Lionel Logue
Encyclopedia
Lionel George Logue CVO (26 February 188012 April 1953) was an Australian speech therapist and stage actor who successfully treated, among others, King George VI
, who had a pronounced stammer
.
, South Australia, the eldest of four children. His grandfather Edward Logue, originally from Dublin, set up Logue's Brewery in 1850, which, after Edward's death in 1868, would merge with the South Australian Brewing Company. His parents were George Edward Logue, an accountant at his grandfather's brewery who later managed the Burnside Hotel and Elephant and Castle Hotel, and Lavinia Rankin. He was also "a relation to Cardinal Logue", who was Catholic Archbishop of Armagh
and Primate of All Ireland in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He attended Prince Alfred College
as a schoolboy between 1889 and 1896. Unable to decide what to study, Logue came across Longfellow's
The Song of Hiawatha
:
What inspired Logue was the rhythm and he decided to put his interest in voices to good use. After leaving school at sixteen, he received elocution
training from Edward Reeves. Reeves had moved to Adelaide in 1878 and taught elocution to his pupils by day and gave popular recitals to audiences in Victoria Hall by night. Logue worked for Reeves as a secretary and assistant teacher from 1902, while studying music at the University of Adelaide
's Elder Conservatorium
. While working for Reeves, Logue began to give recitals of his own for which he was praised for his "clear, powerful voice."
After his father died on 17 November 1902, Logue set up his own practice as a teacher of elocution. By 1904, he had gained a good reputation and was receiving praise from the local newspapers. However, he decided to take a contract with an engineering firm some 2,000 km westward in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia installing electricity supply at a gold mine.
, where, in addition to teaching elocution, acting, and public speaking, he put on plays and recitations, and also founded a club for public speakers. He was also involved with Perth's Young Men's Christian Association and schools such as Methodist Ladies' College
, Loreto Convent
, Scotch College
, Perth Technical School, and Claremont Teachers College
.
In 1911, Logue set out on a tour of the world to study methods of public speaking. Following his return to Perth after the Great War, he developed treatments for Australian war veterans whose exposure to shell-shock had left them with impaired speech
. In addition to physical exercises, which helped with patients' breathing, Logue's distinctive therapy emphasised humour, patience, and "superhuman sympathy".
In 1924, Logue took his wife and three sons to England, ostensibly for a holiday. Once there, he took jobs teaching elocution at schools around London. In 1926, Logue opened a speech-defect practice at 146, Harley Street
. It was there that the Duke of York, the future King George VI, sought Logue's help. Logue used fees paid to him by wealthy clients to subsidise patients who could not afford to pay. Logue became a founding fellow of the College of Speech Therapists in 1944. In 1944, King George VI made Lionel Logue a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
. As declared prior to the closing credits of the film The King's Speech, "This high honour from a grateful King made [Logue] part of the only order of chivalry that specifically rewards acts of personal service to the Monarch."
dreaded public speaking because he suffered from a severe stammer
. His closing speech at the British Empire Exhibition
at Wembley
on 31 October 1925 proved an ordeal for speaker and listeners alike. The experience left the Duke resolved to find a way to manage his stammer, so he hired Logue in 1926.
Diagnosing poor co-ordination between the Duke's larynx
and thoracic diaphragm
, Logue prescribed vocal exercises which would occupy an hour daily. Logue's treatment gave the Duke confidence to relax and avoid tension-induced muscle spasms. As a result, he suffered only occasional hesitancy in speech. By 1927, he was speaking confidently and managed his address at the opening of the Old Parliament House
in Canberra
without stammering.
Logue's work with the Duke continued through the 1930s and 40s. He used tongue-twister
s to help King George VI rehearse for major speeches, his coronation, and his radio broadcasts to the British Empire
throughout World War II
. The two men remained friends until the King's death. The King personally recognised his friendship and gratitude to Logue by appointing him to the Royal Victorian Order
, first making Logue a member (MVO) in time for his coronation, on 11 May 1937 and later elevating him to commander (CVO) in 1944. However, his grade of CVO did not entitle him to use the prefix 'Sir'.
, Perth, on 20 March 1907. They had three sons, Valentine, Laurie and Anthony.
Logue was also a Freemason. He was initiated, passed and raised in 1908, and became Worshipful Master in 1919, he was a member of St. George's Lodge (now J.D. Stevenson St. George's Lodge No.6, Western Australian Constitution).
