Virginia Lilian Emmeline Compton-Mackenzie, (; 18 September 1894 – 12 December 1978), known professionally as Fay Compton, was an English actress. She appeared in several films, and made many broadcasts, but was best known for her stage performances. She was known for her versatility, and appeared in

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

, drawing room comedy,

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speakin ...

, modern drama, and classics such as

Ibsen Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright and theatre director. As one of the founders of modernism in theatre, Ibsen is often referred to as "the father of realism" and one of the most influential playw ...

and Chekhov. In addition to performing in Britain, Compton appeared several times in the US, and toured Australia and New Zealand in a variety of stage plays.

Life and career

Early years

Compton was born in

Fulham Fulham () is an area of the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham in West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, bordering Hammersmith, Kensington and Chelsea. The area faces Wandswo ...

, London, the sixth and youngest child and fourth daughter of Edward Compton (1854–1918), actor and

manager Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities ...

(whose real surname was Mackenzie), and his wife, the actress Virginia Frances Bateman (1853–1940) daughter of the actor

Hezekiah Linthicum Bateman Hezekiah Linthicum Bateman (December 6, 1812March 22, 1875), was an American actor and manager. Life Born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1812, the fourth child and second son of Amzi Bateman (c.1777–1816), a fisherman, and his wife, Catherine Bate ...

, of

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

, US. One of her brothers became well known as the author

Compton Mackenzie Sir Edward Montague Compton Mackenzie, (17 January 1883 – 30 November 1972) was a Scottish writer of fiction, biography, histories and a memoir, as well as a cultural commentator, raconteur and lifelong Scottish nationalist. He was one of th ...

Trewin, J. C. John Courtenay Trewin (4 December 1908 – 16 February 1990) was a British journalist, writer and drama critic. Trewin was born in Plymouth, Devon, although both his parents were Cornish. He was educated at Plymouth College and in 1926 join ...

br>"Compton, Fay (real name Virginia Lilian Emmeline Compton-Mackenzie) (1894–1978), actress"
''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press. Retrieved 12 February 2019. Compton made her first professional appearance in 1911 with the concert party ''The Follies'' under the leadership of H. G. Pelissier, her first husband, whom she married while still in her teens. The marriage was short-lived: Pelissier died in September 1913 at the age of 31, leaving his young widow with an infant son, who would become the producer and director Anthony Pelissier. In 1914, at

Maidenhead Maidenhead is a market town in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in the county of Berkshire, England, on the southwestern bank of the River Thames. It had an estimated population of 70,374 and forms part of the border with southern Bu ...

, as Fay C. Pellissier, she married secondly the young singer

Lauri de Frece Lauri de Frece (3 March 1880 – 25 August 1921) was an English actor and singer who appeared in musical theatre and in films of the silent era. His original name was Maurice de Frece. He was the younger brother of Walter de Frece and the husban ...

. In 1914, she made the first of many appearances on the American stage, at the Shubert Theatre, New York, in ''To-Night's the Night,'' subsequently touring in the same part. In London during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fig ...

she played a variety of roles, including the title role in ''

Peter Pan Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythi ...

'' in 1917.Parker, pp. 502–504

1920s and 30s

Fay Compton, actor, 1938 - unknown photographer (6497584343)

In the 1920s her parts included the title role in J. M. Barrie's ''

Mary Rose The ''Mary Rose'' (launched 1511) is a carrack-type warship of the English Tudor navy of King Henry VIII. She served for 33 years in several wars against France, Scotland, and Brittany. After being substantially rebuilt in 1536, she saw her ...

''; the first of many Shakespeare roles, Ophelia, to the Hamlet of

John Barrymore John Barrymore (born John Sidney Blyth; February 14 or 15, 1882 – May 29, 1942) was an American actor on stage, screen and radio. A member of the Barrymore family, Drew and Barrymore theatrical families, he initially tried to avoid the stage ...

