Above: Signed portrait of Australian actor Marie Lorraine (Isabella Mercia McDonagh)(1899-1982) Author’s Collection.
The following entries are listed alphabetically by surname.
These are links to accounts of Australian actors written by other authors that I have found useful.
(ADB stands for Australian Dictionary of Biography)
CLAIRE ADAMS
Born [Beryl Vere Nassau Adams later Mckinnon] Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, 24 September 1896.
Died Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 25 September 1978
(Photo – The Moving Picture World, September 1921)
- ADB account by Virginia Maxwell: Claire Adams Mckinnon
ANNETTE ANDRE
Born [Annette Christine Andreallo] Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 24 June, 1939.
(Photo – screengrab Youtube. The Saint.S3, Ep7 The Loving Brothers)
- Annette Andre (2018) Where Have I Been All My Life. Quoit Media Limited
- Stephen Vagg (2020) interview at Film Ink
JUDITH ANDERSON
Born [Frances Margaret Anderson] Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 10 Feb 1897. Died California, USA , 3 Jan 1992
(Photo – The Green Room magazine. August 1917. State Library of NSW)
- Desley Deacon (2019) Judith Anderson, Australian Star, First Lady of the American Stage. Kerr Publishing.
JUDITH ARTHY
Born (Judith Arthy), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 12 November 1940.
(Photo – The Australian Women’s Weekly, 4 June 1969, p3)
No detailed interview or account has yet been found, but Judith Arthy is worthy of one. This was even noted by Hal Porter on the final pages of his Stars of Australian Stage and Screen in 1965:
‘Judith Arthy’s realistic and forthright approach to the needs and hazards of a present day player in Australia does not taint her idealism. She remains dedicated. Her own words are the words of many young players who resent being forced into expatriatism: “I’m in the theatre because that’s the work I want to do. Of course I want to travel overseas, to learn, to experience. But whatever happens I shall return to Australia for I believe in it and love it…. Although I deplore its cultural apathy, the land and the people have so much to give…” ‘(Porter, 1965, p275-6)
FIFI BANVARD
Born [Yvonne (Fifi) Banvard] Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 25 December 1901. Died Sydney, NSW, Australia,
24 June 1962.
(Photo – National Library of Australia)
- Yvonne Fifi Banvard by Camille Scaysbrook at Brooksie at the movies
- ADB account by Anne-Marie Gaudry
GEORGE BERANGER
Born [George Augustus Beringer] Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 27 March 1893. Died Los Angeles, California, USA, 8 March 1973
(Photo – US National Archives passport application)
- George Beranger or André Beranger by Bryony Cosgrove at Screening the Past website
OLGA BRANDON
Born [Olga Lazzarevich] Redcastle, Victoria, Australia, 21 December 1863. Died London, England, 8 May 1906
(Photo – New York Public Library)
- Olga Brandon by Bob Davenport at Studied Moments website
CYNTHIA BROOKE
Born [Constance Louisa Beaufoy Merlin] Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia,15 Dec 1868.
Died New York, 11 Sept 1949
(Photo – Ogden’s cigarette card, courtesy Jean Ritsema)
- Cynthia Brooke by Richard Bradshaw at Scribd
CORAL BROWNE
Born [Coral Edith Browne] Melbourne, Vic, Australia 23 July 1913. Died Los Angeles, California, USA,
29 May, 1991
(Cartoon – Stanley Parker, Table Talk, 1933)
- ADB account by Anne Rees – Coral Edith Browne
- Rose Collis (2007) Coral Browne, This Effing Lady, Oberon Books.
MAE BUSCH
Born [Annie May Busch] Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 18 June 1891.
Died California, USA 20 April 1946.
(Image – Picture-Play Magazine, Mar-Aug 1923. Sketch credited to Russell Iredell)
- Mae Busch by The Beau Chumps tent of Sunderland UK website
- Mae Busch by David Andrews website
- Mae Busch by Hometowns to Hollywood website
ZOE CALDWELL
Born [Zoe Ada Caldwell] Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 14 September 1933. Died New York, USA, 16 February 2020
(Photo – The Bulletin, Vol. 89 No. 4594, 23 Mar 1968)
- Zoe Caldwell (2001) I Will be Cleopatra, An Actress’s Journey. Text Publishing
- Desley Deacon (2020) Zoe Caldwell’s Many Faces. Theatre Heritage Australia
ELSA CHAUVEL
Born [Elsie May Wilcox], 10 February 1898 Collingwood, Victoria, Australia.
