Cyril Francis Maude (24 April 1862 — 20 February 1951) was an English

actor-manager An actor-manager is a leading actor who sets up their own permanent theatrical company and manages the business, sometimes taking over a theatre to perform select plays in which they usually star. It is a method of theatrical production used co ...

Biography

Maude was born in London and educated at

Wixenford Wixenford is an area of the civil parish of Wokingham Without in which Ludgrove School stands. It adjoins Wokingham and is in the English county of Berkshire. Name The area was developed by the former Wixenford School, which closed in 1934. That ...

and

Charterhouse School Charterhouse is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) in Godalming, Surrey, England. Founded by Thomas Sutton in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian monastery in Charter ...

. In 1881, he was sent to

Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...

, on the clipper ship ''

City of Adelaide The City of Adelaide, also known as the Corporation of the City of Adelaide and Adelaide City Council, is a Local government in Australia, local government area in the metropolitan area of greater Adelaide, South Australia. It is legally defi ...

'' to regain his health. He returned to Britain without having regained his health, but nursing the ambition to be an actor. Cyril Maude LOC Bain collection13468

He studied acting under Charles Cartwright and Roma Le Thiere, but was forced to leave the country again for health reasons. He travelled to Canada and America, fulfilling his acting ambition with Daniel Bandman's company in

Denver, Colorado Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...

in 1884. Between 1896 until 1905 he was co-manager of the

Haymarket Theatre The Theatre Royal Haymarket (also known as Haymarket Theatre or the Little Theatre) is a West End theatre in Haymarket, London, Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in ...

in London with Frederick Harrison. There he became known for his quietly humorous acting in many parts. However in 1900 he managed the production of the Little Minister at the Regent Theatre in

Salford Salford ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in Greater Manchester, England, on the western bank of the River Irwell which forms its boundary with Manchester city centre. Landmarks include the former Salford Town Hall, town hall, ...

. In 1906 he went into

management Management (or managing) is the administration of organizations, whether businesses, nonprofit organizations, or a Government agency, government bodies through business administration, Nonprofit studies, nonprofit management, or the political s ...

on his own account, and in 1907 he opened the

Playhouse Playhouse () is a common term for a theatre. Playhouse, The Playhouse, Playhouse Theatre, or Playhouse Theater may also refer to: Venues and theatre companies Australia * Dunstan Playhouse, at the Adelaide Festival Centre, Adelaide, South Au ...

, also in London. Between 1911 and 1919 he acted largely in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

where he played new comedies. He returned to London in 1919 and established himself at the

Criterion Theatre The Criterion Theatre is a West End theatre at Piccadilly Circus in the City of Westminster, and is a Grade II* listed building. It has a seating capacity of 588. Building the theatre In 1870, the caterers Spiers and Pond began developmen ...

. Maude became very well known for his role in '' Grumpy'' as a spoilt old man, who as a retired lawyer solved a crime to keep his loved ones happy. Maude took this play to Australia and toured Adelaide,

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

Brisbane Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...

and

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

where it was immensely popular. In 1923 he toured America with

Lydia Bilbrook Lydia Bilbrook (born Phillis Lydia Macbeth; 6 May 1888 – 4 January 1990), sometimes credited as "Bilbrooke", was an English actress whose career spanned four decades, first as a stage performer in the West End, and later in films. She is best ...

and

Mabel Terry-Lewis Mabel Gwynedd Terry-Lewis (born as Mabel Gwynedd Lewis) ( 28 October 1872 – 28 November 1957) was an English actress and a member of the Terry-Gielgud dynasty of actors of the 19th and 20th centuries. After a successful career in her twe ...

in ''If Winter Comes'', playing at

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

in April and

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

in the autumn.

Films

He starred in several films in the 1930s, including '' Grumpy''. In 1947, he appeared at the age of 85 in the film ''While the Sun Shines''.

Personal life

Maude was the eldest son of Captain Charles Henry Maude, a captain in the Indian Army, and the Honorable Georgina Hanbury-Tracy. His maternal grandfather was

Thomas Hanbury-Tracy, 2nd Baron Sudeley Thomas Charles Hanbury-Tracy, 2nd Baron Sudeley (5 February 1801 – 19 February 1863), known as Thomas Leigh between 1806 and 1838 and styled The Honourable Thomas Leigh between 1838 and 1839 and The Honourable Thomas Hanbury-Tracy between 1839 ...

. In 1888, Maude married actress

Winifred Emery Winifred Emery (born Maud Isabel Emery; 1 August 1861 – 15 July 1924) was an English actress and actor-manager of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She was the wife of the actor Cyril Maude. Born into a family of actors, Emery began ...

, the daughter of

Samuel Anderson Emery Samuel Anderson Emery (1814–1881) was an English stage actor, the father of the actress Winifred Emery and grandfather of the actress Margery Maude and the judge John Cyril Maude. Early life The son of John Emery (English actor), John Emery, h ...

and granddaughter of John Emery, both well-known actors in their day. Their children included

Margery Maude Margery Kathleen Maude (29 April 1889 – 7 August 1979) was an English actress of stage, screen and television. Early life Margery Maude was born in Wimbledon, London, the elder daughter of the actors Cyril and Winifred (née Emery) Maude. ...

, who became an actress; Pamela Cynthia Maude (1893–1975); and John Cyril Maude, who became a barrister, judge and Member of Parliament. Pamela Maude married Major

William La Touche Congreve William La Touche Congreve, (12 March 1891 – 20 July 1916) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. ...