He lived in a 25-room Victorian villa called Beechgrove in Sydenham
from before 1933 until about 1940.
He died in London on 12 April 1953, with his funeral being held on 17 April in Holy Trinity, Brompton, and his body was cremated. The Queen and the Queen Mother both had representatives attend the funeral service.
about his grandfather's relationship with the Duke of York, who later became King George VI, entitled The King's Speech: How One Man Saved the British Monarchy. The short title was used for the 2010 British film The King's Speech, a historical drama written by David Seidler
in which Logue was played by Geoffrey Rush
and King George VI
was played by Colin Firth
. In February 2011, The King's Speech won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture
and Best Actor
for Colin Firth. (Both Rush and Helena Bonham Carter
were nominated as well, for Supporting Actor
and Best Supporting Actress
, respectively.)
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
, who had a pronounced stammer
Stuttering
Stuttering , also known as stammering , is a speech disorder in which the flow of speech is disrupted by involuntary repetitions and prolongations of sounds, syllables, words or phrases, and involuntary silent pauses or blocks in which the stutterer is unable to produce sounds...
.
Early life and family
Lionel Logue was born in AdelaideAdelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, South Australia, the eldest of four children. His grandfather Edward Logue, originally from Dublin, set up Logue's Brewery in 1850, which, after Edward's death in 1868, would merge with the South Australian Brewing Company. His parents were George Edward Logue, an accountant at his grandfather's brewery who later managed the Burnside Hotel and Elephant and Castle Hotel, and Lavinia Rankin. He was also "a relation to Cardinal Logue", who was Catholic Archbishop of Armagh
Archbishop of Armagh
The Archbishop of Armagh is the title of the presiding ecclesiastical figure of each of the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland in the region around Armagh in Northern Ireland...
and Primate of All Ireland in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He attended Prince Alfred College
Prince Alfred College
Prince Alfred College is an independent, day and boarding school for boys, located on Dequetteville Terrace, Kent Town, near the centre of Adelaide, South Australia...
as a schoolboy between 1889 and 1896. Unable to decide what to study, Logue came across Longfellow's
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was an American poet and educator whose works include "Paul Revere's Ride", The Song of Hiawatha, and Evangeline...
The Song of Hiawatha
The Song of Hiawatha
The Song of Hiawatha is an 1855 epic poem, in trochaic tetrameter, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, featuring an Indian hero and loosely based on legends and ethnography of the Ojibwe and other Native American peoples contained in Algic Researches and additional writings of Henry Rowe Schoolcraft...
:
What inspired Logue was the rhythm and he decided to put his interest in voices to good use. After leaving school at sixteen, he received elocution
Elocution
Elocution is the study of formal speaking in pronunciation, grammar, style, and tone.-History:In Western classical rhetoric, elocution was one of the five core disciplines of pronunciation, which was the art of delivering speeches. Orators were trained not only on proper diction, but on the proper...
training from Edward Reeves. Reeves had moved to Adelaide in 1878 and taught elocution to his pupils by day and gave popular recitals to audiences in Victoria Hall by night. Logue worked for Reeves as a secretary and assistant teacher from 1902, while studying music at the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
's Elder Conservatorium
Elder Conservatorium
The Elder Conservatorium of Music is Australia's senior academy of music and one of the country's most distinguished institutions for comprehensive education, professional training, and research in music...
. While working for Reeves, Logue began to give recitals of his own for which he was praised for his "clear, powerful voice."
After his father died on 17 November 1902, Logue set up his own practice as a teacher of elocution. By 1904, he had gained a good reputation and was receiving praise from the local newspapers. However, he decided to take a contract with an engineering firm some 2,000 km westward in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia installing electricity supply at a gold mine.
Professional career
Logue's professional career began in PerthPerth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, where, in addition to teaching elocution, acting, and public speaking, he put on plays and recitations, and also founded a club for public speakers. He was also involved with Perth's Young Men's Christian Association and schools such as Methodist Ladies' College
Methodist Ladies' College, Perth
The Methodist Ladies' College, Perth , is an independent, Uniting Church, day and boarding school for girls, located in Claremont, a western suburb of Perth, Western Australia....
, Loreto Convent
Loreto Convent, Claremont
Loreto Convent was a Catholic convent which operated as a girl's school in Claremont, Western Australia between 1901 and 1976.-History:Loreto Convent was founded by the Catholic Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1901, following their purchase of the Osborne Hotel in 1987.In 1963 the senior...
