Laurence Irving
Encyclopedia
Laurence Sydney Brodribb Irving (1871-1914) was an English
dramatist and novelist.
actor manager, Sir Henry Irving and his wife Florence (née
O'Callaghan), and brother to actor manager Harry Brodribb Irving
. He was educated at Marlborough College
and the College Rollin in Paris
, following which he was in Russia
for three years studying for the Foreign Office. However, instead he took up acting, making his first appearance in 1893 in F. R. Benson's theatrical company. He went on to become a dramatist. Due to the financial failure of one of Laurence's plays, his father was forced to sell the Lyceum Theatre, London. Irving was married to a fellow performer, actress Mabel Lucy Hackney (1880-1914).
Laurence and Mabel were on a tour of first Australia and then North America from 1912 to 1914. Their biggest success on the tour was Laurence's own play Typhoon which was a topical play set in the time of the Russo-Japanese War, with Laurence playing a Japanese officer.
Laurence and Mabel Irving later drowned in the RMS Empress of Ireland disaster on 29 May 1914. Reports in the news accounts of the tragedy
say that they got separated and Laurence was in a position of temporary safety, but he knew Mabel could not swim and he jumped back into the St. Lawrence River to rescue her. Their bodies were never found.
He is not to be confused with the son of his older brother Harry Brodribb Irving
, the set-designer Laurence Irving
, who wrote the highly-regarded and definitive biographies Henry Irving, the Actor and his World and The Successors.
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...
dramatist and novelist.
Life and career
Laurence Irving was a son of the great VictorianVictorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
actor manager, Sir Henry Irving and his wife Florence (née
Married and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
O'Callaghan), and brother to actor manager Harry Brodribb Irving
Harry Brodribb Irving
Harry Brodribb Irving , was a British stage actor and actor-manager; the eldest son of Sir Henry Irving and his wife Florence , and father of designer Laurence Irving and actress Elizabeth Irving....
. He was educated at Marlborough College
Marlborough College
Marlborough College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located in Marlborough, Wiltshire.Founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, the school now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. Currently there are just over 800...
and the College Rollin in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, following which he was in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
for three years studying for the Foreign Office. However, instead he took up acting, making his first appearance in 1893 in F. R. Benson's theatrical company. He went on to become a dramatist. Due to the financial failure of one of Laurence's plays, his father was forced to sell the Lyceum Theatre, London. Irving was married to a fellow performer, actress Mabel Lucy Hackney (1880-1914).
Laurence and Mabel were on a tour of first Australia and then North America from 1912 to 1914. Their biggest success on the tour was Laurence's own play Typhoon which was a topical play set in the time of the Russo-Japanese War, with Laurence playing a Japanese officer.
Laurence and Mabel Irving later drowned in the RMS Empress of Ireland disaster on 29 May 1914. Reports in the news accounts of the tragedy
Tragedy (event)
A tragedy is an event in which one or more losses, usually of human life, occurs that is viewed as mournful. Such an event is said to be tragic....
say that they got separated and Laurence was in a position of temporary safety, but he knew Mabel could not swim and he jumped back into the St. Lawrence River to rescue her. Their bodies were never found.
He is not to be confused with the son of his older brother Harry Brodribb Irving
Harry Brodribb Irving
Harry Brodribb Irving , was a British stage actor and actor-manager; the eldest son of Sir Henry Irving and his wife Florence , and father of designer Laurence Irving and actress Elizabeth Irving....
, the set-designer Laurence Irving
Laurence Irving (set designer)
Squadron Leader Laurence Irving OBE was an artist, book illustrator and Hollywood set designer and art director, the son of actors H. B. Irving and Dorothea Baird, and the biographer of his grandfather, the noted Victorian era actor Henry Irving. His sister was the actress and founder of the Keep...
, who wrote the highly-regarded and definitive biographies Henry Irving, the Actor and his World and The Successors.