Seymour Hicks Writes a Preface

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 852, 21 December 1929, Page 33

Seymour Hicks Writes a Preface

MAY BEATTY’S BOOK

MEMOIRS TO BE PUBLISHED Seymour Hicks, the well-known London manager-actor, -will write the preface to the book of memoirs which May Beatty, the New Zealand actress, is now preparing for publication. The work is being edited by Mr. Eric Ramsden, of Sydney, and formerly a member of The Sun’s staff.

The late Edward Lauri. Miss Beatty’s husband, was associated with Mr. Hicks in many of his London successes, and Mis 3 Beatty has also played with him. Edward Lauri and

his friend, Seymour Hicks, were fellow officers in

fn the London special constabulary during the war years. On one occasion Mr. Lauri saved the opening night of a revival of ‘’Bluebell in Fairyland” for Mr. Hicks. At that time he had retired from the stage, and was solely concerned with his police duties. One morning he looked up from his desk at the Endell Street station to find Ellaline Terris, the wife of Seymour Hicks, in tears. She explained that her husband had been stricken with pneumonia. There no understudy. Not a soul in the company could play his part. As Mr. kauri and Miss Terris had played together at the Gaiety many years before they were old friends. She begged him—it was already noon—to play Seymour Hicks’s role at that afternoon’s matinee. The notice was certainly short, but Mr. Lai%i did it. Mr. kauri played the part for the entire season, and was a great success in the role.

At the conclusion of the first week Hicks sent his friend an open cheque. “Fill it in for whatever you like,” he said. And it was in this manner that Edward Lauri returned to file stage, where he remained until his death, which resulted from injuries criginally received during a riot in the West End of London in the course his police duties, in 1919.