Patti Morgan on the cover of Sydney’s Sunday Sun, 19 May, 1946. The photographer responsible for this striking photo is unknown.Via the National Library of Australia’s Trove.
We must not touch our idols; the gilt sticks to our fingers. Gustave Flaubert – Madame Bovary
This site is dedicated to some of the undocumented Australian actors – who travelled to work overseas, particularly in the early – mid twentieth century.
This is also a work in progress, so where new information becomes available, entries are updated. Special thanks to the some of the extended families of actors listed here, who have contributed to improving the narratives – they are acknowledged on the Thanks, Links and Sources page.
Some Australian stories as imagined by non-Australians…
Australia as imagined by the Third Reich
Hollywood imagines bushrangers – Stingaree (1915, 1917, 1934)
Bushrangers in slouch hats – Hollywood imagines Australia (1928, 1929, 1939)
Hollywood imagines- Australians at War (1943, 1953, 1966-68)
Actor Profiles, (as requested) now listed by surname…
Surnames A-E
- Dorothy Alison (Dorothy Alison Dickson) (4 March 1925 – 17 Jan 1992)[in preparation]
- Harry Allen (Henry Radford Allen) (10 July 1877 – 4 Dec 1951)
- Mona Barrie (Mona Barlee Smith) ( ?1906 – 27 June 1964)
- Enid Bennett (Enid Eulalie Bennett) (15 July 1893 – 14 May 1969)
- Suzanne Bennett (Susannah Catherine Evans) (3 Jan 1893 – 8 Dec 1974)
- Sylvia Breamer (Sylvia Poppy Bremer) (9 June 1897 – 7 June 1943)
- Trilby Clark (Gwendolyn Gladys Blakely Clark) (30 Aug 1896 – 11 Jan 1983)
- Fred Conyngham (Frederick Ronald Talbot Conyngham) (8 June 1908- 8 May 1974) [in preparation]
- Ashley Cooper (Cecil also Herbert Augustus Robinson) (16 June 1880 – 3 Jan 1952)
- Dulcie Cooper (Dulcie Mary Robinson) (3 Nov 1903 – 3 Sept 1981)
- Alice Crawford (5 Jan 1880 – 1967)
Surnames F-J
- Molly Fisher (Molly Irene Selina Fisher) (6 Dec 1909 – 28 April 1966) [in preparation]
- Florrie Forde (Flora Flannagan) (16 Aug 1875 – 18 April 1940)
- Phyllis Gibbs (Phyllis Clare Wynne) (24 July 1908 – 4 May 1943)
- Ena Gregory (Ena Jessie Gregory) (16 April 1907 – 13 June 1993)
- Sara Gregory (Olivia Sara Leveson Gregory) (16 May 1919 – 11 April 2014)
- Robert Greig (Arthur Alfred Bede Greig) (27 Dec 1879 – 27 June 1958)
- Alf Goulding (Alfred John Goulding) (26 Jan 1885 – 25 April 1972)
- Maud Hobson (Jane Elizabeth Manson) (13 Nov 1860 – 6 Jan 1913)
- Beatrice Holloway (Beatrice Denver Holloway) (12 Oct 1884 – 22 Nov 1964)
- Jocelyn Howarth/Constance Worth (Enid Joyce Howarth) (19 Aug 1911 – 18 Oct 1963)
- Janet Johnson (Janet Ramsay Johnson) (29 Nov 1914 – 18 Dec 1983)
- Margaret Johnston (Margaret Annette McCrie Johnston) (10 Aug 1914 – 29 June 2002)
Surnames K-N
- Judy Kelly (Julie Aileen Kelly) (1 Nov 1913 – 22 Oct 1991)
- Leah Leichner (Leah Caroline Cohen) (9 July 1890 – after 1920)
- Lucille Lisle (Lucille Hunter Jonas) (3 July 1908 – 23 Sept 2004)
- Mary Macgregor (Francis Mary Macgregor) (16 Aug 1904 – 17 March 1954)
- Elsie Mackay (Elsie Gertrude Mackay) (20 February 1963 – 6 February 1963)
- Mary Maguire (Ellen Theresa Maguire) (22 Feb 1919 – 18 May 1974)
1919-1938, 1939-1974, Epilogue - Marc McDermott (Marcus Patrick McDermott) (24 July 1871 – 5 Jan 1929)
- Betty McDowall (Elizabeth Margarita McDowall) (14 Aug 1924 – 31 Dec 1993)
- Ted/Teddy McNamara (Edward Joseph McNamara) (19 Sept 1893 – 3 Feb 1928)
- Patti Morgan (Patricia Joan Morgan) (7 Sept 1928 – 2 Feb 2001)
- Gwen Munro (Gwendolyn Mina Munro) (30 Nov 1913 – 6 April 1970)
- Joy Nichols (Joy Eileen Nichols) (17 Feb 1925 – 23 June 1992)
Surnames O-S
- Nancy O’Neil (Nancy Muriel Smith) (25 Aug 1907 – 5 Mar 1995)
- Daphne Pollard (Daphne Trott) (19 Oct 1891 – 22 Feb 1978)
- Snub Pollard (Harold Hopetown Fraser) (9 Nov 1889 – 19 Jan 1962)
- Pollard‘s Lilliputian Opera Co performers from inner Melbourne (various)
- Wanda Radford (Blanche Wanda Radford) (22 June 1896 – 16 Sept 1982)
- Marcia Ralston (Marie Mascotte Ralston) (19 Sept 1906 – 23 Nov 1988)
- Shirley Ann Richards/Ann Richards (Shirley Ann Delaforce Richards) (20 Dec 1917 – 24 Aug 2006)
- Saharet (Paulina Clarissa Molony) (23 March 1878 – 24 July 1964)
- Maie Saqui (May Vivian Saqui) (19 Dec 1879 – 28 March 1907)
- Paul Scardon (William James Raper) (6 May 1875 – 17 Jan 1954)
- Nina Speight/Nina Rhodes (Simelia Präger) (18 Jan 1890 – 16 Mar 1965)
- Fred Stone (Frederick George Stone) (9 July 1908 – 8 July 1995)
Surnames T-Z
- Willie Thomas (William Thomas) (1 Jan 1889 – 1969)
- Lotus Thompson (Lotus May Thompson) (26 Aug 1904 – 24 May 1963)
- Margaret Vyner (Margaret Leila Vyner) (3 Dec 1914 – 30 Oct 1993)
- Norma Whalley (c1875-79 – 9 October, 1954)
- Queenie Williams/Ina Williams (Alfreda Ina Williams) (17 Nov 1896 – 9 June 1962)
- Joan Winfield (Joan Marie Therese MacGillicuddy) (24 Sept 1918 – 16 June 1978)
- Anona Winn (Anona Edna Barron later Wilkins) (5 Jan 1904 – 2 Feb 1994)
- John Wood (John Frederick Woods) (11 Nov 1909 – 1 March 1965)
- Constance Worth /Jocelyn Howarth (Enid Joyce Howarth) (19 Aug 1911 – 18 Oct 1963)
And
- Frank Healy’s San Francisco Opera Company 1907
- Pollard’s Lilliputian Opera Company
- On Australian Accents
- A list of ships and their actor passengers
- The Stars of Old Fitzroy
- What you might need at the theatre
- The Theatres of Cowper, Murphy & Appleford.
- Thanks to, links and sources
- Contact
Nick Murphy
March 2021