Died Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, 22 August, 1983.
(Photo – John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. c1940)
- Ina Bertrand (2015) Elsa Chauvel. In Jane Gaines, Radha Vatsal, and Monica Dall’Asta, eds. Women Film Pioneers Project. New York, NY: Columbia University Libraries, 2015.
- Elsa Chauvel (2019) My life with Charles Chauvel. Australian Scholarly Publishing
- ADB account by Pam Crichton – Elsa Chauvel
CON COLLEANO
Born [Cornelius Sullivan] Lismore, New South Wales, Australia 26 December 1899. Died Miami, Florida, USA 13 November 1973.
(Photo- Performing Arts Collection, Melbourne. Colleano Family Collection)
- Performing Arts Collection – Con Colleano, Australian Wizard of the Wire.
- Mark St Leon (2011) Circus. the Australian Story. Melbourne Books
DOROTHY CUMMING
Born [Dorothy Greville Cumming] Boorowa, New South Wales, Australia, 12 April 1894.
Died New York, USA, 10 December 1983.
(Photo – State Library of Victoria. By May and Mina Moore, c 1910-1913)
- Desley Deacon, 2013. From Victorian Accomplishment to Modern Profession: Elocution Takes Judith Anderson, Sylvia Bremer and Dorothy Cumming to Hollywood, 1912-1918. Australasian Journal of Victorian Studies, Vol 18, No.1, p. 40-65, Oct. 2013.
AL DAFF
Born [Alfred Edward Daff] Melbourne Victoria, Australia, 18 August 1902.
Died 19 Feb 1991 California, USA.
(Photo – Screengrab. Interview c1975. National Film & Sound Archive)
- Greg Lynch (2023) Al Daff. Down Under in Hollywood-land Three Dimensional Productions.
MAY DAHLBERG
Born [May Charlotte Dahlberg] Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 24 May 1888.
Died New York c1969
(Photo – The Playgoer. 5 April 1910)
- Steve Rattle Mae Dahlberg—the forgotten Australian ‘serio and dancer’ Theatre Heritage Australia
MADGE ELLIOT and CYRIL RITCHARD
Born [Leah Madeleine Elliott] London, UK, 12 May 1896. Died New York, 8 August 1955.
Born [Cyril Joseph Ritchard] Sydney NSW, Australia, 1 December 1897. Died Chicago, USA, 18 Dec 1977
(Photo – program from January 1947. Author’s collection)
- Madge Elliott – Thus Far. The story of my life Theatre Heritage Australia
- ADB accounts by John Rickard on Cyril Ritchard and Madge Elliott
AGNES GAVIN
Born [Agnes Adele Wangenheim] Sydney, NSW, Australia, 1872.
Died Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 9 Jan 1947
(Photo – None available at present)
- Ina Bertrand (2013) Agnes Gavin. In Jane Gaines, Radha Vatsal, and Monica Dall’Asta, eds. Women Film Pioneers Project. New York, NY, Columbia University Libraries.
DOROTHY GORDON
Born [Dorothy Gordon Jenner] Narrabri, NSW, Australia, 1 March 1891.
Died Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 24 March 1985
(Photo – Dorothy Gordon Jenner in Pix. Vol. 7 No. 24, 14 June 1941)
- Deb Verhoeven (2013) Dorothy Gordon aka ‘Andrea’. In Jane Gaines, Radha Vatsal, and Monica Dall’Asta, eds. Women Film Pioneers Project. New York, NY, Columbia University Libraries.
- Trish Sheppard (1975) Darlings, I’ve had a ball [as Andrea]. Ure Smith
MAUD JEFFRIES
Born [Maud Evelyn Craven Jeffries] Lula Mississippi, USA, 14 December 1869.
Died Gundaroo, NSW Australia, 26 September 1946.
(Photo – Maud Jeffries, undated. National Library of Australia)
- Maud Jeffries by Clarissa Thorpe at ABC news
ANNETTE KELLERMAN
Born [Annette Marie Kellerman] Sydney, NSW, Australia, 6 July 1886. Died Southport, Queensland, Australia, 6 November 1975.
