. This is partly due to the fact that she had joined Herbert Beerbohm Tree‘s company when she was quite young, and then later played with Frank Benson and became one of the loyal “Bensonians.” Two notable parts during this period were as Beatrice in 1913 and as HermiaRead more

Claire Greet

Not much is known about actress Clare Greet (name spelled with an “e” rather than an “i”), who was born in Leicestershire, England, in either 1870 or 1871, and is best known for her many films in the 1920s and 1930s, including seven by Alfred Hitchcock. Not much valid information can be found about Greet, including whether or not she was related to Sir Ben Greet.Read more

Basil Gill

(1877-1955) Basil Gill’s first stage appearance was in Wilson Barrett’s The Sign of the Cross. After touring in Australia and the United States, he had his chance to play Shakespeare when he joined Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree‘s company in 1903. He stayed with Tree until 1907, and during those years he played in Richard II, Fenton in The Merry Wives of Windsor, Ferdinand in The Tempest, Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing, Horatio in Hamlet, Brutus in Julius Caesar, Orsino inRead more

Miss Darragh

(?-1917) “Miss Darragh” was the stage-name of Letitia Marion Dallas. We are unsure of the date of her birth, but she made her first stage appearance in 1897. She played only one Shakespeare part, Cleopatra in 1908 at the Queen’s Theatre, Manchester. The cards shown here are from this production. She was an accomplished and admired actress; she created the role of Deirdre for William Butler Yeats when the play opened at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, in 1907. She alsoRead more

Hutin Britton

(1876-1965) Hutin “Nellie” Britton’s first appearance on stage was with Frank Benson‘s B Company at Brighton in 1901 in Henry V. She had a long, successful career stretching over four decades. She played the parts of Hero in Much Ado About Nothing (1903), Ophelia (1909), Lady Elizabeth in Richard III (1909), and Lady Macbeth at Stratford (1911). With her husband Matheson Lang, she toured South Africa in 1911 where she played Katherine in The Taming of the Shrew, Ophelia, LadyRead more