Gabrielle Ray
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Gabrielle Ray (born Gabrielle Elizabeth Clifford Cook, 28 April 1883 – 21 May 1973) was an English stage actress, dancer and singer, best known for her roles in
Edwardian musical comedies Edwardian musical comedy is a genre of British musical theatre that thrived from 1892 into the 1920s, extending beyond the reign of King Edward VII in both directions. It began to dominate the English musical stage, and even the American musical ...
. Ray was considered one of the most beautiful actresses on the London stage and became one of the most photographed women in the world. In the first decade of the 20th century, she had a good career in musical theatre. After an unsuccessful marriage, she returned to the stage, but she never recovered the fame that she had enjoyed. She later struggled with depression and spent her last 37 years in a mental hospital.


Biography

Ray was born in Cheadle, Stockport, England.Edwardes, Robin
"A Short Biography of Gabrielle Ray"
(1997)
She was the fourth child of William Austin Cook, a prosperous iron merchant and a Justice of the Peace for Cheshire, and his wife Anne Maria Elizabeth ''née'' Holden.Gänzl, Kurt.
"Ray, Gabrielle (1883–1973)"
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 18 September 2008,


Early career

Known as 'Gabs' to family and friends, Ray first appeared in London's West End at the age of ten in the role of Eveleen in
John Hollingshead John Hollingshead (9 September 1827 – 9 October 1904) was an English theatrical impresario, journalist and writer during the latter half of the 19th century. After a journalism career, Hollingshead managed the Alhambra Theatre and was later th ...
's production of a musical play called ''Miami'' at the Royal Princess's Theatre. This was followed by juvenile roles in a series of plays in London and on tour. The next year, she played a role in ''A Celebrated Case''. She was also a dancer in the Blackpool ballet. At the Richmond Theatre from 1893, she played Cupid in ''Little Red Riding Hood'', Adrienne in ''Proof'', and Cissie in ''The Silver King'', among other plays and
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 ...
s. In 1899, she appeared in ''Sinbad the Sailor'' at the Hammersmith Lyric Opera House. Manager
Ben Greet Sir Philip Barling Greet (24 September 1857 – 17 May 1936), known professionally as Ben Greet, was a British William Shakespeare, Shakespearean actor, director, impresario and actor-manager. Early life The younger son of Captain William Gre ...
noticed her dancing skills and engaged her to tour with his company. With Greet, she toured for three years in the roles of Mamie Clancy in '' The Belle of New York'' and Dolly Twinkle in ''
The Casino Girl ''The Casino Girl'' is an Edwardian musical comedy in two acts with music by Ludwig Engländer, Will Marion Cook, Will Accooe, Harry Truman MacConnell and Arthur Nevin, lyrics by Engländer, Cook and MacConnell, and a book by Harry B. Smith and ...
'' (1901).Vaughan, Roger.
"Ray, Gabrielle: Actress and dancer"
, Roger Vaughan Picture Library (2004)
Ray was back at the Lyric in 1902 to play the title character in the pantomime ''Little Red Riding Hood''.Gillan, Don