(Photo – The Theatre magazine. 1 July 1912)
- ADB account by GP Walsh Annette Kellerman
- Angela Woollacott (2011) Race and the Modern Exotic. Three ‘Australian’ Women on Global Display. Monash University Publishing. Chapter 1
- Grantlee Kieza (2025) Annette Kellerman, Australian Mermaid ABC Books
- Anitra Nelson The Original Mermaid. Ronin films study Guide.
- Joanna Gilmore at National Portrait Gallery
- NFSA: Annette Kellerman profile
LOTTIE LYELL
Born [Lottie Edith Lyell] Sydney, NSW, Australia 23 February 1890.
Died Sydney, NSW, Australia, 21 December 1925.
(Photo – National Museum of Australia/NFSA. Lottie Lyell c1919)
- ADB account by Mervyn J Wasson Lottie Lyell
- Margot Nash (2018) “Lottie Lyell.” In Jane Gaines, Radha Vatsal, and Monica Dall’Asta, eds. Women Film Pioneers Project. New York, NY: Columbia University Libraries.
LOUISE LOVELY
Born [Louise Nellie Lovely] Sydney, NSW, Australia 28 February 1895.
Died Hobart, Tas, Australia, 17 March 1980
(Photo – Hoyts Theatres Australia)
- ADB account by Ina Bertrand Louise Lovely
- Jeannette Delamoir (2013)“Louise Lovely.” In Jane Gaines, Radha Vatsal, and Monica Dall’Asta, eds. Women Film Pioneers Project. New York, NY: Columbia University Libraries.
MCDONAGH SISTERS
Paulette born [Paulette de Vere McDonagh] Sydney, New South Wales, 11 June 1901. Died Sydney New South Wales 30 August 1978
Isabella aka Marie Lorraine born [Isabella Mercia McDonagh] Sydney, New South Wales, 3 January 1899. Died London England, 5 March 1982
Phyllis born [Phyllis Glory McDonagh] Sydney, New South Wales, 7 January 1900. Died Sydney New South Wales 17 October 1978
(Photo – Marie Lorraine (Isabella Mercia McDonagh) undated. Author’s Collection.)
- Mandy Sayer (2022) Those Dashing McDonagh Sisters, New South publishing.
- Graham Shirley The McDonagh Sisters @ NFSA
- ADB accounts by Andrée Wright
MERLE OBERON
Born [Estelle Merle Thompson], Bombay, India, 18 February 1911.
Died California, USA 23 November 1979.
(Photo – undated fan card. Author’s collection)
- Mayukh Sen (2025) Love Queenie. Merle Oberon, Hollywood’s first South Asian Star. W.W. Norton & Co
- Angela Woollacott (2011)Race and the Modern Exotic. Three ‘Australian’ Women on Global Display. Monash University Publishing.
ROSE QUONG
Born [Rose Maud Quong] Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 15 August 1879
Died New York City, USA, 14 December 1972.
(Image – St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 23, 1934 )
- Angela Woollacott (2011) Race and the Modern Exotic. Three ‘Australian’ Women on Global Display. Monash University Publishing.
ALFRED ROLFE
Born [Alfred Roker] Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia, 18 April 1862
Died Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 9 September 1943
(Photo – Saturday Observer, Brisbane. 3 September 1904)
- Stephen Vagg & Daniel Reynard Alfred Rolfe: Forgotten Pioneer Australian Film Director @Avondale University
C MONTAGUE SHAW
Born [Charles Montague Discombe Sparrow] Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 23 March 1882.
Died California USA, 6 Feb 1968
(Photo – Shaw acting as Orlando under the name Charles Sparrow in England in 1910. Observer (Adelaide)19 March 1910)
- C Montague Shaw by Kitty Parks The files of Jerry Blake website
MURIEL STEINBECK
Born [Muriel Myee Steinbeck]13 July 1913, Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia. Died 20 July 1982, Orange, New South Wales, Australia
(Photo – undated – Author’s collection)
- ADB account by Sally O’Neill Muriel Steinbeck
BETTY STOCKFELD
Born [Elizabeth Baddeley Stockfeld] Sydney, NSW, Australia, 15 January 1904.
Died Tadworth, England, 27 January 1966
(Photo – Allen’s Lollies, collectors card)
- Betty Stockfeld by Robbie Stockfeld
