William Anthony Furness, 2nd Viscount Furness
Encyclopedia
William Anthony Furness, 2nd Viscount Furness (31 March 1929 - 1 May 1995), was a British peer.
Furness was born in Melton Mowbray
, England
, the only child of Marmaduke Furness, 1st Viscount Furness
, and his second wife, Thelma Furness, Viscountess Furness
(formerly Converse, née Morgan), an American socialite. He was the grandson Christopher Furness, 1st Baron Furness, of Furness Withy Shipping, and a first cousin of the American fashion designer Gloria Vanderbilt
.
Tony Furness, as he was known, was educated in England and in America and succeeded to the title in 1940 on the death of his father (his half brother Christopher Furness
was killed earlier that year in action at Arras
whilst serving with the Welsh Guards
).
When Lord Furness came of age, he decided to enter the House of Lords
and to take up his responsibilities as second viscount, rather than to live and work in America, his mother's home country. In the House he served on a series of committees and was, for many years, a mainstay of the Inter Parliamentary Union.
In addition to his parliamentary duties he also ran Furness Enterprises from his grandfather’s offices at 60 St James’s Street, which gave him easy access to his favourite clubs. In the fifties and sixties he was a theatrical producer or "angel", his preferred term, most particularly with the actor Alan Badel
, with whom he ran Furndel Productions, based at the Westminster Theatre
. Of these productions probably the 1959 production of Ulysses in Nighttown
, directed by Burgess Meredith
, which transferred from New York and ran in London and later in Paris, and James Saunders' The Ark (1960) were the most prestigious; although Furndel productions also mounted the London production of Gore Vidal
’s Visit to a Small Planet
. When his partnership with Alan Badel ended, he continued to work as a producer, most particularly through his financing of Jeremy Brett
's Hamlet, and a memorable production of Heartbreak House
at Wyndham's Theatre
, with Roger Livesey
as Captain Shotover.
During these years Lord Furness also had business ventures in America, on occasions with his old Californian school friend Larry Spector, later to be involved in music management and the financing and production of Easy Rider
.
For many years Lord Furness was an active member of the Royal Central Asian Society, now the Royal Society for Asian Affairs
. His theatrical and Central Asian interests culminated in his visit to Mongolia in 1960, in an attempt to bring the Mongolian National Opera to London. And although this did not succeed, due largely to difficulties made by the Russian government of the day, this interest did lead to the founding of The Anglo-Mongolian Society in 1963.
In addition to his work in business and in the theatre, Lord Furness was, from his early adult life, a knight of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. The Catholic Church was an extremely important part of his life, thus his work for the order was something he took very seriously. Eventually he became one of the first two English Professed Knights of
the Order since the reformation, the other being the late grandmaster of the Order of Malta, HMEH Fra Andrew Bertie.
On becoming a professed knight Lord Furness focused all his efforts on working for the Order and left England to reside in Martigny, as a tax exile
. He spent much time in Geneva, Switzerland, where he maintained an office.
He died in the Order’s Hospice of St John and St Elizabeth in London on 1 May 1995. Since he did not marry and had no children—according to an obituary, he took a vow of celibacy upon being rejected by the only woman he ever asked to marry him—the title became extinct.).
Furness was born in Melton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray is a town in the Melton borough of Leicestershire, England. It is to the northeast of Leicester, and southeast of Nottingham...
, 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...
, the only child of Marmaduke Furness, 1st Viscount Furness
Marmaduke Furness, 1st Viscount Furness
Marmaduke Furness, 1st Viscount Furness , known as The Lord Furness between 1912 and 1918, was a British businessman....
, and his second wife, Thelma Furness, Viscountess Furness
Thelma Furness, Viscountess Furness
Thelma, Viscountess Furness , born Thelma Morgan, was the woman who preceded Wallis Simpson in the affections of Edward VIII of the United Kingdom...
(formerly Converse, née Morgan), an American socialite. He was the grandson Christopher Furness, 1st Baron Furness, of Furness Withy Shipping, and a first cousin of the American fashion designer Gloria Vanderbilt
Gloria Vanderbilt
Gloria Laura Vanderbilt is an American artist, author, actress, heiress, and socialite most noted as an early developer of designer blue jeans...
.
Tony Furness, as he was known, was educated in England and in America and succeeded to the title in 1940 on the death of his father (his half brother Christopher Furness
Christopher Furness (VC)
Christopher Furness VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
was killed earlier that year in action at Arras
Arras
Arras is the capital of the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. The historic centre of the Artois region, its local speech is characterized as a Picard dialect...
whilst serving with the Welsh Guards
Welsh Guards
The Welsh Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division.-Creation :The Welsh Guards came into existence on 26 February 1915 by Royal Warrant of His Majesty King George V in order to include Wales in the national component to the Foot Guards, "..though the order...
).
When Lord Furness came of age, he decided to enter the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
and to take up his responsibilities as second viscount, rather than to live and work in America, his mother's home country. In the House he served on a series of committees and was, for many years, a mainstay of the Inter Parliamentary Union.
In addition to his parliamentary duties he also ran Furness Enterprises from his grandfather’s offices at 60 St James’s Street, which gave him easy access to his favourite clubs. In the fifties and sixties he was a theatrical producer or "angel", his preferred term, most particularly with the actor Alan Badel
Alan Badel
Alan Fernand Badel was a distinguished English stage actor who also appeared frequently in the cinema, radio and television and was noted for his richly textured voice which was once described as "the sound of tears".-Early life:...
, with whom he ran Furndel Productions, based at the Westminster Theatre
Westminster Theatre
The Westminster Theatre was a London theatre, on Palace Street in Westminster. It was originally built as the Charlotte Chapel in 1766, which was altered and given a new frontage for use as a cinema from 1924 onwards. It finally became a theatre in 1931 after radical alterations...
. Of these productions probably the 1959 production of Ulysses in Nighttown
Ulysses in Nighttown
Ulysses in Nighttown is a play based on an episode from the novel Ulysses by James Joyce that was adapted by Marjorie Barkentin and contains incidental music by Peter Link. The show opened Off-Broadway in 1958 with Zero Mostel to a long and successful run, earning Mostel an Obie Award...
, directed by Burgess Meredith
Burgess Meredith
Oliver Burgess Meredith , known professionally as Burgess Meredith, was an American actor in theatre, film, and television, who also worked as a director...
, which transferred from New York and ran in London and later in Paris, and James Saunders' The Ark (1960) were the most prestigious; although Furndel productions also mounted the London production of Gore Vidal
Gore Vidal
Gore Vidal is an American author, playwright, essayist, screenwriter, and political activist. His third novel, The City and the Pillar , outraged mainstream critics as one of the first major American novels to feature unambiguous homosexuality...
’s Visit to a Small Planet
Visit to a Small Planet
Visit to a Small Planet is a 1960 Paramount Pictures film starring Jerry Lewis, based on a play by Gore Vidal. It was released on February 4, 1960.-Plot:...
. When his partnership with Alan Badel ended, he continued to work as a producer, most particularly through his financing of Jeremy Brett
Jeremy Brett
Jeremy Brett , born Peter Jeremy William Huggins, was an English actor, most famous for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in four Granada TV series.-Early life:...
's Hamlet, and a memorable production of Heartbreak House
Heartbreak House
Heartbreak House is a play written by George Bernard Shaw, first published in 1919 and first played at the Garrick Theatre in 1920. According to A. C. Ward, the work argues that "cultured, leisured Europe" was drifting toward destruction, and that "Those in a position to guide Europe to safety...
at Wyndham's Theatre
Wyndham's Theatre
Wyndham's Theatre is a West End theatre, one of two opened by the actor/manager Charles Wyndham . Located on Charing Cross Road, in the City of Westminster, it was designed by W.G.R. Sprague about 1898, the architect of six other London theatres between then and 1916...
, with Roger Livesey
Roger Livesey
Roger Livesey was a British stage and film actor. He is most often remembered for the three Powell & Pressburger films in which he starred: The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, I Know Where I'm Going! and A Matter of Life and Death...
as Captain Shotover.
During these years Lord Furness also had business ventures in America, on occasions with his old Californian school friend Larry Spector, later to be involved in music management and the financing and production of Easy Rider
Easy Rider
Easy Rider is a 1969 American road movie written by Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Terry Southern, produced by Fonda and directed by Hopper. It tells the story of two bikers who travel through the American Southwest and South with the aim of achieving freedom...
.
For many years Lord Furness was an active member of the Royal Central Asian Society, now the Royal Society for Asian Affairs
Royal Society for Asian Affairs
The Royal Society for Asian Affairs is a learned society based in the United Kingdom, founded in 1901 to "promote greater knowledge and understanding of Central Asia and surrounding countries". The geographical extent of the Society's interest has since expanded to include the whole of Asia...
. His theatrical and Central Asian interests culminated in his visit to Mongolia in 1960, in an attempt to bring the Mongolian National Opera to London. And although this did not succeed, due largely to difficulties made by the Russian government of the day, this interest did lead to the founding of The Anglo-Mongolian Society in 1963.
In addition to his work in business and in the theatre, Lord Furness was, from his early adult life, a knight of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. The Catholic Church was an extremely important part of his life, thus his work for the order was something he took very seriously. Eventually he became one of the first two English Professed Knights of
the Order since the reformation, the other being the late grandmaster of the Order of Malta, HMEH Fra Andrew Bertie.
On becoming a professed knight Lord Furness focused all his efforts on working for the Order and left England to reside in Martigny, as a tax exile
Tax exile
A tax exile is one who chooses to leave a country with a high tax burden and instead to reside in a foreign nation or jurisdiction which takes a lower portion of earnings. Going into tax exile is a means of tax mitigation or avoidance.-Legal status:...
. He spent much time in Geneva, Switzerland, where he maintained an office.
He died in the Order’s Hospice of St John and St Elizabeth in London on 1 May 1995. Since he did not marry and had no children—according to an obituary, he took a vow of celibacy upon being rejected by the only woman he ever asked to marry him—the title became extinct.).