. The critic James Agate wrote of her performance, "She was fragrant, wistful, and had a child's importunacy unmatched in my time." Compton's second husband, the actor

, died in 1921, aged 41, and in February 1922 she married

Leon Quartermaine Leon Quartermaine (24 September 1876 – 25 June 1967) was a British actor whose stage career, in Britain and the United States, extended from the early 1900s to the 1950s. He was born in Richmond, London, and educated at the Whitgift School ...

, with whom she had acted in a revival of Barrie's '' Quality Street''. Compton had a reputation for versatility, and in 1931 she appeared successively in the title role of the pantomime ''Dick Whittington'' and Ophelia to Henry Ainley's Hamlet. Throughout the 1930s Compton moved between

West End West End most commonly refers to: * West End of London, an area of central London, England * West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England West End may also refer to: Pl ...

plays, mostly ephemeral, pantomime and Shakespeare – Titania, Lady Rosaline, Calpurnia, and Paulina in ''

The Winter's Tale ''The Winter's Tale'' is a play by William Shakespeare originally published in the First Folio of 1623. Although it was grouped among the comedies, many modern editors have relabelled the play as one of Shakespeare's late romances. Some cri ...

'', one of her favourite parts – and toured in Australia and New Zealand in '' Victoria Regina'', '' Tonight at 8.30'' and '' George and Margaret''. In 1939 she played Ophelia to the Hamlet of

John Gielgud Sir Arthur John Gielgud, (; 14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000) was an English actor and theatre director whose career spanned eight decades. With Ralph Richardson and Laurence Olivier, he was one of the trinity of actors who dominated the Briti ...

, first at the

Lyceum The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies among countries; usually it is a type of secondary school. Generally in that type of school the ...

and then at Elsinore Castle. In 1927 Compton opened an acting school in London, the Fay Compton Studio of Dramatic Art, which continued in business up to the start of World War II. Notable alumni included

Alec Guinness Sir Alec Guinness (born Alec Guinness de Cuffe; 2 April 1914 – 5 August 2000) was an English actor. After an early career on the stage, Guinness was featured in several of the Ealing comedies, including '' Kind Hearts and Coronets'' (1 ...

and

John Le Mesurier John Le Mesurier (, born John Elton Le Mesurier Halliley; 5 April 191215 November 1983) was an English actor. He is perhaps best remembered for his comedic role as Sergeant Arthur Wilson in the BBC television situation ...

1940s to 1960s

During the 1940s Compton appeared at the

Old Vic Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England * Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, M ...

as Regan in ''

King Lear ''King Lear'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. He becomes destitute and insane a ...

'', played Ruth in

Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time (magazine), Time'' magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combina ...

's ''

Blithe Spirit Blithe Spirit may refer to: * ''Blithe Spirit'' (play), a 1941 comic play written by Noël Coward * ''Blithe Spirit'' (1945 film), a British comedy film based on the play * ''Blithe Spirit'' (2020 film), a British-American comedy film based on th ...

'' for 15 months, Regina in ''

The Little Foxes ''The Little Foxes'' is a 1939 play by Lillian Hellman, considered a classic of 20th century drama. Its title comes from Chapter 2, Verse 15 of the Song of Solomon in the King James version of the Bible, which reads, "Take us the foxes, the litt ...

'', toured for the

British Council The British Council is a British organisation specialising in international cultural and educational opportunities. It works in over 100 countries: promoting a wider knowledge of the United Kingdom and the English language (and the Welsh la ...

, in Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Switzerland, in ''

Othello ''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cyp ...

,'' '' Candida'' and ''Hamlet'', and made her first appearance in an

play as Gina Ekdal in ''

The Wild Duck ''The Wild Duck'' (original Norwegian title: ''Vildanden'') is an 1884 play by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It is considered the first modern masterpiece in the genre of tragicomedy. ''The Wild Duck'' and ''Rosmersholm'' are "often ...

''. Her third marriage was dissolved in 1942, and in that year she married the actor

Ralph Michael Ralph Michael (26 September 1907 – 9 November 1994) was an English actor. He was born as Ralph Champion Shotter in London. His film appearances included ''Dead of Night'', '' A Night to Remember'', ''Children of the Damned'', ''Grand Prix'' ...

