Evie Greene

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Greene in A Country Girl
Greene in A Country Girl

Edith Elizabeth ("Evie") Greene (1875 – 11 September 1917)[1] was a highly photographed English actress and vocalist who played in Edwardian musical comedies in London and on Broadway. She is most notable for starring as Dolores, the central character in the international hit musical Florodora, also singing on the world's first original cast album, recorded for this musical.[2]

[edit] Life and career

Greene was born at 82 Fratton Road in Portsmouth, England, in 1874 or 75 (the 1881 census shows her aged 6).[1] She was the daughter of Richard Bentley Greene, a retired naval officer, and his wife Edith. The 1891 census shows her as a sixteen-year-old "teacher of music".

Image from the National Portrait Gallery
Image from the National Portrait Gallery

Early in her career, Greene starred in pantomime in the provinces. She went on to star in hit musicals, most notably Florodora at the Lyric Theatre in London beginning in 1899,[3] as well as the title roles in Kitty Grey in 1900 and 1901 (Apollo Theatre), also starring Mabel Love and Edna May,[4] A Country Girl in 1903 (at Daly's Theatre),[5] as Madame Sans Gene in The Duchess of Dantzig in 1903 (at the Lyric Theatre),[6] and as Molly Montrose in The Little Cherub in 1906 (Prince of Wales's Theatre), with Lily Elsie, Gabrielle Ray and Zena Dare.[7]

Greene sang the role of the Plaintiff in a 1902 benefit performance of Trial by Jury, with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company stars and also Hayden Coffin, at which Lionel Monckton played the mute role of the Associate.[8] She also starred in operettas such as The Duchess of Dantzic at the Lyric Theatre in London in 1904 and at Daly's Theatre in New York in 1905,[9] Les Merveilleuses in 1906 at Daly's Theatre in London, and L'Amour Mouillé at the Lyric Theatre.[10] She also starred in the successful Havana in 1908 at the Gaiety Theatre, London.[11]

Greene appeared in 1915 in a revival of Florodora, earning good notices,[12] and performed through 1916, at least as late as 22 November of that year, at the London Palladium.[13]

She was married twice:[1] first in 1896 to Richard Temple, Jr., the son of the D'Oyly Carte principal bass, Richard Temple[14](divorced - abandonment), and then in 1910 to Captain Ernest Kennaway Arbuthnot. Her nephew was the actor Richard Greene, best known for playing Robin Hood in the 1950s British TV series The Adventures of Robin Hood.[1]

Greene died at the age of 42 at her parent's home, Parnholt, Southsea, Hampshire, England. Her husband became Chief Constable of Oxfordshire in 1921, remarried and had children.

[edit] References

Drawing of Greene in Kitty Grey
Drawing of Greene in Kitty Grey
  1. ^ a b c d Evie Greene (1878-1917). Stage Beauty. Retrieved on 24 May 2007.
  2. ^ Information about Florodora
  3. ^ Floradora. The Guide to Musical Theatre. Retrieved on 24 May 2007.
  4. ^ Press Clippings for the week ending Saturday, 13 July 2002. John Culme's Footlight Notes. Retrieved on 24 May 2007.
  5. ^ Information from the Play Pictorial website
  6. ^ Profile on Caryll noting Greene's role in the piece
  7. ^ Information from Stagebeauty.net
  8. ^ Lists several people who performed in that performance of Trial
  9. ^ The Duchess of Dantzic. Internet Broadway Database.
  10. ^ The English Illustrated Magazine, Vol. 25, no. 216 (Sept. 1901).
  11. ^ Information from the Play Pictorial website
  12. ^ From Footnote Lights website
  13. ^ From Footnote Lights website
  14. ^ The English Illustrated Magazine, Vol. 25, no. 216 (Sept. 1901), p. 560 available here

[edit] External links