VC, DSO, MC on 1 June 1916. He was killed in action on 20 July 1916 during World War I, for which he was posthumously awarded the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

. On 22 December 1919 she married the Hon. William Fraser, DSO, MC (1890–1964), who later became a

Brigadier Brigadier ( ) is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore (rank), commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several t ...

. They also brought up a niece, Winifred Isabel Emery (1890–1972),Gascoyne, David
''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', accessed 2 June 2011 Dark, Sidney and Rowland Grey. ''W. S. Gilbert: His Life and Letters'', Methuen & Co Ltd, London (1923), pp. 222–223 after the girl was abandoned by Emery's brother in 1895. This niece, together with her pupil Ruby Preece, was present when dramatist

W. S. Gilbert Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 – 29 May 1911) was an English dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his collaboration with composer Arthur Sullivan, which produced fourteen comic operas. The most fam ...

died in his lake at

Grim's Dyke Grim's Dyke (sometimes called Graeme's Dyke until late 1891)How, Harry ''The Strand Magazine'', Vol. 2, October 1891, pp. 330–41, reprinted at ''The Gilbert and Sullivan Archive'', 20 November 2011 is a house and estate in Harrow Weald, in n ...

in May 1911. Winifred Isabel Emery was the mother of poet

David Gascoyne David Gascoyne (10 October 1916 – 25 November 2001) was an English poet associated with the Surrealist movement, in particular the British Surrealist Group. Additionally, he translated work by French surrealist poets. Early life and surreal ...

Actors' Orphanage Fund

In 1905, Maude succeeded Sir

Henry Irving Sir Henry Irving (6 February 1838 – 13 October 1905), christened John Henry Brodribb, sometimes known as J. H. Irving, was an English stage actor in the Victorian era, known as an actor-manager because he took complete responsibility ( ...

as the President of the Actors' Orphanage Fund. During his tenure, he established the first orphanage for actors' children at

Croydon Croydon is a large town in South London, England, south of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Croydon, a Districts of England, local government district of Greater London; it is one of the largest commercial districts in Greater Lond ...

, inaugurated innovative fundraising schemes and events, attracted royal patronage, and secured committee members from among leading actors of the day. He served until 1914.

Death

Maude died at

Torquay Torquay ( ) is a seaside town in Devon, England, part of the unitary authority area of Torbay. It lies south of the county town of Exeter and east-north-east of Plymouth, on the north of Tor Bay, adjoining the neighbouring town of Paignt ...

Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...

on 20 February 1951.

Filmography

* '' Beauty and the Barge'' (1914) * ''

Peer Gynt ''Peer Gynt'' (, ) is a five-Act (drama), act play in verse written in 1867 by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen. It is one of Ibsen's best known and most widely performed plays. ''Peer Gynt'' chronicles the journey of its title character fr ...

'' (1915) * ''

The Greater Will ''The Greater Will'' is a 1915 American silent drama film directed by Harley Knoles and starring Cyril Maude, Lois Meredith and Montagu Love.Soister, Nicolella & Joyce p.243 Cast * Cyril Maude as Professor Cornelius Sloane * Lois Meredith as ...

'' (1915) * '' The Headmaster'' (1921) * '' Grumpy'' (1930) * ''

These Charming People ''These Charming People'' is a 1932 British drama film directed by Louis Mercanton and starring Cyril Maude, Godfrey Tearle and Nora Swinburne. It was produced at Elstree Studios outside London by the British subsidiary of Paramount Pictures. It ...

'' (1931) * ''

Counsel's Opinion ''Counsel's Opinion'' is a 1933 British romantic comedy film starring Henry Kendall and Binnie Barnes. It was one of three films directed in Britain in the early 1930s by Canadian-American Allan Dwan and was an early production from Alexander ...

'' (1933) * ''

Orders Is Orders ''Orders Is Orders'' is a 1933 British comedy film starring Charlotte Greenwood, James Gleason and Cyril Maude about an American film crew who move into a British army barracks to start making a film, much to the commander's horror. Much of t ...

'' (1934) * ''

Girls Will Be Boys ''Girls Will Be Boys'' is a 1934 British comedy film by French director Marcel Varnel and starring Dolly Haas, Cyril Maude and Esmond Knight. It is based on ''The Last Lord'', a play by Kurt Siodmak. The film was shot at Elstree Studios with sets ...

'' (1934) * ''

Heat Wave A heat wave or heatwave, sometimes described as extreme heat, is a period of abnormally hot weather generally considered to be at least ''five consecutive days''. A heat wave is usually measured relative to the usual climate in the area and ...

'' (1935) * ''

While the Sun Shines ''While the Sun Shines'' is a 1947 British comedy film directed by Anthony Asquith and starring Barbara White, Ronald Squire, Brenda Bruce, Bonar Colleano, and Michael Allan. It was based on Terence Rattigan's 1943 play of the same name. P ...

'' (1947)

References

Sources

* *

External links

* *
portrait Gallery of Cyril Maude at the New York Public Library (NYPL)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maude, Cyril 1862 births 1951 deaths Male actors from London People educated at Charterhouse School English male stage actors English male film actors English male silent film actors Actor-managers People educated at Wixenford School 20th-century English male actors English expatriate male actors in the United States British people in colonial Australia