; this marriage was dissolved in 1946. There were no children of Compton's last three marriages. In the 1950s Compton rejoined the Old Vic company, appearing at the 1953

Edinburgh Festival __NOTOC__ This is a list of arts and cultural festivals regularly taking place in Edinburgh, Scotland. The city has become known for its festivals since the establishment in 1947 of the Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh Fe ...

, as Gertrude in ''Hamlet'', and in London in the 1953–1954 season, as Gertrude; the Countess of Rossillion in ''

All's Well That Ends Well ''All's Well That Ends Well'' is a play by William Shakespeare, published in the '' First Folio'' in 1623, where it is listed among the comedies. There is a debate regarding the dating of the composition of the play, with possible dates rang ...

''; Constance of Bretagne in ''

King John King John may refer to: Rulers * John, King of England (1166–1216) * John I of Jerusalem (c. 1170–1237) * John Balliol, King of Scotland (c. 1249–1314) * John I of France (15–20 November 1316) * John II of France (1319–1364) * John I o ...

''; Volumnia in ''

Coriolanus ''Coriolanus'' ( or ) is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1605 and 1608. The play is based on the life of the legendary Roman leader Caius Marcius Coriolanus. Shakespeare worked on it during the same ye ...

''; and Juno in '' The Tempest''. With the same company she played Queen Margaret in ''

Richard III Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Bat ...

'' in 1957, to the Richard of

Robert Helpmann Sir Robert Murray Helpmann CBE ( Helpman, 9 April 1909 – 28 September 1986) was an Australian ballet dancer, actor, director, and choreographer. After early work in Australia he moved to Britain in 1932, where he joined the Vic-Wells Ballet ...

, and Lady Bracknell in ''

The Importance of Being Earnest ''The Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People'' is a play by Oscar Wilde. First performed on 14 February 1895 at the St James's Theatre in London, it is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists maintain fictitious ...

'' in 1959. At the first Chichester Festival, from July to September 1962, Compton played Grausis in ''The Broken Heart'', and Marya in ''

Uncle Vanya ''Uncle Vanya'' ( rus, Дя́дя Ва́ня, r=Dyádya Ványa, p=ˈdʲædʲə ˈvanʲə) is a play by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. It was first published in 1898, and was first produced in 1899 by the Moscow Art Theatre under the dire ...

''. Her other stage roles of the 1960s included Mrs Malaprop in ''

The Rivals ''The Rivals'' is a comedy of manners by Richard Brinsley Sheridan in five acts which was first performed at Covent Garden Theatre on 17 January 1775. The story has been updated frequently, including a 1935 musical and a 1958 episode of th ...

'', and her last Barrie role, the Comtesse in '' What Every Woman Knows''. Compton was awarded the CBE in 1975. She died on 12 December 1978 in London at the age of 84.

Film and television

Compton's film work is not as well known as her stage appearances. She appeared in more than 40 films between 1914 and 1970. Her most popular performances in films are ''

Odd Man Out ''Odd Man Out'' is a 1947 British film noir directed by Carol Reed, and starring James Mason, Robert Newton, Cyril Cusack, and Kathleen Ryan. Set in Belfast, Northern Ireland, it follows a wounded Nationalist leader who attempts to evade poli ...

'' (1947), ''

Laughter in Paradise ''Laughter in Paradise'' is a 1951 British comedy film, starring Alastair Sim, Fay Compton, George Cole, and Guy Middleton. The film was remade as '' Some Will, Some Won't'' (1970). Plot In his will, notorious practical joker Henry Russell l ...

'' (1951),

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...

' ''

'' (1952), '' The Haunting'' (1963) and '' I Start Counting'' (1969). Among her television performances, she appeared in 1965 with

Michael Hordern Sir Michael Murray Hordern CBE (3 October 19112 May 1995)Morley, Sheridan"Hordern, Michael Murray (1911–1995)" ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004, online edition, May 2009, accessed 22 July 2015 was ...

in the television play ''Land of My Dreams'' by Clive Exton. Among her last major roles were Aunt Ann in the BBC's 1967 television adaptation of ''

The Forsyte Saga ''The Forsyte Saga'', first published under that title in 1922, is a series of three novels and two interludes published between 1906 and 1921 by the English author John Galsworthy, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature. They chronicle the vici ...

