MARIE TEMPEST DEAD

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20917, 17 October 1942, Page 5

MARIE TEMPEST DEAD

FAMOUS BRITISH ACTRESS LONG STAGE CAREER (Ham) LONDON, Oct. 15. The death has occurred of Dame Marie Tempest, the famous actress, at the age of 78 years. Like many others, she had suffered heavy loss in the air raids, but with characteristic courage she continued her self-allotted task of entertaining members of the forces. Some time ago she celebrated the jubilee of her stage career by appearing at a special charity performance. Dame Marie Susan Tempest was born in London in July, 1864. Her real name was Etherington. Educated at a convent in Belgium, she studied music in Paris and at the Royal Academy in London under Manuel Garcia, winning gold, silver and bronze medals. Dame Marie Tempest made her debut at the Comedy Theatre, London, in 1885, as Fiametta in “Bocaccio,” played the title-role in “Erminie” and scored a great success at Drury Lane in "Frivoli.” In 1900, in spite of her tremendous success in these musical plays, Dame Marie Tempest renounced them to appear in comedy and established her reputation as one of the leading comediennes on the English stage. Max Beerbohm once described her as “one of the very few English actresses eauipped for emotion.” She played in “English Nell,” “Peg Woffington.” "Becky Sharp” and “Caste.” In 1902 Frohman engaged her for "The Marriage of Kitty,” in which she scored one of her greatest triumphs. She took the piece to the United States, where she subsequently made several tours, notably in 1906 and 1909-11. In 1914 she played in Canada and the United States, remaining in the latter till 1917, when she made a world tour, visiting Australia. New Zealand, South Africa, China, etc., and did not return to London until 1922. Dame Marie was three times married, first to Mr. Alfred E. Izard, the marriage being dissolved, second to Lord Alexander Gordott-Lennox, and lastly to Mr. W. Graham Browne.