Dorothy Brunton
Christine Dorothy Brunton (1890 – 5 June 1977), (some sources have "Christina") generally known as Dorothy Brunton or "Dot" was an Australian singer and actress prominent in musical comedy from 1915 to the mid '30s.
Biography
Her father, John Brunton, was a painter with theatrical experience in Scotland; her mother Cecily Christina was an actress. Dorothy was born shortly after their arrival in Australia.
She was educated at Presbyterian Ladies' College in Burwood, Victoria.[1] and at Alford House, Sydney.[2]
Her stage advancement was the stuff of Hollywood cliche: travelling around Australia and New Zealand with her father touring with the 1908 production The White Heather in his job as scene painter for Bland Holt, her singing talents being recognised by Grace Miller Ward, wife of Hugh J. Ward and developed towards musical theatre; picking up dancing skills from a famous teacher, Jennie Brenan,[3] acting as understudy and triumphantly filling the role when the star becomes ill, even taking parts she hadn't studied.[4]
Her first major engagement So Long Letty (1915–16) was with J. C. Williamson ("The Firm") to whom she stayed remarkably loyal. Other roles around this time were in High Jinks, Tonight's the Night, Canary Cottage, The Girl in the Taxi, Nellie Kelly and The Rise of Rosie O'Reilly.[5] In 1916 she appeared in a movie Seven Keys to Baldpate for J. C. Williamson Films.[2]
She left for America in 1917, where she played in Follow the Girl[6] then London (to the delight of Australian troops on leave), where she made a successful appearance in Shanghai at Drury Lane.[7]
She returned to Australia in 1920, playing in Yes Uncle! and Baby Bunting. She played for Hugh J. Ward 1924 and 1925, then The Climax for Hugh D. McIntosh in 1927, which "bombed" in London. Her "leading man" was frequently Guy Bates Post.
Selected performances
- 22 Apr 1908 The White Heather at Theatre Royal, Adelaide for Bland Holt
- 1914 Gypsy Love
- 1915 Hi Jinks
- 1915 The Girl in the Taxi
- 1916 So Long Letty
- Dec 1917 The Waltz Dream at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney for J. C. Williamson's New Comic Opera Company[2]
- 28 Aug 1918 Shanghai at Drury Lane Theatre as "Fan Tan"[2]
- 27 Oct 1923– Tons of Money at New Palace Theatre, Melbourne[8]
- 27 Jun 1925– Little Jessie James at Grand Opera House, Sydney[9]
- –19 Nov 1925 The Music Box at Grand Opera House, Sydney
- –25 June 1926 The Climax at Perth, Western Australia
- 20 June–14 July 1931 season Dearest Enemy, The Duchess of Danzig for J. C. Williamson at Theatre Royal, Adelaide
- 18 July 1931– season Dearest Enemy for J.C. Williamson in Perth, followed by The Duchess of Danzig and The Merry Widow
- Clara Gibbings (1934) – feature film for F. W. Thring
Personal
Dorothy married businessman Ben Dawson in 1931.[10] They moved to London in 1934; she returned to Australia in 1949 after the death of her husband. She had been badly injured in the London bombing and was suffering the effects of Parkinson's disease. She lived alone with a companion and died on 5 June 1977 at a hospice in Sydney and was cremated.
References
- ↑ Australian Dictionary of Biography
- 1 2 3 4 Porter, Hal Stars of Australian Stage and Screen Rigby Ltd, Adelaide 1965
- ↑ http://www.australiadancing.org/subjects/2821.html
- ↑ The Argus (Melbourne) 3 November 1923
- ↑ West, John Theatre in Australia Cassell Australia ISBN 0-7269-9266-6
- ↑ Sydney Morning Herald 14 January 1918
- ↑ Brisbane Courier 30 August 1918
- ↑ Argus (Melbourne) 23 October 1923
- ↑ Sydney Morning Herald 19 June 1925
- ↑ Sydney Morning Herald 17 August 1931
External links
- Article on Dorothy Brunton at History of Australia Theatre website
- Dorothy Brunton Australian theatre credits at AusStage
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