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Gerald du Maurier is a Actor and Scriptwriter British born on 26 march 1873 at London (United-kingdom)
Sir Gerald Hubert Edward Busson du Maurier (26 March 1873 – 11 April 1934) was an English actor and manager. He was the son of the writer George du Maurier and brother of Sylvia Llewelyn Davies. In 1902, he married the actress Muriel Beaumont with whom he had three daughters: writers Angela du Maurier (1904–2002) and Daphne du Maurier (1907–1989), and painter Jeanne du Maurier (1911–1996). His popularity lay in his subtle yet realistic acting style: a "delicately realistic style of acting that sought to suggest rather than to state the deeper emotions".
His Times obituary said of his career: "His parentage assured him of engagements in the best of company to begin with; but it was his own talent that took advantage of them.
After playing a number of small roles pre-1900, including an appearance in the popular drama Trilby with Herbert Beerbohm Tree in 1895, his popularity became assured via his acclaimed performance in major roles in the premieres of two J.M. Barrie plays: as Ernest in The Admirable Crichton in 1902, and the dual role of George Darling and Captain Hook (instead of Seymour Hicks, who had turned down the part) in Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up, at the Duke of York's Theatre, London, on 27 December 1904. He also appeared in other Barrie plays, including Dear Brutus.
The Llewelyn Davies boys (du Maurier's nephews, the sons of his sister Sylvia Llewelyn Davies), were the inspiration for Peter Pan and other boy characters in Barrie's fiction. The character of Wendy Darling in Peter Pan shares one of her middle names with du Maurier's daughter Angela, who in later years portrayed Wendy onstage herself.
With Frank Curzon, he co-managed Wyndham's Theatre from 1910 to 1925, and then moved to the St James's Theatre. He served as the president of the Actors' Orphanage. Knighted in 1922 at the peak of his popularity, he continued to perform throughout his life. In later years he took on cinema roles such as Lord Camber's Ladies (1932), a German doctor in I Was a Spy (1933), the emperor's valet in Catherine the Great (1934) and, shortly before his final illness, Wessensee in the Michael Balcon version of Jew Süss (1934).
Du Maurier was a regular cigarette smoker, and the du Maurier brand was named after him as a paid endorsement deal (he did not smoke them himself), which he undertook to help pay back taxes.
He served as President of the Actors' Orphanage Fund (now the Actors' Charitable Trust) from 1914 to his death, when he was succeeded by Noël Coward.
He died in 1934, at Cannon Hall, Cannon Place, Hampstead, his home since 1916: the house has a blue plaque in his memory.
His daughter Daphne refused to attend his funeral but wrote a biography of him – Gerald: A Portrait – which was published shortly after he died of colon cancer in London in 1934.
Source : Wikidata
Gerald du Maurier
Birth name Gerald Hubert Edward Busson du Maurier
Nationality United-kingdom
Birth 26 march 1873 at London (United-kingdom)
Death 11 april 1934 (at 61 years) at London (United-kingdom)
Nationality United-kingdom
Birth 26 march 1873 at London (United-kingdom)
Death 11 april 1934 (at 61 years) at London (United-kingdom)
His Times obituary said of his career: "His parentage assured him of engagements in the best of company to begin with; but it was his own talent that took advantage of them.
Biography
Du Maurier was born in Hampstead, London, and attended Heath Mount School and Harrow School. He initially pursued a career in business, but it did not suit him, and he took to the stage. He obtained his first engagement, a small part in Sydney Grundy's An Old Jew, via his father's friend John Hare, manager of the Garrick Theatre.After playing a number of small roles pre-1900, including an appearance in the popular drama Trilby with Herbert Beerbohm Tree in 1895, his popularity became assured via his acclaimed performance in major roles in the premieres of two J.M. Barrie plays: as Ernest in The Admirable Crichton in 1902, and the dual role of George Darling and Captain Hook (instead of Seymour Hicks, who had turned down the part) in Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up, at the Duke of York's Theatre, London, on 27 December 1904. He also appeared in other Barrie plays, including Dear Brutus.
The Llewelyn Davies boys (du Maurier's nephews, the sons of his sister Sylvia Llewelyn Davies), were the inspiration for Peter Pan and other boy characters in Barrie's fiction. The character of Wendy Darling in Peter Pan shares one of her middle names with du Maurier's daughter Angela, who in later years portrayed Wendy onstage herself.
