Cora Goffin (26 April 1902 – 10 June 2004) later known as Lady Littler, was a British actress on the London stage, in

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment, generally combining gender-crossing actors and topical humour with a story more or less based on a well-known fairy tale, fable or ...

, and in two silent films.

Early life

Cora Gwynne Poole Goffin was born in

Hampstead Hampstead () is an area in London, England, which lies northwest of Charing Cross, located mainly in the London Borough of Camden, with a small part in the London Borough of Barnet. It borders Highgate and Golders Green to the north, Belsiz ...

in 1902, the daughter and namesake of actress Cora Poole. She was on stage from childhood, with her mother's instruction and encouragement.

Career

Cora Goffin was an actress on the London stage from her teens, where she often played children, including boys. She played

Little Lord Fauntleroy ''Little Lord Fauntleroy'' is a children's novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It was published as a serial in ''St. Nicholas Magazine'' from November 1885 to October 1886, then as a book by Charles Scribner's Sons, Scribner's (the publisher of ...

, Colin in ''Mother Goose'', a principal boy in ''Jack and the Beanstalk'', and Alice in ''Alice in Wonderland'' (1913), sometimes billed as "Little Cora Goffin." "Cora cannot have been more than twelve years old, but she spoke the lines of her long part with the assurance of an old hand, danced on her toes like a little prima ballerina, and took her encores with the enviable enjoyment of unspoilt childhood," commented a reviewer in ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

''. She toured with the Juvenile Shakespeare Company, and starred in a touring production of ''

Sweet Lavender ''Sweet Lavender'' is a play in three acts by Arthur Wing Pinero, first performed in 1888. The sentimental and gently humorous story concerns the romance of Lavender Rolt and Clement Hale, and the complications impeding the course of true love. ...

''. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, she performed at a benefit show for the Soldiers' and Sailors' Dental Aid Fund. In 1923, she was the female lead in ''The Talk of the Town''. In 1926, she played the lead in ''

No, No, Nanette ''No, No, Nanette'' is a musical with a book by Otto Harbach and Frank Mandel based on Mandel's 1919 Broadway play ''My Lady Friends''; lyrics by Irving Caesar and Harbach; and music by Vincent Youmans. The farcical story centers on three coup ...

'' after

Binnie Hale Beatrice "Binnie" Mary Hale-Monro (22 May 1899 – 10 January 1984) was an English actress, singer and dancer. She was one of the most successful musical theatre stars in London in the 1920s and 1930s, able to sing leading roles in operetta ...

left the role. There were reports that she had her legs insured for £20,000 with

Lloyd's of London Lloyd's of London, generally known simply as Lloyd's, is a insurance and reinsurance market located in London, England. Unlike most of its competitors in the industry, it is not an insurance company; rather, Lloyd's is a corporate body gover ...

. She performed in pantomime shows produced by her husband in the 1930s, especially ''Aladdin''. She retired from the stage in 1940. Goffin appeared in two silent films produced by the Lambart Film Company: ''Romance and Reality'' (1921) and '' Down Under Donovan'' (1922). She sang on radio programs in the 1930s.

Personal life

Goffin married theatre manager

Emile Littler Sir Emile Littler (9 September 1903 – 23 January 1985), born Emile Richeux, was an English theatrical impresario, producer and author. Life and career Littler was born in Ramsgate, Kent, in the south east of England, the younger son in the fam ...

in 1933; there was a

Pathé News Pathé News was a producer of newsreels and documentaries from 1910 to 1970 in the United Kingdom. Its founder, Charles Pathé, was a pioneer of moving pictures in the silent era. The Pathé News archive is known today as "British Pathé". I ...

interview with them on their wedding day, which was a

Friday the 13th Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day in Western superstition. It occurs when the 13th day of the month in the Gregorian calendar falls on a Friday, which happens at least once every year but can occur up to three times in the same year ...

. The couple adopted two daughters in the 1950s. She became Lady Littler when Emile was knighted in 1974. Sir Emile Littler died in 1985 and Cora died in 2004, aged 102 years, in

Lewes Lewes () is the county town of East Sussex, England. The town is the administrative centre of the wider Lewes (district), district of the same name. It lies on the River Ouse, Sussex, River Ouse at the point where the river cuts through the Sou ...

, Sussex.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Goffin, Cora 1902 births 2004 deaths Actors from the London Borough of Camden Actresses from London British women in World War I British women centenarians English stage actresses People from Hampstead Wives of knights