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Ellen Terry

Dame Alice Ellen Terry, (27 February 1847 – 21 July 1928), was a leading English actress of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Born into a family of actors, Terry began performing as a child, acting in Shakespeare plays in London, and toured throughout the British provinces in her teens. At 16, she married the 46-year-old artist George Frederic Watts, but they separated within a year. She soon returned to the stage but began a relationship with the architect Edward William Godwin and retired from the stage for six years. She resumed acting in 1874 and was immediately acclaimed for her portrayal of roles in Shakespeare and other classics.

In 1878 she joined Henry Irving's company as his leading lady, and for more than the next two decades she was considered the leading Shakespearean and comic actress in Britain. Two of her most famous roles were Portia in The Merchant of Venice and Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing. She and Irving also toured with great success in America and Britain.

In 1903 Terry took over management of London's Imperial Theatre, focusing on the plays of George Bernard Shaw and Henrik Ibsen. The venture was a financial failure, and Terry turned to touring and lecturing. She continued to find success on stage until 1920, while also appearing in films from 1916 to 1922. Her career lasted nearly seven decades.

Birth and Death Data: Born February 27, 1847 (Coventry), Died July 21, 1928 (Tenterden)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1911

Roles Represented in DAHR: speaker

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor B-9988 10-in. 2/21/1911 Mercy speech : Act IV Ellen Terry Recitation speaker  
Victor C-9989 12-in. 2/21/1911 Potion scene : Act 4, scene 3 Ellen Terry Recitation speaker  
Victor B-9990 10-in. 2/21/1911 I have brought Claudio : Act II, scene I Ellen Terry Recitation speaker  
Victor C-9991 12-in. 2/21/1911 Ophelia's mad scene, part 1 Ellen Terry Recitation speaker  
Victor C-9992 12-in. 2/21/1911 Ophelia's mad scene, part 2 Ellen Terry Recitation speaker  
Victor B-9993 10-in. 2/21/1911 Mamilius, Hermione, and ladies Ellen Terry Recitation speaker  
Victor B-10017 10-in. 2/28/1911 Death of Falstaff : Act 2, scene 3 Ellen Terry Recitation speaker  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Terry, Ellen," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101916.

Terry, Ellen. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101916.

"Terry, Ellen." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101916

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