Jean Robertson (actress) explained

Jean Robertson
Birth Date:16 February 1893
Birth Place:Adelaide, South Australia
Death Place:Sydney, New South Wales
Occupation:Stage and screen actress
Spouse:Henry Herman Brose

Jean Robertson (16 February 1893 – 24 August 1967) was an Australian stage and screen actress.

Biography

Robertson was born on 16 February 1893[1] and grew up in Adelaide, South Australia. She performed with the Adelaide Repertory Theatre, before moving to Melbourne in 1914 to begin her professional career with the Julius Knight Company.[2] She also appeared with the George Willoughby Co. and J. C. Williamson Ltd.[3]

Her first screen role was as the angel in George Willoughby's first film, The Joan of Arc of Loos[4] and followed up as Margaret Rolfe in the 1916 Australian silent film, The Woman in the Case.[5] In 1917, she moved to America, where she starred as a Babylonian siren in The Wanderer on the New York stage the following year.[6] [7] She played the dope fiend in The Unknown Woman, with Lumsden Hare as her husband in New York in 1919.[8] While overseas she toured in productions to San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia and Toronto.[9] She appeared in the American 1922 film, Flesh and Spirit.

Back in New York she appeared in Lawful Larceny on Broadway, and transferred to London with the full production in 1922.[10] She subsequently toured England in If Winter Comes.

Robertson returned to Sydney in 1924[11] and appeared as Portia in The Merchant of Venice in Melbourne with Maurice Moscovich.[12] Following a successful run in The Outsider at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne,[13] the play's producer, Moscovich, invited Robertson to perform the role in London.[14] With Mosovich she toured New Zealand from June to August 1925 where the reviewer for the Evening Post described her in The Outsider as "one of the finest leading ladies we have seen. She possesses a lovely round voice, and uses all her grace and charm with telling effect."[15]

She starred as Mrs Webster in Ken G. Hall's 1940 comedy film, Dad Rudd, M.P. She filled the leading role in Schiller's play Mary Stuart in 1946 where her performance was described as "striking".[16]

Her stage career continued into the 1950s when she appeared in the leading role of Lady Jane Franklin in the play Jane My Love at the Theatre Royal in Hobart.[17]

Personal

Robertson married scientist Henry Herman Brose in London on 14 May 1927.[18] Their son, John Kelvin Brose, was born the following year.

Robertson died in Sydney on 24 August 1967. Her husband predeceased her in 1965.[19]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 10 - Jean Brose, née Robertson - Henry Herman Leopold Adolph Brose Guide to Records. 2021-08-08. Australian Science and Technology Heritage, University of Melbourne. en-gb.
  2. News: 11 July 1914. Miss Jean Robertson. 3. 2. The Mail (Adelaide). 115. South Australia. National Library of Australia. 9 August 2021.
  3. News: 2 January 1915. Busker's Budget. 4 (City Edition). Truth. 600. Western Australia. National Library of Australia. 9 August 2021.
  4. News: 8 July 1916. Jean Robertson. 55. 8. The Prahran Telegraph. 2855. Victoria, Australia. National Library of Australia. 9 August 2021.
  5. News: 7 May 1916. 'The Moving Row of Magic Shadow Shapes'. 19 (Sunday Edition). The Sun. 684. New South Wales, Australia. National Library of Australia. 9 August 2021.
  6. News: 14 April 1917. Mainly About People. XXXVI. 6 (Third edition). The Daily News. 13,156. Western Australia. National Library of Australia. 9 August 2021.
  7. News: 3 July 1918. The Prompter's Box. 3. The Herald. 13,131. Victoria, Australia. National Library of Australia. 9 August 2021.
  8. Web site: 1919-12-14. Image 25 of New York Tribune. 2021-08-09. Library of Congress.
  9. News: 22 March 1919. Every Woman. LIV. 18 (Night edition). The Journal. 14878. South Australia. National Library of Australia. 9 August 2021.
  10. News: 25 October 1922. Gossip of the Theatres. XXII. 38. Sydney Mail. 552. New South Wales, Australia. National Library of Australia. 9 August 2021.
  11. News: 16 August 1924. An Australian Actress. 16. The Daily Telegraph. 13,944. New South Wales, Australia. National Library of Australia. 9 August 2021.
  12. News: 29 November 1924. Leads in Three Countries. 17. The Herald. 14,832. Victoria, Australia. National Library of Australia. 9 August 2021.
  13. News: 29 December 1924. Woman's World. 12. The Herald. 14,855. Victoria, Australia. National Library of Australia. 9 August 2021.
  14. News: 15 January 1925. The Theatre & Its People. 25. Table Talk. 2058. Victoria, Australia. National Library of Australia. 9 August 2021.
  15. 1925-06-09. Moscovitch's Season. Evening Post. CIX. 188. 9. Papers Past.
  16. News: 1 December 1946. Striking Performance. VIII. 32. The Daily Telegraph. 3. New South Wales, Australia. National Library of Australia. 9 August 2021.
  17. News: 15 September 1951. Sydney Actress to Star in Play. CLXX. 7. The Mercury (Hobart). 25,191. Tasmania, Australia. National Library of Australia. 9 August 2021.
  18. News: 30 December 1927. Adelaide Folk in England. IX. 6 (Home edition). News. 1,392. South Australia. National Library of Australia. 9 August 2021.
  19. Web site: Robertson, Jean, actress. 2021-08-08. State Library of South Australia.

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