, Scotch College
Scotch College, Perth
Scotch College , is one of Australia's leading independent schools for boys, situated in Swanbourne, Western Australia, Australia. The school is a member of the Public Schools Association and is now a Uniting Church school, although it was founded in 1897 by the Presbyterian Church of Australia...
, Perth Technical School, and Claremont Teachers College
Claremont Teachers College
Claremont Teachers College was Western Australia’s first post-secondary teaching institution. It opened in 1902 and closed in 1981, when it became a College of Advanced Education and later a campus of Edith Cowan University. The building is on land between Goldsworthy, Princess and Bay Roads in the...
.
In 1911, Logue set out on a tour of the world to study methods of public speaking. Following his return to Perth after the Great War, he developed treatments for Australian war veterans whose exposure to shell-shock had left them with impaired speech
Speech and language pathology
Speech-Language Pathology specializes in communication disorders.The main components of speech production include: phonation, the process of sound production; resonance, opening and closing of the vocal folds; intonation, the variation of pitch; and voice, including aeromechanical components of...
. In addition to physical exercises, which helped with patients' breathing, Logue's distinctive therapy emphasised humour, patience, and "superhuman sympathy".
In 1924, Logue took his wife and three sons to England, ostensibly for a holiday. Once there, he took jobs teaching elocution at schools around London. In 1926, Logue opened a speech-defect practice at 146, Harley Street
Harley Street
Harley Street is a street in the City of Westminster in London, England which has been noted since the 19th century for its large number of private specialists in medicine and surgery.- Overview :...
. It was there that the Duke of York, the future King George VI, sought Logue's help. Logue used fees paid to him by wealthy clients to subsidise patients who could not afford to pay. Logue became a founding fellow of the College of Speech Therapists in 1944. In 1944, King George VI made Lionel Logue a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
. As declared prior to the closing credits of the film The King's Speech, "This high honour from a grateful King made [Logue] part of the only order of chivalry that specifically rewards acts of personal service to the Monarch."
Treatment of King George VI
Before he ascended to the throne, Albert, Duke of YorkGeorge VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
dreaded public speaking because he suffered from a severe stammer
Stuttering
Stuttering , also known as stammering , is a speech disorder in which the flow of speech is disrupted by involuntary repetitions and prolongations of sounds, syllables, words or phrases, and involuntary silent pauses or blocks in which the stutterer is unable to produce sounds...
. His closing speech at the British Empire Exhibition
British Empire Exhibition
The British Empire Exhibition was a colonial exhibition held at Wembley, Middlesex in 1924 and 1925.-History:It was opened by King George V on St George's Day, 23 April 1924. The British Empire contained 58 countries at that time, and only Gambia and Gibraltar did not take part...
at Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
on 31 October 1925 proved an ordeal for speaker and listeners alike. The experience left the Duke resolved to find a way to manage his stammer, so he hired Logue in 1926.
Diagnosing poor co-ordination between the Duke's larynx
Larynx
The larynx , commonly called the voice box, is an organ in the neck of amphibians, reptiles and mammals involved in breathing, sound production, and protecting the trachea against food aspiration. It manipulates pitch and volume...
and thoracic diaphragm
Thoracic diaphragm
In the anatomy of mammals, the thoracic diaphragm, or simply the diaphragm , is a sheet of internal skeletal muscle that extends across the bottom of the rib cage. The diaphragm separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity and performs an important function in respiration...
, Logue prescribed vocal exercises which would occupy an hour daily. Logue's treatment gave the Duke confidence to relax and avoid tension-induced muscle spasms. As a result, he suffered only occasional hesitancy in speech. By 1927, he was speaking confidently and managed his address at the opening of the Old Parliament House
Old Parliament House, Canberra
Old Parliament House, known formerly as the Provisional Parliament House, was the house of the Parliament of Australia from 1927 to 1988. The building began operation on 9 May 1927 as a temporary base for the Commonwealth Parliament after its relocation from Melbourne to the new capital, Canberra,...
in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
without stammering.
Logue's work with the Duke continued through the 1930s and 40s. He used tongue-twister
Tongue-twister
A tongue-twister is a phrase that is designed to be difficult to articulate properly, and can be used as a type of spoken word game. Some tongue-twisters produce results which are humorous when they are mispronounced, while others simply rely on the confusion and mistakes of the speaker for their...
s to help King George VI rehearse for major speeches, his coronation, and his radio broadcasts to the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
throughout World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The two men remained friends until the King's death. The King personally recognised his friendship and gratitude to Logue by appointing him to the Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, first making Logue a member (MVO) in time for his coronation, on 11 May 1937 and later elevating him to commander (CVO) in 1944. However, his grade of CVO did not entitle him to use the prefix 'Sir'.
