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82:. In several years between 1895 and 1906 she was seen in the US, both on Broadway and in national tours. After that she continued to play in Britain, mostly in the West End, into the 1930s. During that decade she appeared in thirteen films, before retiring in 1938, five years before her death.
317:
Miss Ellis
Jeffreys was so exactly the fresh, dainty and refined English wife that any suggestiveness in her lines was robbed of half its repulsiveness by her personality … Her appearance was delightfully arch and impudent; her delivery was daintily expressive; her appearance was smartness
613:
Tall and graceful, with an expressive face and a clear, rather incisive manner of speech, Miss
Jeffreys was a true comedian, though not lacking in the dramatic force necessary for certain parts which she played in the comedies of Jones, for Zicka in
346:
In several years between 1895 and 1906, Jeffreys was seen in the US, both on
Broadway and in national tours. In 1905 and 1906, for example, Jeffreys divided her time between London and the US. She appeared on Broadway as Queen Sonia in
335:
Her first marriage ended in 1903, when she obtained a divorce on the grounds of Curzon's cruelty and adultery; she was awarded custody of their two children, Evelyn Ellis
Isabella and
606:
said of her, "Ellis
Jeffreys had all the qualities of a comedy actress – fine presence, keen humour, feeling, ease and distinction of manner, polish, and an accomplished technique".
428:. At His Majesty's in 1909 Jeffreys played a part some way removed from her usual agreeable and attractive characters, appearing as the vicious Lady Sneerwell in Tree's production of
657:
website gives the year as 1868; American and
Canadian newspapers reporting her death gave her age as 74 and the year of birth 1868; the obituary in
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personified; and the adjective "charming" might have been applied to her with its normal meaning, and not with its conventional insignificance.
282:
in
October 1896. Still under Alexander's management she then returned to her more familiar territory of modern-dress comedy as Lady Miranda in
296:
judged that
Jeffreys's highly promising gift for comedy had now come to fruition, and thought her the best of the cast, which also included
643:
There is, as is often the case with actresses born in the 19th century, some doubt about
Jeffreys's year of birth. Sources including
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191:. Unlike some actresses who retired after marrying into the aristocracy, she continued her stage career. At the
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Herbert Sleath (1870–1921), to whom she remained married for the rest of his life. They had no children.
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thought
Jeffreys adopted "perhaps rather too gentle a manner to suggest the widow's acidity of temper",
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Jeffreys was born in Ceylon and made her stage debut in London in 1889. She quickly became a leading
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On her return to England Jeffreys appeared at His Majesty's Theatre, in May 1907, as Mrs Allonby in
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she played and sang several leading female roles. In the early 1890s Jeffreys was a member of
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99:, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), the daughter of Captain Dodsworth Jeffreys and his wife Elizabeth,
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32:(12 May 1868(?) – 21 January 1943) was an English actress, best known for her comedy roles.
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In 1894 Jeffreys married the Hon Frederick Graham Curzon, the younger son of the
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in 1921. The following year she was seen at Drury Lane as the Lady Violante in
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at the Haymarket (1914). At the Globe, Jeffreys played the Countess Olga in
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In the 1930s Jeffreys appeared in thirteen films, playing Mrs Langford in
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she returned to New York, to create the part of Lady Clarke Howland in
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792:. Montreal (published 22 January 1943). CP. 21 January 1943. p. 3
217:. When Hare took the production to the US, Jeffreys joined him in the
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gave her age at death as 69, which would make the year of birth 1873.
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412:. In October 1907 Jeffreys appeared in the opening production of the
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at the St James's in 1925, Lady Trench in Frederick Lonsdale's
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player. In the early 1890s she had a long run in the operetta
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with her sweet mezzo-soprano voice, he gave her a part in
757:
Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company (1875–1982)
672:
According to a newspaper article in 1904 "Having charmed
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in 1895, she created the role of Mrs Gertrude Thorpe in
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at the Criterion (1911), Comtesse Zicka in a revival of
377:, and again returned to New York, playing Mrs Brooke in
1176:, 8 April 1909, p. 6; and "Sheridan at His Majesty's",
821:. Rochester, New York. AP. 22 January 1943. p. 11
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1254:(fifth ed.). London: Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons.