'', and Mrs Brown the old rag dealer in a BBC adaptation of Dickens' '' Dombey and Son'' in 1969.BFI Archive - BBC series Dombey and Son (1969)
accessed 26 February 2020.

Filmography

Film

* ''

She Stoops to Conquer ''She Stoops to Conquer'' is a comedy by Oliver Goldsmith, first performed in London in 1773. The play is a favourite for study by English literature and theatre classes in the English-speaking world. It is one of the few plays from the 18th ...

'' (1914, Short) - Barmaid * ''

The Labour Leader ''The Labour Leader'' is a 1917 British silent drama film directed by Thomas Bentley and starring Fred Groves, Fay Compton and Owen Nares. The film was based on an original screenplay by Kenelm Foss.Low p.70 Plot summary After his friend imp ...

'' (1917) - Diana Hazlitt * ''

One Summer's Day ''One Summer's Day'' is a 1917 British silent drama film directed by Frank Goodenough Bayly and starring Fay Compton, Owen Nares and Sam Livesey.Goble p.895 Cast * Fay Compton as Maisie * Owen Nares as Captain Dick Rudyard * Sam Livesey as ...

'' (1917) - Maisie * '' Judge Not'' (1920) - Nelly * ''

A Woman of No Importance ''A Woman of No Importance'' by Oscar Wilde is "a new and original play of modern life", in four acts, first given on 19 April 1893 at the Haymarket Theatre, London. Like Wilde's other society plays, it satirises English upper-class society. It ...

'' (1921) - Rachel Arbuthnot * '' The Old Wives' Tale'' (1921) - Sophie Barnes * '' The House of Peril'' (1922) - Sylvia Bailey * ''

Diana of the Crossways ''Diana of the Crossways'' is a novel by George Meredith which was published in 1885, based on the life of socialite and writer Caroline Norton. Background ''Diana of the Crossways'' was first serialized in the ''Fortnightly'' in 1884, then pub ...

'' (1922) - Diana * '' A Bill of Divorcement'' (1922) - Margaret Fairfield * ''

This Freedom ''This Freedom'' is a 1923 British silent drama film directed by Denison Clift and starring Fay Compton, Clive Brook, and John Stuart. It was based on the novel ''This Freedom'' by A.S.M. Hutchinson Arthur Stuart-Menteth Hutchinson (2 J ...

'' (1923) - Rosalie Aubyn * '' The Loves of Mary, Queen of Scots'' (1923) - Mary Stuart * '' Claude Duval'' (1924) - Duchess Frances * '' The Eleventh Commandment'' (1924) - Ruth Barchester * ''

The Happy Ending ''The Happy Ending'' is a 1969 drama film written and directed by Richard Brooks, which tells the story of a repressed housewife who longs for liberation from her husband and daughter. It stars Jean Simmons (who received an Oscar nomination), ...

'' (1925) - Mildred Craddock * '' Settled Out of Court'' (1925) - The Woman * '' London Love'' (1926) - Sally Hope * ''

Robinson Crusoe ''Robinson Crusoe'' () is a novel by Daniel Defoe, first published on 25 April 1719. The first edition credited the work's protagonist Robinson Crusoe as its author, leading many readers to believe he was a real person and the book a tr ...

'' (1927) - Sophie * ''

Somehow Good ''Somehow Good'' is a 1927 British silent drama film directed by Jack Raymond and starring Fay Compton, Stewart Rome and Dorothy Boyd. It was made at Twickenham Studios and premiered in October 1927.Low p.187 Cast * Fay Compton as Rosalind ...

'' (1927) - Rosalind Nightingale * ''

Zero 0 (zero) is a number representing an empty quantity. In place-value notation such as the Hindu–Arabic numeral system, 0 also serves as a placeholder numerical digit, which works by multiplying digits to the left of 0 by the radix, usu ...

