George Sutton Titheradge
Encyclopedia
George Sutton Titheradge (9 December 1848 – 22 January 1916) was an English-Australian actor
.
Titheradge was born at Portsea
, England
, eldest son of George Robert Titheradge (an accountant) and Sarah Isabelle Emblim. He made his first appearance on the stage at the Theatre Royal
, Portsmouth
, subsequently supported Charles Dillon
in Shakespearian plays, and in 1873 played the junior lead at Bristol
. In 1876 he was Joseph Surface in the Chippendale classical company, and in the same year played Hamlet
at Calcutta. On 1 January 1877 he was the Herald at the Calcutta Durbar and proclaimed Queen Victoria Empress of India. He made his first appearance in London on 6 October 1877, and on 8 April 1878 played Iago
to the Othello
of Henry Forrester.
Titheradge visited India a second time and, going on to Australia
, made his first appearance there in May 1879 as Lord Arthur Chilton in False Shame. He joined the London Comedy Company at Sydney
in 1880. After a world tour including the United States
, Titheradge was engaged in 1883 by James Cassius Williamson and Garner to come to Australia and play Wilfred Denver in The Silver King. He made a great success in this character, and in leading parts in other popular dramas of the period. He joined the Brough and Boucicault
company in 1887, and for ten years played lead in plays by Robertson, Grundy, Jones, Pinero and other dramatists of the period. There was one Shakespearian production, Much Ado About Nothing
, in which Titheradge was an excellent Benedick to the Beatrice of Mrs Brough.
Titheradge must have played something like 100 parts in Australia, not one without distinction, and many seemed almost faultless. Possibly his Aubrey Tanqueray and Village Priest returned most often to the memories of play-goers of the time. He went to London in 1898, and played with success with Mrs Patrick Campbell
, including his old part of Aubrey Tanqueray, and was with her company in America in 1902, among his parts being Schwartze in Magda. In January 1903 he played Professor Rubeck at the Imperial Theatre, London, in Ibsen's When We Dead Awaken, and later in the year toured America with Henry Miller and Margaret Anglin in Camille, The Devil's Disciple, and other plays. He was in the United States again late in 1905, and toured with Sothern and Julia Marlowe.
In England in 1907 Titheradge was with Sir John Hare
's company in Caste by Thomas W. Robertson and A Pair of Spectacles by Sydney Grundy
. He returned to Australia in 1908 and in that year and in 1909 played in The Thief, The Taming of the Shrew
, The Village Priest, The Silver King, and other plays. There was a benefit performance for him in December 1910 at which George Rignold
made his last appearance. During the remainder of his life Titheradge made only occasional appearances, among them being in The Village Priest, with Mrs Brough in 1912, Shylock
to the Portia of Ellen Terry
at her benefit at Sydney in 1914, and George II in a Lewis Waller production of A Fair Highwayman. He died at Sydney on 22 January 1916.
He married Isabella Maria Murdoch in 1871, and there were three children of the marriage. Following a divorce in 1884, he married Alma Santon. They had a son and six daughters, of whom Madge Titheradge
, born in Melbourne in 1887, made a reputation as an actress in London, playing many leading parts. The son, Dion Titheradge, born in Melbourne in 1889, after experience as an actor in Australia, U.S.A., and England, became well-known as a producer and author of many plays and scenarios.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
.
Titheradge was born at Portsea
Portsea
Portsea is an area of the English city of Portsmouth, located on Portsea Island, within the ceremonial county of Hampshire.The area was originally known as the Common and lay between the town of Portsmouth and the nearby Dockyard. The Common started to be developed at the end of the seventeenth...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, eldest son of George Robert Titheradge (an accountant) and Sarah Isabelle Emblim. He made his first appearance on the stage at the Theatre Royal
New Theatre Royal
The New Theatre Royal is a Victorian theatre in the centre of Portsmouth, Hampshire, United Kingdom. The building was constructed in 1854 as Landport Hall. It was converted to a theatre two years later. It was rebuilt in 1884 by Charles J. Phipps and again in 1900 by Frank Matcham...
, Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
, subsequently supported Charles Dillon
Charles Dillon
Charles J. Dillon was an English actor-manager and tragedienne.In 1840, he appeared at the City Theatre, London, as Hamlet, giving a performance which attracted some critical attention. He toured extensively, to improve his reputation. Becoming actor-manager of the Theatre Royal, Wolverhampton in...
in Shakespearian plays, and in 1873 played the junior lead at Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
. In 1876 he was Joseph Surface in the Chippendale classical company, and in the same year played Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
at Calcutta. On 1 January 1877 he was the Herald at the Calcutta Durbar and proclaimed Queen Victoria Empress of India. He made his first appearance in London on 6 October 1877, and on 8 April 1878 played Iago
Iago
Iago is a fictional character in Shakespeare's Othello . The character's source is traced to Giovanni Battista Giraldi Cinthio's tale "Un Capitano Moro" in Gli Hecatommithi . There, the character is simply "the ensign". Iago is a soldier and Othello's ancient . He is the husband of Emilia,...
to the Othello
Othello
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
of Henry Forrester.