Personal life
Logue married Myrtle Gruenert, a 21-year-old clerk, at St George's Anglican CathedralSt George's Cathedral, Perth
St George's Cathedral is the principal Anglican church in the city of Perth, Western Australia and the mother-church of the Anglican Diocese of Perth. It is located in St Georges Terrace in the centre of the city.- History:...
, Perth, on 20 March 1907. They had three sons, Valentine, Laurie and Anthony.
Logue was also a Freemason. He was initiated, passed and raised in 1908, and became Worshipful Master in 1919, he was a member of St. George's Lodge (now J.D. Stevenson St. George's Lodge No.6, Western Australian Constitution).
He lived in a 25-room Victorian villa called Beechgrove in Sydenham
Sydenham
Sydenham is an area and electoral ward in the London Borough of Lewisham; although some streets towards Crystal Palace Park, Forest Hill and Penge are outside the ward and in the London Borough of Bromley, and some streets off Sydenham Hill are in the London Borough of Southwark. Sydenham was in...
from before 1933 until about 1940.
He died in London on 12 April 1953, with his funeral being held on 17 April in Holy Trinity, Brompton, and his body was cremated. The Queen and the Queen Mother both had representatives attend the funeral service.
In popular culture
Logue's grandson, Mark, wrote a book with Peter ConradiPeter Conradi
Peter Conradi is a British author and journalist.-Biography:He is the author of The Red Ripper: Inside the Mind of Russia's Most Brutal Serial Killer ; Mad Vlad: Vladimir Zhirinovksy and the New Russian Nationalism and Hitler's Piano Player...
about his grandfather's relationship with the Duke of York, who later became King George VI, entitled The King's Speech: How One Man Saved the British Monarchy. The short title was used for the 2010 British film The King's Speech, a historical drama written by David Seidler
David Seidler
David Seidler is a British-American playwright and film and television writer. He was most successful for writing the play and the screenplay for the film The King's Speech, for which he won the Academy Award and a BAFTA for Best Original Screenplay.-Early life and family:Seidler was born in...
in which Logue was played by Geoffrey Rush
Geoffrey Rush
Geoffrey Roy Rush is an Australian actor and film producer. He is one of the few people who has won the "Triple Crown of Acting": an Academy Award, a Tony Award and an Emmy Award. He has won one Academy Award for acting , three British Academy Film Awards , two Golden Globe Awards and four Screen...
and King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
was played by Colin Firth
Colin Firth
SirColin Andrew Firth, CBE is a British film, television, and theatre actor. Firth gained wide public attention in the 1990s for his portrayal of Mr. Darcy in the 1995 television adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice...
. In February 2011, The King's Speech won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture
Academy Award for Best Picture
The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to artists working in the motion picture industry. The Best Picture category is the only category in which every member of the Academy is eligible not only...
and Best Actor
Academy Award for Best Actor
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
for Colin Firth. (Both Rush and Helena Bonham Carter
Helena Bonham Carter
Helena Bonham Carter is an English actress of film, stage, and television. She made her acting debut in a television adaptation of K. M. Peyton's A Pattern of Roses before winning her first film role as the titular character in Lady Jane...
were nominated as well, for Supporting Actor
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. Since its inception, however, the...
and Best Supporting Actress
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. Since its inception, however, the...
, respectively.)
External links
- Lionel Logue 'never swore in front of King George VI' from BBC Radio LeicesterBBC Radio LeicesterBBC Radio Leicester is the BBC Local Radio service for the English counties of Leicestershire and Rutland. The station broadcasts from studios in Leicester on 104.9 FM, on DAB, and via the BBC iPlayer.-History:...
- Bowen, C. (2002). Lionel Logue: Pioneer speech therapist.http://www.speech-language-therapy.com/ll.htm Retrieved 1 January 2011.
- Hutchinson, Norman C, Lionel Logue: the King's Mentor, self-published, Box Hill South, Victoria, Australia 2010.
- Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists. http://www.rcslt.org/about/docs/lionel_logue_letter Letter sent by Logue to George VI.
- Rare photo of Lionel Logue near the end of his life, from the U.K. National Archives