Lawrence Grossmith
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Grossmith was a British
actor, the son of Gilbert and Sullivan
performer George Grossmith
and the brother of actor George Grossmith, Jr.
, famous for his roles in the Savoy Operas, and Emmeline Rosa Noyce (d. 1905). His uncle was the actor Weedon Grossmith
. Lawrence Grossmith attended the University of Cambridge
in the late 1890s, where he was a member of the famous Footlights
, and for whom he directed plays.
In his stage appearances, Grossmith usually played the leading man, and often appeared in America, taking major roles in such musicals
as The White Chrysanthemum
(1905), About Town (1906), Havana
(1908), Are You There?
(1913), Nobody Home (1915), Flora Bella (1916), Love o' Mike (1917), and The Cat and the Fiddle
(1931), as well as in such plays as Too Many Husbands
(1919) and Call It a Day (1936). Among others, he appeared in the films The Brass Bottle (1914), Counsel's Opinion
(1933), Tiger Bay
(1934), The Private Life of Don Juan
(1934), Silver Blaze
(1937) The Girl in the Taxi
(1937), Captain Fury
(1939), No Time for Comedy
(1940), and Gaslight
(1944).
Grossmith was married to Coralie Blythe and was the brother-in-law of Vernon Castle. He died on 21 February 1944 at Woodland Hills, Los Angeles
, California
, and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in New York
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
actor, the son of Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the librettist W. S. Gilbert and the composer Arthur Sullivan . The two men collaborated on fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which H.M.S...
performer George Grossmith
George Grossmith
George Grossmith was an English comedian, writer, composer, actor, and singer. His performing career spanned more than four decades...
and the brother of actor George Grossmith, Jr.
Life and career
Grossmith was born in London, the son of the actor George GrossmithGeorge Grossmith
George Grossmith was an English comedian, writer, composer, actor, and singer. His performing career spanned more than four decades...
, famous for his roles in the Savoy Operas, and Emmeline Rosa Noyce (d. 1905). His uncle was the actor Weedon Grossmith
Weedon Grossmith
Walter Weedon Grossmith , better known as Weedon Grossmith, was an English writer, painter, actor and playwright, best known as co-author of The Diary of a Nobody with his famous brother, music hall comedian and Gilbert and Sullivan star, George Grossmith...
. Lawrence Grossmith attended the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
in the late 1890s, where he was a member of the famous Footlights
Footlights
Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club, commonly referred to simply as the Footlights, is an amateur theatrical club in Cambridge, England, founded in 1883 and run by the students of Cambridge University....
, and for whom he directed plays.
In his stage appearances, Grossmith usually played the leading man, and often appeared in America, taking major roles in such musicals
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
as The White Chrysanthemum
The White Chrysanthemum
The White Chrysanthemum is an English musical in three acts by Arthur Anderson and Leedham Bantock, with lyrics by Anderson and music by Howard Talbot). It opened at the Criterion Theatre, produced by Frank Curzon, on 31 August 1905 and ran for 179 performances, closing on 10 February 1906...
(1905), About Town (1906), Havana
Havana (Edwardian musical)
Havana is an Edwardian musical comedy in three acts, with a book by George Grossmith, Jr. and Graham Hill, music by Leslie Stuart, lyrics by Adrian Ross and additional lyrics by George Arthurs. It premiered on 25 April 1908 at the Gaiety Theatre, London, starring Evie Greene as Consuelo, W. H....
(1908), Are You There?
Are You There?
Are You There? is a "farcical musical play in two acts" composed by Ruggero Leoncavallo with a book by Albert de Courville and lyrics by Edgar Wallace. It premièred unsuccessfully on 1 November 1913 at The Prince of Wales's Theatre, London to a rowdy audience which almost became a riot...
(1913), Nobody Home (1915), Flora Bella (1916), Love o' Mike (1917), and The Cat and the Fiddle
The Cat and the Fiddle (musical)
The Cat and the Fiddle is a musical with music by Jerome Kern, and lyrics and book by Otto Harbach.-Productions:The original Broadway production opened at the Globe Theatre on October 15, 1931, moved to the George M. Cohan Theater on May 24, 1932, and ran for a total of 395 performances. The show...
(1931), as well as in such plays as Too Many Husbands
Too Many Husbands
Too Many Husbands is a 1940 romantic comedy film about a woman who loses her husband in a boating accident and remarries, only to have her first spouse reappear. The film stars Jean Arthur, Fred MacMurray and Melvyn Douglas, and is based on the 1919 play "Home and Beauty" by W. Somerset Maugham...
(1919) and Call It a Day (1936). Among others, he appeared in the films The Brass Bottle (1914), Counsel's Opinion
Counsel's Opinion
Counsel's Opinion is a 1933 British romantic comedy film starring Henry Kendall and Binnie Barnes. It was one of three films directed in Britain in the early 1930s by Canadian-American Allan Dwan and was an early production from Alexander Korda's London Films...
(1933), Tiger Bay
Tiger Bay (1934 film)
Tiger Bay is a 1934 British film, starring the Chinese-American actor Anna May Wong, and directed by J. Elder Wills.The film is about a young Englishman abroad, Michael, who deliberately visits a tough Chinese district of Tiger Bay to test his strength. He falls in love and battles a protection...
(1934), The Private Life of Don Juan
The Private Life of Don Juan
The Private Life of Don Juan is a 1934 British comedy-drama film about the life of an aging Don Juan, based on the 1920 play L'homme à la Rose by Henry Bataille. The movie stars Douglas Fairbanks and Merle Oberon.-Plot:...
(1934), Silver Blaze
Silver Blaze (film)
Silver Blaze is a 1937 British, black-and-white, crime and mystery, directed by Thomas Bentley, starring Arthur Wontner as Sherlock Holmes, Ian Fleming as Dr. Watson and Ronald Shiner as Simpson the Stable Boy / Jockey...
(1937) The Girl in the Taxi
The Girl in the Taxi (1937 film)
The Girl in the Taxi is a 1937 British musical comedy film directed by André Berthomieu and starring Frances Day, Henri Garat and Lawrence Grossmith...
(1937), Captain Fury
Captain Fury
Captain Fury is a 1939 adventure film directed by Hal Roach. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Art Direction by Charles D. Hall.-Cast:* Brian Aherne - Captain Michael Fury* Victor McLaglen - Blackie* Paul Lukas - Francois Dupre...
(1939), No Time for Comedy
No Time for Comedy
No Time for Comedy is a 1940 comedy-drama film based on the play of the same name by S. N. Behrman, starring James Stewart, Rosalind Russell, Genevieve Tobin and Charles Ruggles.-Plot summary:...
(1940), and Gaslight
Gaslight
Gaslight may refer to:* Gas lighting, the use of flammable gas such as natural gas as a light source* Gaslighting, a form of psychological abuse* Gas Light a Patrick Hamilton stage play...
(1944).
Grossmith was married to Coralie Blythe and was the brother-in-law of Vernon Castle. He died on 21 February 1944 at Woodland Hills, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
External links
- Lawrence Grossmith on the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- Photograph of Grossmith on the National Library of AustraliaNational Library of AustraliaThe National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
website - Grossmith on Find A Grave
- Grossmith on the Complete Index to World Film
- Lawrence Grossmith on the Internet Broadway DatabaseInternet Broadway DatabaseThe Internet Broadway Database is an online database of Broadway theatre productions and their personnel. It is operated by the Research Department of The Broadway League, a trade association for the North American commercial theatre community....