Titheradge visited India a second time and, going on to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, made his first appearance there in May 1879 as Lord Arthur Chilton in False Shame. He joined the London Comedy Company at Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1880. After a world tour including the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Titheradge was engaged in 1883 by James Cassius Williamson and Garner to come to Australia and play Wilfred Denver in The Silver King. He made a great success in this character, and in leading parts in other popular dramas of the period. He joined the Brough and Boucicault
Dion Boucicault
Dionysius Lardner Boursiquot , commonly known as Dion Boucicault, was an Irish actor and playwright famed for his melodramas. By the later part of the 19th century, Boucicault had become known on both sides of the Atlantic as one of the most successful actor-playwright-managers then in the...
company in 1887, and for ten years played lead in plays by Robertson, Grundy, Jones, Pinero and other dramatists of the period. There was one Shakespearian production, Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy written by William Shakespeare about two pairs of lovers, Benedick and Beatrice, and Claudio and Hero....
, in which Titheradge was an excellent Benedick to the Beatrice of Mrs Brough.
Titheradge must have played something like 100 parts in Australia, not one without distinction, and many seemed almost faultless. Possibly his Aubrey Tanqueray and Village Priest returned most often to the memories of play-goers of the time. He went to London in 1898, and played with success with Mrs Patrick Campbell
Mrs Patrick Campbell
Mrs Patrick Campbell was a British stage actress.-Early life and marriages:Campbell was born Beatrice Stella Tanner in Kensington, London, to John Tanner and Maria Luigia Giovanna, daughter of Count Angelo Romanini...
, including his old part of Aubrey Tanqueray, and was with her company in America in 1902, among his parts being Schwartze in Magda. In January 1903 he played Professor Rubeck at the Imperial Theatre, London, in Ibsen's When We Dead Awaken, and later in the year toured America with Henry Miller and Margaret Anglin in Camille, The Devil's Disciple, and other plays. He was in the United States again late in 1905, and toured with Sothern and Julia Marlowe.
In England in 1907 Titheradge was with Sir John Hare
John Hare (actor)
Sir John Hare , born John Fairs, was an English actor and manager of the Garrick Theatre in London from 1889 to 1895.-Biography:Hare was born in Giggleswick in Yorkshire and was educated at Giggleswick school...
's company in Caste by Thomas W. Robertson and A Pair of Spectacles by Sydney Grundy
Sydney Grundy
Sydney Grundy was an English dramatist. Most of his works were adaptations of European plays, and many became successful enough to tour throughout the English-speaking world...
. He returned to Australia in 1908 and in that year and in 1909 played in The Thief, The Taming of the Shrew
The Taming of the Shrew
The Taming of the Shrew is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1591.The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the Induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunken tinker named Sly into believing he is actually a nobleman himself...
, The Village Priest, The Silver King, and other plays. There was a benefit performance for him in December 1910 at which George Rignold
George Rignold
George Richard Rignold, born George Richard Rignall, was an English-born actor, active in Australia.-Early life:...
made his last appearance. During the remainder of his life Titheradge made only occasional appearances, among them being in The Village Priest, with Mrs Brough in 1912, Shylock
Shylock
Shylock is a fictional character in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice.-In the play:In The Merchant of Venice, Shylock is a Jewish moneylender who lends money to his Christian rival, Antonio, setting the security at a pound of Antonio's flesh...
to the Portia of Ellen Terry
Ellen Terry
Dame Ellen Terry, GBE was an English stage actress who became the leading Shakespearean actress in Britain. Among the members of her famous family is her great nephew, John Gielgud....
at her benefit at Sydney in 1914, and George II in a Lewis Waller production of A Fair Highwayman. He died at Sydney on 22 January 1916.
He married Isabella Maria Murdoch in 1871, and there were three children of the marriage. Following a divorce in 1884, he married Alma Santon. They had a son and six daughters, of whom Madge Titheradge
Madge Titheradge
Madge Titheradge was an actress, born into a theatrical family in Melbourne, Australia.-Biography:Her father was the English-born actor George Sutton Titheradge, and the eleven-year-old Madge had already done stage work with Australia's Brough-Boucicault and Bland Holt companies when the family...
, born in Melbourne in 1887, made a reputation as an actress in London, playing many leading parts. The son, Dion Titheradge, born in Melbourne in 1889, after experience as an actor in Australia, U.S.A., and England, became well-known as a producer and author of many plays and scenarios.