'' (1928) - Mrs. Garth * '' Fashions in Love'' (1929) - Marie De Remy * '' Cape Forlorn'' (1931) - Eileen Kell * '' Uneasy Virtue'' (1931) - Dorothy Rendell * '' Tell England'' (1931) - Mrs. Doe * '' Autumn Crocus'' (1934) - Jenny Gray * '' Waltzes from Vienna'' (1934) - Countess Helga von Stahl * '' Song at Eventide'' (1934) - Helen d'Alaste * '' Wedding Group'' (1936) - Florence Nightingale * '' The Mill on the Floss'' (1936) - Mrs. Tulliver * '' So This Is London'' (1939) - Lady Worthing * '' The Prime Minister'' (1941) -

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previ ...

* ''

'' (1947) - Rosie * ''

Nicholas Nickleby ''Nicholas Nickleby'' or ''The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby'' (or also ''The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Containing a Faithful Account of the Fortunes, Misfortunes, Uprisings, Downfallings, and Complete Career of the ...

'' (1947) - Madame Mantalini/Mme Mantalini * ''

London Belongs to Me ''London Belongs to Me'' (also known as ''Dulcimer Street'') is a British film released in 1948, directed by Sidney Gilliat, and starring Richard Attenborough and Alastair Sim. It was based on the novel ''London Belongs to Me'' by Norman Colli ...

'' (1948) - Mrs. Josser * ''

Esther Waters ''Esther Waters'' is a novel by George Moore first published in 1894. Overview Set in England from the early 1870s onward, the novel is about a pious young woman from a poor working-class family who, while working as a kitchen maid, is seduced ...

'' (1948) - Mrs. Barfield * ''

Britannia Mews ''The Forbidden Street'' is a 1949 British melodrama film directed by Jean Negulesco and starring Dana Andrews, Maureen O'Hara, Sybil Thorndike, Fay Compton and A. E. Matthews. Set in Victorian London, it tells the story of a wealthy young woma ...

'' (1949) - Mrs. Culver * ''

Blackmailed Blackmail is an act of coercion using the threat of revealing or publicizing either substantially true or false information about a person or people unless certain demands are met. It is often damaging information, and it may be revealed to fam ...

'' (1951) - Mrs. Christopher * ''

'' (1951) - Agnes Russell * ''

'' (1951) - Emilia * '' Lady Possessed'' (1952) - Mme. Brune * '' I Vinti'' (''The Vanquished'') (1953) - Mrs. Pinkerton * '' Aunt Clara'' (1954) - Gladys Smith *'' Doublecross'' (1956) - Alice Pascoe *'' Town on Trial'' (1957) - Mrs. Crowley *'' The Story of Esther Costello'' (1957) - Mother Superior *''Il fiore e la violenza'' (1962) - Mrs. Pinkerton (segment "Il delitto") *'' The Haunting'' (1963) - Mrs. Sanderson *''

'' (1963) - Marya, the mother *'' Journey to Midnight'' (1968) - Queen Victoria (episode 'Poor Butterfly') *'' I Start Counting'' (1969) - Mrs. Bennett *'' The Virgin and the Gypsy'' (1970) - Grandma

Television

* '' Douglas Fairbanks Presents'' (1955, 1 episode) - Mrs. Saunders * '' London Playhouse'' (1955, 1 episode) - Adeline Girard * ''

'' (1956, 2 episodes) - Mrs. Squeers * '' BBC Sunday-Night Theatre'' (1955-1959, 4 episodes) - Kate / Fanny Cavendish / Emmie Rockley / Mary * '' ITV Television Playhouse'' (1956-1961, 3 episodes) - Great Aunt Julia / Nannie / Mrs. Gillis * ''

Armchair Theatre ''Armchair Theatre'' is a British television drama anthology series of single plays that ran on the ITV network from 1956 to 1974. It was originally produced by ABC Weekend TV. Its successor Thames Television took over from mid-1968. The Canad ...

'' (1957-1964, 3 episodes) - Victoria / Angelica * ''

Our Mutual Friend ''Our Mutual Friend'', written in 1864–1865, is the last novel completed by Charles Dickens and is one of his most sophisticated works, combining savage satire with social analysis. It centres on, in the words of critic J. Hillis Miller, qu ...

