38 Facts About Marie Tempest

Dame Mary Susan Etherington, known professionally as Marie Tempest, was an English singer and actress.

Marie Tempest was, at times, her own theatre manager during a career spanning 55 years.

Marie Tempest was instrumental in the founding of the actors' union Equity in Britain.

Marie Tempest's parents were Edwin Etherington, a stationer, and his wife, Sarah Mary.

Marie Tempest had a sister, Florence Etherington, who married the theatre manager Michael Levenston.

Marie Tempest was educated at Midhurst School and an Ursuline convent in Tildonk, Belgium.

Marie Tempest adopted as her stage name part of the name of Lady Susan Vane-Tempest, whom she referred to as her godmother.

Marie Tempest married Alfred Edward Izard, a professor at the Academy, in 1885.

Marie Tempest had a son named Norman in 1888, who would later be referred to in the press as "Norman Lennox", taking part of the surname of Tempest's second husband, Cosmo Gordon-Lennox, whom she married a decade later.

Marie Tempest debuted in 1885 as Fiametta in Franz Suppe's operetta Boccaccio at the Comedy Theatre in London, where she took the title role in Erminie by Edward Jakobowski.

Marie Tempest starred steadily in London for the next two years in light operas by Herve and Andre Messager, among others.

Marie Tempest became internationally famous for her performance in the title role in Dorothy by Alfred Cellier and BC Stephenson, which ran for a record-setting 931 performances.

In 1889 Marie Tempest was a replacement player in the title role of Cellier and Stephenson's Doris, brought in to save the flagging show.

Marie Tempest then toured the United States and Canada for a year with the J C Duff Comic Opera Company in operas including Carmen, Manon, Mignon, The Bohemian Girl and The Pirates of Penzance.

Marie Tempest returned to Broadway for the next three years in numerous productions including The Tyrolean, The Fencing Master by Reginald De Koven and Harry B Smith, and The Algerian.

An American critic wrote in 1894, "Miss Marie Tempest combines a voice of extraordinary pitch and sweetness with the dramatic fervor of an emotional actress to a greater degree probably than any other prima donna now upon the English speaking stage".

Marie Tempest could be a difficult star, and her arguments with Edwardes and some of her colleagues were well known.

Marie Tempest later said, "I was a self-important little baggage, who was more disliked than liked by managers in those days".

Marie Tempest felt that Edwardes was too strict and finally left San Toy in 1900, reportedly over a quarrel about her costume.

In 1898 Marie Tempest married again, to the actor-playwright Cosmo Gordon-Lennox, the son of Lord Alexander Gordon-Lennox.

Marie Tempest appeared in London in 1907 in The Truth at the Comedy Theatre, written and directed by and starring Dion Boucicault, though "it is the acting of Miss Tempest that people will go to see," said The Observer, "and they will not be disappointed".

Marie Tempest starred in Alfred Sutro's The Barrier in 1907.

Marie Tempest returned to America in 1909 for a two-year tour, and appearing in such plays as Caste and Vanity Fair.

Marie Tempest then began to manage the theatres in which she starred.

Marie Tempest leased The Duke of York's Theatre and produced a revival of The Marriage of Kitty.

Marie Tempest starred in her own productions in London theatres for the next few years.

Marie Tempest spent eight years, beginning in 1914, touring in America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Singapore, China, Japan and the Philippines.

Marie Tempest finally returned to England via America in 1922, reviving The Marriage of Kitty.

Marie Tempest created the role of Judith Bliss in Noel Coward's Hay Fever, in which she was followed in later revivals by leading actresses from Edith Evans to Judi Dench.

Marie Tempest's popularity continued in such shows as Passing Brompton Road by Jevan Brandon-Thomas and The Cat's Cradle by Aimee and Philip Stuart.

Marie Tempest had one more singing role in 1927 in The Marquise, written for her by Coward.

In later years, Marie Tempest became active in working for the good of the members of her profession.

Marie Tempest appeared in one act each from The Marriage of Kitty and Little Catherine, two of her most popular roles.

Marie Tempest was created a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1937, the year in which her third husband, Graham Browne, died.

Marie Tempest continued to act after this, though with less frequency.

That same year, Marie Tempest's home was bombed in London during the Blitz, and she lost most of her possessions.

Marie Tempest remarked, "Hitler has taken nearly everything from me but my life, but you can't live on regret".

Marie Tempest died in London in 1942, at the age of 78, and was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium.