Johnston Forbes-Robertson
Sir Johnston Forbes - Robertson ( born January 16, 1853 in London, † November 6, 1937 in St. Margaret 's Bay, Dover ) was a major English theater actor and manager. He was considered the best Hamlet - actor of the 19th century.
Life
Johnston Forbes - Robertson was born as the eldest of eleven children, the son of John Forbes - Robertson, a theater critic and journalist from Aberdeen, and his wife Frances. One of his sisters and two of his brothers were also actors. The famous actress Maxine Elliott was his sister in law.
Forbes - Robertson attended the independent school Charterhouse. Because he wanted to be an artist originally, he studied three years at the Royal Academy of Arts to him Samuel Phelps (1804-1878), a leading Shakespearean actor, invited her to come to him. The theater career began when William Gorman Wills saw him at a private theater performance and offered him a role in 1874 as Chastelard in his play Mary Queen of Scots. The numerous engagements Forbes - Robertson in 1885 in the USA, where he worked with Henry Irving and first in a series of pieces, the second main role played until he established himself as Hamlet - actor.
Forbes - Robertson was married to Gertrude May Dermot Elliot ( 1874-1950 ). She was also an actress and appeared in 1895 at the age of 20 years for the first time on stage. In 1899, the two met at Nat Goodwin's English Theatre Company. A year later they married. From now on, they were on tour together, and May played Forbes - Robertson's partner in many Shakespeare plays, most recently at his farewell performance in 1913 at London's Drury Lane Theatre. However, May did not sit down to rest but still guested in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. Your last major role was in 1936 as Gertrude in Hamlet, a production at New York's Imperial Theatre.
Forbes - Robertson was considered one of the most individual and refined British actor. Tall and thin, he had a great speaking voice and a beautiful, elegant way to games. New friends he was with George Sutherland - Leveson - Gower, 5th Duke of Sutherland. Most recently, he produced pieces by George Bernard Shaw and Jerome K. Jerome.
His marriage to Gertrude May Dermot following children were born:
- Maxine Frances Mary Forbes - Robertson ( * 1901)
- Jean Forbes - Robertson (1905-1962), actress
- Chloe Forbes - Robertson ( * 1909)
- Diana Forbes - Robertson (1914-1988), writer
- John Forbes - Robertson (1928-2008), actor