, at the Stage Beauty website
During the first decade of the 20th century, Ray's career had progressed to the point where she was performing at leading West End venues and gaining attention as a beautiful young dancer and actress. Her photograph was much sought after by the various trade publications and leading photographers such of the day. Known across Europe for her looks, she was admired by men such as
Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Sr. (October 20, 1877 – May 7, 1915) was an American businessman and member of the Vanderbilt family. A sportsman, he participated in and pioneered a number of related endeavors. He died in the sinking of the RMS Lus ...
and King Manuel of Portugal.Gillan, Don
"London's Four Greatest Beauties Broken Hearted"
, ''The San Antonio Light'', 22 June 1913, reprinted at stagebeauty.net
George Edwardes George Joseph Edwardes (né Edwards; 8 October 1855 – 4 October 1915) was an English theatre manager and producer of Irish ancestry who brought a new era in musical theatre to the British stage and beyond. Edwardes started out in theatre ma ...
hired Ray to understudy
Gertie Millar Gertrude Ward, Countess of Dudley ( Millar; 21 February 1879 – 25 April 1952), known as Gertie Millar, was an English actress and singer of the early 20th century, known for her performances in Edwardian musical comedies. Beginning her care ...
in ''
The Toreador ''The Toreador'' is an Edwardian musical comedy in two acts by James T. Tanner and Harry Nicholls (comedian), Harry Nicholls, with lyrics by Adrian Ross and Percy Greenbank and music by Ivan Caryll and Lionel Monckton. It opened at the Gaiety ...
'' at the
Gaiety Theatre, London The Gaiety Theatre was a West End theatre in London, located on Aldwych at the eastern end of the Strand, London, Strand. The theatre was first established as the Strand Musick Hall in 1864 on the former site of the Lyceum Theatre, London, Lyc ...
, in 1902, where she had the chance to play the role on many occasions. She then took over for
Letty Lind Letitia Elizabeth Rudge (21 December 1861 – 27 August 1923), known professionally as Letty Lind, was an English actress, singer, dancer and acrobat, best known for her work in burlesque at the Gaiety Theatre, and in musical theatre at Daly's ...
in '' The Girl from Kays'' at the
Apollo Theatre The Apollo Theatre is a listed building, Grade II listed West End theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster, in central London.
, earning good notices for her graceful, acrobatic dancing in particular. Next, she earned considerable fame playing Thisbe in the hit musical ''
The Orchid ''The Orchid'' is an Edwardian musical comedy in two acts with music by Ivan Caryll and Lionel Monckton, a book by James T. Tanner, lyrics by Adrian Ross and Percy Greenbank, and additional numbers by Paul Rubens (composer), Paul Rubens. The st ...
'' (1903), where she danced in pink pyjamas while singing "The Pink Pyjama Girl". She continued to appear in Edwardes' productions in 1905 and 1906, including three successes at the
Prince of Wales Theatre The Prince of Wales Theatre is a West End theatre in Coventry Street, near Leicester Square in London. It was established in 1884 and rebuilt in 1937, and extensively refurbished in 2004 by Sir Cameron Mackintosh, its current owner. The theatre ...
: ''
Lady Madcap ''Lady Madcap'' is an Edwardian musical comedy in two acts, composed by Paul Rubens (composer), Paul Rubens with a book by Paul Rubens and Nathaniel Newnham-Davis (journalist), Nathaniel Newnham-Davis, and lyrics by Paul Rubens and Percy Greenba ...
'' (1905, in which she performed a popular Parisian dance, "La Maxixe"), Lady Dorothy Congress in ''The Little Cherub'' (1906) and So-Hie in ''See See'' (1906). The same year she also played Eglé in ''
The Merveilleuses ''The Merveilleuses'' is a musical play in three acts, with a book adapted from the French original of Victorien Sardou by Basil Hood, lyrics by Adrian Ross, and music by Hugo Felix. The main plot is a love story, concerning Dorlis, an ''émigré ...
''. In 1907, Ray played Frou Frou in Edwardes' adaptation of ''
The Merry Widow ''The Merry Widow'' ( ) is an operetta by the Austria-Hungary, Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár. The Libretto, librettists, Viktor Léon and Leo Stein (writer), Leo Stein, based the story – concerning a rich widow, and her countrymen's ...
'', which ran for 778 performances at
Daly's Theatre Daly's Theatre was a theatre in the City of Westminster. It was located at 2 Cranbourn Street, just off Leicester Square. It opened on 27 June 1893, and was demolished in 1937. The theatre was built for and named after the American impresa ...
. Ray's dance number, complete with handstands and high kicks, all performed on a table at Maxim's held head high by four men, was a show stopper. Next she was Daisy in ''
The Dollar Princess ''The Dollar Princess'' is a musical in three acts, with music by Leo Fall, adapted into English by Basil Hood with lyrics by Adrian Ross (from the 1907 ''Die Dollarprinzessin'' with a German-language libretto by A. M. Willner and Fritz Grünbau ...
'' (1909) at Daly's and Polly in '' Peggy'' (1911) at the Gaiety.


