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29-544: Margaret Webster was born in New York City, the daughter of two famous actors, Ben Webster and Dame May Whitty . She was their second child, her older brother died in infancy. Her birth was announced on stage at the theatre her father was performing in during a Shakespeare play. The family travelled extensively during her formative years as her parents moved between the US and UK with various touring theatre companies. At 13, she became

58-503: A boarder at Queen Anne's School , Caversham, an independent school in England. Given her unique parentage, she was allowed time off school to act in performances with her parents. This included being on stage alongside the renowned theatre actress Ellen Terry . Terry and her family including her daughter Edith Craig were good friends with the Websters. Upon graduating in 1923, she turned down

87-512: A cancerous tumour on 26 February 1947, aged 82. His wife died 14 months later. Webster was cremated and his ashes scattered in Woolacombe , Devon, England. Ben, May and Margaret have neighbouring memorial plaques in St. Paul's, Covent Garden , London, known as "The Actors Church". Walter Hampden Walter Hampden Dougherty (June 30, 1879 – June 11, 1955), known professionally as Walter Hampden ,

116-451: A married but separated American woman named Jane Brundred. She moved into Webster's Aquinnah home but within a few months was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Brundred bequeathed money to Webster in her will despite her family being against their relationship. The money was used for a memorial sculpture in Brundred's memory in a Shakespeare garden at Vineyard Haven public library. The remainder of

145-735: A son who died in infancy and a daughter, Margaret , who became a stage director. Webster rejoined Irving for a tour of America in 1895–96, and remained with him at the Lyceum until 1898, playing Guiderius in Cymbeline , Hastings in Richard III , Comte de Neipperg in Madame Sans-Gêne among other parts. In 1898 he toured with Ellen Terry , playing Cassio in Othello , and Beauseant in The Lady of Lyons . In

174-523: Is likely that they also were lovers. Webster was said to be devastated by Christians' death from a stroke in 1951. Webster was part of a small but influential group of lesbian producers, directors, and actors in theater (a group that included Eva Le Gallienne and Cheryl Crawford). When Evans joined the army, Webster continued to have success directing classical plays on Broadway , notably The Cherry Orchard (1944), starring Le Gallienne, and her greatest triumph Othello (1943), starring Paul Robeson in

203-719: The Adelphi Theatre in 1904 he appeared in The Prayer of the Sword and The Taming of the Shrew . Later he played Hamlet , Henry V and Cyrano de Bergerac on Broadway . In 1925, he became actor-manager at the Colonial Theatre on Broadway, which was renamed Hampden's Theatre from 1925 to 1931. He became noted for his Shakespearean roles as well as for Cyrano, which he played in several productions between 1923 and 1936. He appeared on

232-512: The New York City Opera . Frankau and Webster frequently moved between London and Webster's home in Aquinnah on Martha's Vineyard . They remained together until Frankau's death from breast cancer in 1967. Webster dedicated her first autobiography, titled The Same, Only Different: Five Generations of a Great Theatre Family (1969), to Frankau. In 1968, Webster began a whirlwind romance with

261-653: The title role . The theater operated until 1948, staging such plays as John Gabriel Borkman , Ghosts , and a legendary production of Alice in Wonderland in which Webster played the Cheshire Cat and the Red Queen . In 1948, her affair with Le Gallienne ended and she went on tour with her company, the Margaret Webster Shakespeare Company. The tour lasted until 1951, but Webster left in 1950 to become

290-920: The Caliph Abdallah in Kismet , the Captain in Androcles and the Lion , Tom Wrench in Trelawny of the Wells and George Marsden in Mr Pim Passes By . In the 1920s he played more than 20 stage roles, mostly in the West End , but also in a tour of South Africa in 1928 with Zena Dare , playing in The High Road , The Trial of Mary Dugan , The Squeaker , and Aren't We All? . In the 1930s he