1217:, British Film Institute. Retrieved 2 September 2020
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give the year as 1872; a biographical sketch at the
339:(later a successful actor). In 1904 she married the
600:, Surrey on 21 January 1943. In an obituary notice
596:Jeffreys retired in 1938, and died at her home in
843:, Scranton, Pennsylvania, 21 January 1943, p. 121
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121:in December 1889, as Butterfly in the pantomime
351:and on an American tour as Lady Gay Spanker in
252:On her return to England Jeffreys played in
813:"Ellis Jeffreys Passes; Actress in England"
70:, but she also acted in classics including
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1191:The Athenaeum, 17 April 1909, pp. 474–475
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712:"Miss Ellis Jeffreys: A True Comedian",
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103:Corcor. She made her stage debut at the
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488:. Other roles included Lady Frinton in
472:at Wyndham's (1913) and Mrs Cameron in
129:where she appeared in 1890 as Polly in
66:Most of her roles were in modern-dress
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1029:. London. 30 November 1895. p. 11
929:. London. 20 February 1897. p. 16
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885:. London. 12 September 1894. p. 1
680:during the last six weeks of its run".
125:, after which she was engaged for the
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1057:. London. 26 October 1896. p. 3
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444:found her "agreeably disagreeable".
59:, which she played in London and on
1077:"'His Little Dodge' at the Royalty"
989:. London. 16 March 1895. p. 11
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527:(1931), Lady Marian Mainwaring in
434:. Reviews were good, and although
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1154:. London. 19 May 1907. p. 4
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201:in a starry cast that included
133:and then during the long run of
53:. In 1895 she created a role in
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655:Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte
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569:(1936), Lady Madeleine Knox in
508:in 1932 and Lady Mary Crabb in
1389:20th-century English actresses
981:"'The Notorious Mrs Ebbsmith'"
833:
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753:"(Miss) Ellis Jeffreys (1889)"
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533:(1931), Aunt Emily Debrant in
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396:in a cast that also contained
369:, reappeared in London at the
367:The Fascinating Mr Vanderveldt
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30:Minnie Gertrude Ellis Jeffreys
1:
1113:. 31 October 1896. p. 10
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626:Notes, references and sources
587:(1937) and Lady Tonbridge in
1085:. 26 October 1896. p. 3
1008:"The Notorious Mrs Ebbsmith"
961:(683): 204. 28 February 1906
949:"From Actress to Aristocrat"
859:"Obituary: Ellis Jeffreys",
462:The Case of Rebellious Susan
7:
1235:. Jefferson NC: McFarland.
1162:– via Newspapers.com.
1121:– via Newspapers.com.
1093:– via Newspapers.com.
1065:– via Newspapers.com.
1037:– via Newspapers.com.
997:– via Newspapers.com.
937:– via Newspapers.com.
893:– via Newspapers.com.
829:– via Newspapers.com.
800:– via Newspapers.com.
581:(1936), Lady Maude Wall in
521:(1930), Elizabeth Green in
500:, Viola Tree and the young
480:in 1920 and Emily Ladew in
308:. The theatrical newspaper
278:, handing her role over to
45:, and then was a member of
16:British actress (1868–1943)
10:
1405:
1287:Internet Broadway Database
1250:Parker, John, ed. (1925).
1224:
1172:"The School for Scandal",
563:(1934), Lady Elizabeth in
557:(1933), Mrs Carmichael in
539:(1932), Lady Ellerslie in
512:at the Criterion in 1933.
198:The Notorious Mrs Ebbsmith
109:D'Oyly Carte Opera Company
56:The Notorious Mrs Ebbsmith
1201:"His Majesty's Theatre",
969:– via Google Books.
910:, 20 February 1904, p. 13
772:, 22 January 1943, p. 171
545:(1932), Lady Marshall in
211:Johnston Forbes-Robertson
111:in 1889 in the chorus of
1252:Who's Who in the Theatre
906:"Bride from the Stage",
651:Who's Who in the Theatre
630:
551:(1933), Frau Kleiner in
393:A Woman of No Importance
148:, where she appeared in
1374:English stage actresses
863:, 28 January 1943, p. 5
768:"Ellis Jeffreys Dies",
716:, 22 January 1943, p. 7
678:The Yeomen of the Guard
575:(1936), Mrs Hammond in
490:The Last of Mrs Cheyney
466:Is Matrimony a Failure?
