Fred Terry (November 9, 1863 – April 12, 1933) was an English actor and theatrical manager.
Biography
Terry was born in London into a theatrical family. His parents, Benjamin (1818–1896) and Sarah (née Ballard)(1819–1892), were comic actors in a touring company based in Portsmouth[1] and had eleven children, at least five of whom became actors: Ellen (the era's pre-eminent Shakespearean actress), Kate, Florence, Fred and Marion. Two other children, George and Charles, were connected with theatre management.[2] Terry's great nephew (Kate's grandson), Sir John Gielgud, became one of the twentieth century's most respected actors.[3][4] Terry married the actress Julia Neilson.
His first stage appearance was at the Haymarket Theatre in 1880. During his career he played in all the principal cities of the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada. In 1900, with his wife, he assumed the management of the Haymarket Theatre, and in 1915 of the Strand Theatre, producing and starring in Sweet Nell of Old Drury. They would continue to produce plays together for the next 30 years, most notably, The Scarlet Pimpernel (first produced in 1903), which they also starred in and adapted for the stage from Baroness Orczy's manuscript. Despite scathing reviews from the critics, the play was a record-breaking hit and played for more than 2000 performances, then enjoying numerous revivals. Terry played at the New Theatre, London, part of each year between 1905 and 1912. He toured regularly with his wife in the 1920s, mainly in the romantic historical dramas that they enjoyed playing together.
Terry was the father of Phyllis Neilson-Terry.
References
External links
- Fred Terry at the Internet Broadway Database
- Fred Terry at the Internet Movie Database
- Information and photos of Terry and Neilson
- Fred Terry at Find a Grave
- Discussion of the creation of The Scarlet Pimpernel
- This article incorporates text from an edition of the New International Encyclopedia that is in the public domain.
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