319-693: The Sarah Siddons Awards in All About Eve (1950), and he played the father of Humphrey Bogart and William Holden in Billy Wilder 's 1954 comedy Sabrina . These last two films are arguably those for which Hampden is most well known to modern audiences. He also played long-bearded patriarchs in the Biblical epics The Silver Chalice (1954, as Joseph of Arimathea ) and The Prodigal (1955). Hampden reprised his portrayal of Cyrano de Bergerac in

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348-506: The US in 1937 and began an impressive run directing the Shakespeare play, Richard II with Maurice Evans in the title role. They formed a partnership that lasted until 1942, with Webster directing Evans in Broadway productions of Hamlet , Twelfth Night and Henry IV, Part I . In 1941–42, she directed Evans and Judith Anderson in a Broadway production of Macbeth . It was while she

377-584: The Wilderness (1916); The Vicar of Wakefield (1916); His Daughter's Dilemma (1916); The Gay Lord Quex (1917); 12.10 (1919); Miriam Rozella (1924); The Lyons Mail (1931); One Precious Year (1933); The Old Curiosity Shop (1934); Drake of England (1935); Eliza Comes to Stay (1936); Forever and a Day (1943); and Lassie Come Home (1943) as Dan'l Fadden. Webster died in Hollywood from complications during surgery for

406-412: The anthology series Schlitz Playhouse of Stars . His last role was the non-singing one of King Louis XI of France , considered by some to be one of his best performances, in the otherwise unremarkable 1956 Technicolor remake of Rudolf Friml 's 1925 operetta The Vagabond King . It was released posthumously, more than a year after Hampden's death. For 27 years, Walter Hampden was president of

435-501: The cover of Time in March 1929. Hampden's last stage role was as Danforth in the original Broadway production of Arthur Miller 's The Crucible . John Garrett Underhill produced the first English-language version of The Bonds of Interest (Los intereses creados) by Jacinto Benavente , with Walter Hampden, in 1929. Hampden appeared in a few silent films, but did not really begin his film career in earnest until 1939, when he played

464-779: The first decade of the 20th century his roles ranged from modern comedies and serious dramas, ranging from George D'Alroy in Caste to the title role in Euripides ' Hippolytus , plays by Wilde and Shaw , as well as swashbuckling pieces such as The Prisoner of Zenda with Alexander. In the latter part of 1907 he accompanied Mrs Patrick Campbell on her American tour; he played the male leads in The Second Mrs Tanqueray , Magda , Hedda Gabler , The Notorious Mrs Ebbsmith , Electra and other pieces. Between 1910 and 1920 his roles ranged from Torvald Helmer in A Doll's House to

493-533: The first episode of the radio program Great Scenes from Great Plays , which Hampden hosted from 1948 to 1949. In addition to his radio roles ( The Adventures of Leonidas Witherall ), Hampden also appeared in several dramas during the early days of television . He made his TV debut in 1949, playing Macbeth for the last time at the age of 69. In 1951 he portrayed Captain Fairfax in a televised version of Louis O. Coxe and Robert H. Chapman 's 1951 play Billy Budd for

522-768: The first woman to direct a production at the Metropolitan Opera . Her debut production of Don Carlo served as opening night of the 1950–51 season and began the tenure of Rudolf Bing as general manager. Her subsequent productions were Aida (1951) and Simon Boccanegra (1959). Around 1953, she met the British author Pamela Frankau with whom she fell in love, and by 1957, they were living together at 55 Christchurch Hill in Hampstead, London. In 1964, she directed Leo Genn in 12 Angry Men in London. She also directed Macbeth at

551-480: The good Archdeacon (Frollo's brother) in The Hunchback of Notre Dame , starring Charles Laughton as Quasimodo . This was Hampden's first sound film; he was 60 at the time he made it. Several other roles followed—Jarvis Langdon in the 1944 film The Adventures of Mark Twain among them, but all were supporting character roles, not the lead roles that Hampden played onstage. He was the master of ceremonies at