418:Madeleine Lucette Ryley
117:. She then appeared at
114:The Yeomen of the Guard
1384:Actresses from Colombo
1379:English film actresses
1233:Accustomed to Her Face
1180:, 10 April 1909, p. 17
921:"Titles and the Stage"
839:Death Takes Actress",
818:Democrat and Chronicle
457:
431:The School for Scandal
371:Duke of York's Theatre
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328:The School for Scandal
244:
79:The School for Scandal
26:
1231:Nissen, Axel (2016).
1105:"The London Theatres"
1082:The Pall Mall Gazette
1021:"The London Theatres"
784:"Ellis Jeffreys Dies"
455:
398:Herbert Beerbohm Tree
384:She Stoops to Conquer
375:The Marriage of Kitty
325:As Lady Sneerwell in
324:
293:The Pall Mall Gazette
286:, an adaptation of a
275:The Prisoner of Zenda
235:
154:The Fringe of Society
119:Her Majesty's Theatre
95:Jeffreys was born in
73:She Stoops to Conquer
24:
1205:, 8 April 1909, p. 6
584:Return of a Stranger
203:Mrs Patrick Campbell
181:Haste to the Wedding
1135:, 29 May 1903, p. 7
811:Written at London.
782:Written at London.
742:Parker, pp. 494–495
674:Sir Arthur Sullivan
578:While Parents Sleep
566:Eliza Comes to Stay
560:Lilies of the Field
554:Where Is This Lady?
530:Tilly of Bloomsbury
474:The Flag Lieutenant
379:The Dear Unfair Sex
357:. After playing in
107:, London, with the
68:drawing room comedy
1297:Photos of Jeffreys
1131:"The Law Courts",
770:The Ottawa Citizen
548:The Barton Mystery
482:Her Husband's Wife
464:and Madge Bolt in
458:
349:The Prince Consort
333:
258:St James's Theatre
245:
144:'s company at the
49:'s company at the
27:
1242:978-0-7864-9732-4
1189:"His Majesty's",
1049:"Royalty Theatre"
841:The Times-Tribune
363:Haymarket Theatre
221:cast, along with
215:Gerald du Maurier
146:Criterion Theatre
51:Criterion Theatre
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373:in a revival of
359:On the Love Path
354:London Assurance
302:Weedon Grossmith
284:His Little Dodge
266:Allan Aynesworth
262:George Alexander
241:His Little Dodge
239:and Jeffreys in
158:The Headless Man
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789:The Gazette
618:or Olga in
590:Sweet Devil
448:Later years
426:A White Man
406:Kate Cutler
175:La Mascotte
91:Early years
1353:Categories
1158:16 October
1117:16 October
1089:16 October
1061:16 October
1033:16 October
993:16 October
965:16 October
954:The Sketch
933:16 October
889:16 October
825:16 October
796:16 October
688:References
420:'s comedy
410:Viola Tree
298:Fred Terry
270:Ruritanian
227:Fred Terry
131:The Sentry
123:Cinderella
1319:Biography
1133:The Times
882:The Times
861:The Stage
714:The Times
660:The Stage
646:The Times
616:Diplomacy
608:The Times
603:The Stage
572:Limelight
536:Leap Year
470:Diplomacy
280:Fay Davis
207:John Hare
136:La Cigale
42:La Cigale
1260:10013159
593:(1938).
219:Broadway
61:Broadway
37:West End
1343:England
1331:Theatre
1305:Portals
1285:at the
1225:Sources
1178:The Era
1110:The Era
1026:The Era
986:The Era
926:The Era
598:Chobham
504:at the
361:at the
311:The Era
290:farce.
288:Feydeau
260:, with
256:at the
97:Colombo
1258:
1239:
759:, 2013
620:Fedora
610:said:
478:Fedora
337:George
331:, 1909
314:said:
243:(1896)
631:Notes
496:with
272:play
163:Betsy
1278:IMDb
1256:OCLC
1237:ISBN
1160:2023
1119:2023
1091:2023
1063:2023
1035:2023
995:2023
967:2023
959:LIII
935:2023
891:2023
827:2023
798:2023
649:and
408:and
304:and
264:and
225:and
213:and
178:and
76:and
1276:at
416:in
209:,
205:,
101:née
1355::
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1051:.
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983:.
957:.
951:.
923:.
899:^
879:.
868:^
848:^
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786:.
755:,
721:^
705:^
404:,
400:,
387:.
300:,
229:.
184:.
172:,
166:,
160:,
156:,
152:,
63:.
1307::
1262:.
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622:.
138:,
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