Dorothy Brunton
Christine Dorothy Brunton (11 October 1890 – 5 June 1977), popularly known as Dorothy Brunton (or more familiarly as 'Dot'), was an Australian singer and actress prominent in musical comedy in Australia and England from the early-1910s to the mid-1930s. She was born into a theatrical family, her mother had been an actress and her father worked as a stage scene designer and painter. Her early roles were in melodramas for the Bland Holt touring company, for which her father worked. From October 1910 Brunton was engaged by J. C. Williamson's New Comic Opera Company, performing in musical comedy roles and acting as understudy to more established actresses. By the outbreak of World War I, Brunton was playing leading roles in J. C. Williamson's productions. She became associated with recruitment and patriotic fund-raising efforts and became a favourite with Australian soldiers. In September 1917, Brunton travelled to the United States, where she appeared in several productions but achieved only moderate theatrical success. She arrived in London in June 1918, where she found a small part in a West End production. Her fame grew after rapturous responses to her performances by Australian soldiers on leave. After the war ended, Brunton lived in London and the United States, occasionally returning to Australia where she was acclaimed as a much-beloved performer. After a nine-month tour of South Africa in 1926-7 and a couple of moderately-successful plays in London, Brunton returned to Australia in 1930 for theatrical engagements by J. C. Williamson Ltd. She married in 1931. In 1934, she retired from the stage and returned to London with her husband. After the death of her husband, Brunton returned to Australia in 1947 and lived in Sydney until her death in 1977, aged 86. |
Birth and Death Data: Born Melbourne (capital city of Victoria, Australia), Died June 5, 1977 (Darlinghurst (suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) )
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1918 - 1922
Roles Represented in DAHR: soprano vocal
= 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | 77830 | 10-in. | 5/20/1918 | It was a lover and his lass | Dorothy Brunton ; Paul Dufault | Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra | vocalist, soprano vocal | |
| Columbia | 77831 | 10-in. | 5/20/1918 | Nearest and dearest | Dorothy Brunton ; Paul Dufault | Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra | vocalist, soprano vocal | |
| Columbia | 49405 | 12-in. | 12/31/1918 | In Monterey | Dorothy Brunton | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, soprano vocal | |
| Columbia | 49406 | 12-in. | 12/31/1918 | Down among the sheltering palms | Dorothy Brunton | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, soprano vocal | |
| Columbia | 49411 | 12-in. | approximately 1918 | Keep me in your heart | Dorothy Brunton | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, soprano vocal | |
| Columbia | 49413 | 12-in. | approximately 1918 | God send you back to me | Dorothy Brunton | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, soprano vocal | |
| Columbia | 49414 | 12-in. | approximately 1918 | Love's own kisses | Dorothy Brunton | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, soprano vocal | |
| Columbia | 49415 | 12-in. | approximately 1918 | The bubble | Dorothy Brunton | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, soprano vocal | |
| Columbia | 49423 | 12-in. | approximately May 15, 1918 | Barcarolle | Dorothy Brunton ; Paul Dufault | Vocal duet (soprano and tenor), with orchestra | vocalist, soprano vocal | |
| Columbia | 49424 | 12-in. | approximately May 15, 1918 | Rose of my heart | Dorothy Brunton ; Paul Dufault | Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra | vocalist, soprano vocal | |
| Columbia | 76261 | 12-in. | approximately October 1918 | The goblin's glide | Dorothy Brunton ; Drury Lane Theatre Orchestra ; Maurice Jacobi | Female vocal solo, with chorus and orchestra | vocalist, soprano vocal | |
| Columbia | 76262 | 12-in. | approximately October 1918 | In Shanghai | Dorothy Brunton ; Drury Lane Theatre Orchestra ; Maurice Jacobi ; Alfred Lester | Vocal duet, with orchestra | vocalist, soprano vocal | |
| Columbia | 76676 | 12-in. | approximately 10/29/1919 | Married life | Dorothy Brunton ; Jacques Greebe ; Shaftesbury Theatre Orchestra ; Ronald Squire | Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra | vocalist, soprano vocal | |
| Columbia | 76678 | 12-in. | approximately 10/29/1919 | Green grass grew all round | Dorothy Brunton ; Davy Burnaby ; Walter Catlett ; Jacques Greebe ; Shaftesbury Theatre Orchestra ; Ronald Squire | Mixed vocal quartet, with orchestra | vocalist, soprano vocal | |
| Columbia | 76679 | 12-in. | approximately 10/29/1919 | Supposing | Dorothy Brunton ; Walter Catlett ; Jacques Greebe ; Shaftesbury Theatre Orchestra | Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra | vocalist, soprano vocal |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Brunton, Dorothy," accessed December 24, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/305978.
Brunton, Dorothy. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 24, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/305978.
"Brunton, Dorothy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 24 December 2025.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
Wikidata: Dorothy Brunton - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q5298328
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