Marriage and later years

Ray announced her retirement to marry the wealthy Eric Raymond Loder (1888–1966) in early 1912 and left the production of ''Peggy''. She did not appear at the well-attended scheduled wedding ceremony at St Edwards Roman Catholic Church in
Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places *Detroit–Windsor, Michigan-Ontario, USA-Canada, North America; a cross-border metropolitan region Australia New South Wales *Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area Queen ...
because of Loder's failure to sign the prenuptial contract that guaranteed her financial security, but he claimed it was an oversight, and the marriage took place three days later. In 1913 Loder committed adultery and deserted Ray, ignoring her letters pleading with him to return to her. She filed for
restitution of conjugal rights In English law, restitution of conjugal rights was an action in the ecclesiastical courts and later in the Court for Divorce and Matrimonial Causes. It was one of the actions relating to marriage, over which the ecclesiastical courts formerly had ...
, but Loder did not respond to the legal order, and the couple divorced in 1914.England & Wales, Civil Divorce Records, 1858–1918: 1914
05161-05170, 05161: Loder via Ancestry.com
The broken marriage was difficult for Ray, but in 1915 she returned to the stage to play the role of Estelle in the musical ''
Betty Betty or Bettie is a name, a common diminutive for the names Bethany and Elizabeth. In Latin America, it is also a common diminutive for the given name Beatriz, the Spanish and Portuguese form of the Latin name Beatrix and the English name Beatric ...
'' at the Gaiety Theatre and, in the following year, appeared in the
revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatre, theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketch comedy, sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural pre ...
''Flying Colours'' at the
London Hippodrome The Hippodrome is a building on the corner of Cranbourn Street and Charing Cross Road in the City of Westminster, London. The name was used for many different theatres and music halls, of which the London Hippodrome is one of only a few survi ...
. These were her last appearances in the West End, but for nearly a decade afterwards, she appeared occasionally in provincial
variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
tours and pantomimes, finally leaving the stage about 1924. Roles during this decade included Maid Marian in ''
Babes in the Wood Babes in the Wood is a traditional English children's tale, as well as a popular pantomime subject. It has also been the name of some other unrelated works. The expression has passed into common language, referring to inexperienced innocents ent ...
'' at Prince's Theatre in
Bradford Bradford is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in West Yorkshire, England. It became a municipal borough in 1847, received a city charter in 1897 and, since the Local Government Act 1972, 1974 reform, the city status in the United Kingdo ...
at Christmas 1919 and Mother Goose at the Theatre Royal, Manchester, at Christmas 1920. After this, Ray struggled with depression and
alcohol abuse Alcohol abuse encompasses a spectrum of alcohol-related substance abuse. This spectrum can range from being mild, moderate, or severe. This can look like consumption of more than 2 drinks per day on average for men, or more than 1 drink per ...
. In 1936 she suffered a mental breakdown and was institutionalised for 37 years at
Holloway Sanatorium Holloway Sanatorium was an institution for the treatment of those suffering temporary mental illness, situated on of aesthetically landscaped grounds near Virginia Water in Surrey, England, about south-west of Charing Cross. Its largest buildin ...
in
Egham Egham ( ) is a town in the Borough of Runnymede in Surrey, England, approximately west of central London. First settled in the Bronze Age, the town was under the control of Chertsey Abbey for much of the Middle Ages. In 1215, Magna Carta was ...
, Surrey. In 1939 she was listed there as "Incapacitated". Registered as Mrs Eric Loder, at least part of her long stay at the sanatorium was happy. Ray continued to care for her personal appearance, having a liking for smart clothes and hats. Other
Gaiety Girls Gaiety Girls were the chorus girls in Edwardian musical comedies, beginning in the 1890s at the Gaiety Theatre, London, in the shows produced by George Edwardes. The popularity of this genre of musical theatre depended, in part, on the beau ...
visited her, including
Gertie Millar Gertrude Ward, Countess of Dudley ( Millar; 21 February 1879 – 25 April 1952), known as Gertie Millar, was an English actress and singer of the early 20th century, known for her performances in Edwardian musical comedies. Beginning her care ...
and
Lily Elsie Elsie Cotton (''née'' Hodder, 8 April 1886 – 16 December 1962), known professionally as Lily Elsie, was an English actress and singer during the Edwardian era. She was best known for her starring role in the London premiere of Franz Lehár's ...
, but she was never visited by family members. Hospital staff later recalled her infectious smile and that she enjoyed walks into the nearby village for shopping and car rides. After her death one of her nurses said, "she was a very quiet lady, small and neat, who did not give any indication of the high life she must have enjoyed". Ray died in 1973 at the Holloway Sanatorium at the age of 90 and was buried in Englefield Green cemetery. In her will she left £17,441. A
blue plaque A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom, and certain other countries and territories, to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving a ...
has been erected on the site of her birth.Text of Ray's blue plaque
openplaques.org, accessed 22 September 2010


Notes


References

*Beaton, Cecil. ''The Glass of Fashion'', Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1954. *Gänzl, Kurt. ''The encyclopedia of the musical theatre'', 2 vols. (1994) *Gänzl, Kurt. ''The British musical theatre'', 2 vols. (1986) *Parker, J. (ed.) ''Who's who in the theatre'', 6th ed. (1930)


External links


Extensive website about Ray
* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20070928201716/http://www.gabrielleray.co.uk/ Numerous postcard photos of Raybr>National Portrait Gallery photos of RayPostcards and ephemera of Ray
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ray, Gabrielle 1883 births 1973 deaths English musical theatre actresses Actresses from Stockport People from Cheadle, Greater Manchester 20th-century English singers 20th-century English women singers