'' (1958, 3 episodes) - Mrs. Betty Higden * '' The Widow of Bath'' (1959, 5 episodes) - Mrs. Leonard * '' BBC Sunday-Night Play'' (1960-1962, 2 episodes) - Mrs. Umney / Mrs. Flint / Mrs. Sarah Victoria Marryot * ''

ITV Play of the Week ''Play of the Week'' is a 90-minute British television anthology series produced by a variety of companies including Granada Television, Associated-Rediffusion, ATV and Anglia Television. Synopsis From 1955 to 1967 approximately 500 episodes a ...

'' (1961, 2 episodes) - Victoria Verity * ''

No Hiding Place ''No Hiding Place'' is a British television series that was produced at Wembley Studios by Associated-Rediffusion for the ITV network between 16 September 1959 and 22 June 1967. It was the sequel to the series ''Murder Bag'' (1957–1958) ...

'' (1961-1962, 3 episodes) - Mrs. Halfpenny / Mrs. Haven / Mrs. Palmer * ''

Dixon of Dock Green ''Dixon of Dock Green'' was a BBC police procedural television series about daily life at a fictional London police station, with the emphasis on petty crime, successfully controlled through common sense and human understanding. It ran from 19 ...

'' (1962-1965, 3 episodes) - Nelly Cook / Sarah Conroy / Mrs. Binney * ''

Maigret Jules Maigret (), or simply Maigret, is a fictional French police detective, a '' commissaire'' ("commissioner") of the Paris ''Brigade Criminelle'' ('' Direction Régionale de la Police Judiciaire de Paris:36, Quai des Orfèvres''), created by ...

'' (1962, 1 episode) - Jaquette * '' Call Oxbridge 2000'' (1962, 1 episode) - Miss Effie Tavener * '' First Night'' (1964, 1 episode) - Alice Walmer * '' Dr. Finlay's Casebook'' (1964, 1 episode) - Mrs. Tennant * ''

Story Parade Story or stories may refer to: Common uses * Story, a narrative (an account of imaginary or real people and events) ** Short story, a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting * Story (American English), or storey (British ...

'' (1965, 1 episode) - Miss Babbage * ''

Our Man at St. Mark's ''Our Man at St. Mark's'' is a British comedy television series which originally aired on ITV between 1963 and 1966. Today the series is largely lost, with only four out of forty six episodes remaining in the archives. It focuses on the parish o ...

'' (1965, 1 episode) - Edie Russell * ''

Knock on Any Door ''Knock on Any Door'' is a 1949 American courtroom trial film noir directed by Nicholas Ray and starring Humphrey Bogart. The picture gave actor John Derek his breakthrough role, and was based on the 1947 novel of the same name by Willard Motle ...

'' (1965, 1 episode) - Hester Warren * ''

'' (1967, 6 episodes) - 'Aunt Ann' Forsyte * ''

Sanctuary A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a s ...

'' (1967-1968, 4 episodes) - Sister Juliana * ''

Cold Comfort Farm ''Cold Comfort Farm'' is a comic novel by English author Stella Gibbons, published in 1932. It parodies the romanticised, sometimes doom-laden accounts of rural life popular at the time, by writers such as Mary Webb. Plot summary Following ...

'' (1968, 3 episodes) - Aunt Ada Doom (Starkadder) * '' Journey to the Unknown'' (1969, 1 episode) - Queen Victoria * '' Dombey and Son'' (1969, 7 episodes) - Mrs. Brown * '' Fraud Squad'' (1970, 1 episode) - Lady Flanders (final appearance)

Publications

* ''Rosemary: some remembrances'' (1926), introduction by Compton Mackenzie

References

Sources

External links

* *
Fay Compton performances in The Theatre Collection,University of Bristol
{{DEFAULTSORT:Compton, Fay 1894 births 1978 deaths 20th-century English actresses Actresses from London Commanders of the Order of the British Empire English film actresses English silent film actresses English stage actresses People from Fulham