With Frank Curzon, he co-managed Wyndham's Theatre from 1910 to 1925, and then moved to the St James's Theatre. He served as the president of the Actors' Orphanage. Knighted in 1922 at the peak of his popularity, he continued to perform throughout his life. In later years he took on cinema roles such as Lord Camber's Ladies (1932), a German doctor in I Was a Spy (1933), the emperor's valet in Catherine the Great (1934) and, shortly before his final illness, Wessensee in the Michael Balcon version of Jew Süss (1934).
Du Maurier was a regular cigarette smoker, and the du Maurier brand was named after him as a paid endorsement deal (he did not smoke them himself), which he undertook to help pay back taxes.
He served as President of the Actors' Orphanage Fund (now the Actors' Charitable Trust) from 1914 to his death, when he was succeeded by Noël Coward.
He died in 1934, at Cannon Hall, Cannon Place, Hampstead, his home since 1916: the house has a blue plaque in his memory.
His daughter Daphne refused to attend his funeral but wrote a biography of him – Gerald: A Portrait – which was published shortly after he died of colon cancer in London in 1934.
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Filmography of Gerald du Maurier (10 films)
Actor
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Jew Süss (1934)
, 1h45Directed by Lothar Mendes
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Biography, Historical, Romance
Themes Politique, Political films
Actors Conrad Veidt, Benita Hume, Frank Vosper, Cedric Hardwicke, Paul Graetz, Gerald du Maurier
Roles Wessensee
Rating63%
L'histoire de Joseph Süss Oppenheimer, figure centrale du comté de Furstenberg au XVII siècle.
, 1h35Directed by Alexander Korda, Paul Czinner
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Biography, Historical, Romance
Themes Politique, Théâtre, Political films, Films based on plays, Films about royalty
Actors Elisabeth Bergner, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Flora Robson, Warner Oland, Dorothy Hale, Gerald du Maurier
Roles Lecocq
Rating62%
This historical drama recounts the events that led to the accession of Catherine the Great, Empress of all the Russias. The film opens with the arrival of Princess Sophie Auguste Frederika – whose name would be changed to ‘Catherine’ – from her father’s court of Anhalt-Zerbst (in modern Germany) to the court of the Empress Elizabeth. "Little Catherine" is to marry the Grand Duke Peter, nephew and heir presumptive of the unmarried and childless Empress Elizabeth.
The Scotland Yard Mystery (1934)
, 1h16Directed by Thomas Bentley
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Crime
Themes Films based on plays
Actors Gerald du Maurier, George Curzon, Belle Chrystall, Wally Patch, Henry Victor, Paul Graetz
Roles Commissioner Stanton
Rating52%
I Was A Spy (1933)
, 1h29Directed by Victor Saville, Herbert Mason
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, War, Thriller, Spy
Themes Spy films, Political films
Actors Madeleine Carroll, Herbert Marshall, Conrad Veidt, Edmund Gwenn, Gerald du Maurier, Donald Calthrop
Roles Doctor
Rating65%
In German occupied Belgium 1914, a Belgian woman employed by the Allies nurses injured soldiers and falls in love with a German commandant.
Lord Camber's Ladies (1932)
, 1h20Directed by Benn W. Levy
Genres Drama
Actors Gerald du Maurier, Gertrude Lawrence, Hal Gordon, Benita Hume, Nigel Bruce, Clare Greet
Roles Doctor Napier
Rating68%
An aristocrat marries a singer, but then tries to murder her when he falls in love with another woman.
Escape! (1930)
, 1h10Directed by Basil Dean
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Crime
Themes Films based on plays
Actors Edna Best, Gerald du Maurier, Gordon Harker, Madeleine Carroll, Marie Ney, Mabel Poulton
Roles Captain Matt Denant
Rating60%
A man escapes from Dartmoor Prison and is hunted across the moors by policemen to whom it is an unpleasant reminder of their experiences during the First World War.
Justice (1917)
Directed by Maurice Elvey
Origin United-kingdom
Themes Films based on plays
Actors Gerald du Maurier, James Carew, Hubert Willis
Roles Falder
Masks and Faces (1917)
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Biography, Comedy
Actors Johnston Forbes-Robertson, Gerald du Maurier, Gladys Cooper, Ben Webster, George Bernard Shaw, Henry Vibart
Roles Hunsdon
Rating53%
Everybody's Business (1917)
Origin United-kingdom
Actors Norman McKinnel, Gerald du Maurier, Matheson Lang
Roles Tom Briton
Scriptwriter
The Dancers (1930)
, 1h10Origin USA
Themes Films based on plays
Actors Lois Moran, Phillips Holmes, Mae Clarke, Walter Byron, Mrs Patrick Campbell, Tyrell Davis
Rating57%