580-901: The managements of Willie Edouin in Katti, Run Wild , Charles Wyndham in Betsy , and Henry Irving as Malcolm in Macbeth . In the early 1890s he appeared in George Alexander 's company, first at the Avenue Theatre and then at the St James's . Among many others he created roles in Lady Windermere's Fan , Liberty Hall and The Second Mrs Tanqueray . In 1892 he married the actress May Whitty in St Giles's-in-the-Fields Church, London. They had two children:

609-519: The money helped Webster permanently move to London after her own cancer diagnosis two years after Brundred's death. The final play she directed was George Bernard Shaw's Mrs Warren's Profession , where she directed the actress and singer Mary Ellis in 1970. Webster died from colon cancer at St Christopher's Hospice, 51 Lawrie Park Road, Sydenham , England in 1972, aged 67. Ben Webster (actor) Benjamin Webster (2 June 1864 – 26 February 1947)

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638-434: The opportunity to attend Cambridge University in order to pursue her acting career. She went on to attend Etlinger Dramatic School, London, England where her mother Dame May Whitty was a manager and acting coach. She spent the early part of her career in England, where she became well known in the theatre. She worked for several established theatrical companies, including from 1929–1930 at The Old Vic . She returned to

667-516: The title role and Jose Ferrer as Iago , which ran for 296 performances, by far the longest run of a Shakespearean production on Broadway, a record that has not been remotely approached since. Webster played Emilia in the production's initial year (she was replaced by Edith King in 1944). In 1945, she staged the longest-running performance of Shakespeare's The Tempest to play Broadway, with Arnold Moss as Prospero , Canada Lee as Caliban , and ballerina Vera Zorina as Ariel. This production

696-559: Was an American actor and theatre manager . He was a major stage star on Broadway in New York who also made numerous television and film appearances. Walter Hampden was the son of John Hampden Dougherty and Alice Hill. He was a younger brother of the American painter Paul Dougherty . He went to England for apprenticeship for six years. He graduated from what is now NYU Poly in 1900. Under Otho Stuart and Oscar Asche 's co-management of

725-529: Was an English actor, the husband of the actress May Whitty , and father of the actress and director Margaret Webster . After a long career on the English stage, Webster, together with his wife, moved to Hollywood , where they made numerous films in their later years. Webster was born on 2 June 1864 in London. His father, William Shakespeare Webster, was the son of the actor Benjamin Nottingham Webster . He

754-579: Was destined for the legal profession; after studying he became a practising barrister, but he appeared for a few performances with John Hare and W. H. Kendal in A Scrap of Paper and As You Like It , and was successful enough to be offered an engagement with them in 1887. He made his professional debut at the St James's Theatre on 3 March 1887, as Lord Woodstock in Clancarty , and subsequently toured as Octave in The Ironmaster . In 1888 he appeared under

783-563: Was directing Hamlet in 1938 that she began her long romantic relationship with actress Eva Le Gallienne . Webster was also believed to have had a brief off or on relationship with the actress Mady Christians during this same time frame. On Broadway, Christians played Queen Gertrude in Hamlet and Lady Percy in Henry IV, Part I , staged by Webster. Webster and Christians became close friends: according to Webster biographer Milly S. Barranger, it

812-823: Was more frequently seen in classics and other costume dramas, in roles including Richard de Beauchamp in Saint Joan , the Duke of Venice in Othello , the Duke of Venice in The Merchant of Venice , the Duke of Lancaster in Richard of Bordeaux and Egeus in A Midsummer Night's Dream . Webster acted in films for 30 years from 1913 to 1943. In the late 1930s he and Whitty emigrated to California, where they remained based until their deaths. His films included The House of Temperley (1913); Liberty Hall (1914); Enoch Arden (1914); Cynthia in

841-624: Was only the second U.S. staging of a Shakespeare play to feature an African-American actor in a prominent role among an otherwise all-white cast. The production played for 100 performances, then took a short break and returned to Broadway for 24 more performances. In 1946, Webster and Le Gallienne co-founded the American Repertory Theater with producer Cheryl Crawford , with Webster's staging of Shakespeare's Henry VIII as its premiere production, starring Le Gallienne as Katherine, Walter Hampden as Cardinal Wolsey and Victor Jory in

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