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Enid Lorimer

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Enid Lorimer
OAM
Born
May Enid Bosworth Nunn

27 November 1887
London, United Kingdom
Died15 July 1982 (aged 94)
Wahroonga, New South Wales, Australia
Other namesEllen Bosworth (pen name)
CitizenshipAustralian
Occupations
  • Actress
  • producer
  • writer
  • teacher
  • theosophist
Years activeC. 1910-1979
SpouseCount Harold Augustavas Wentworth Zeffri. (died 1926)[1]
Children1 (adopted)
AwardsChips Rafferty Memorial Award
Websiteenidlorimer.com

Enid Bosworth Lorimer OAM (born May Enid Bosworth Nunn; 27 November 1887 – 15 July 1982), was an English-born stage, radio, television and film actress, director, producer, writer, teacher and theosophist. She worked in her native England and also in Australia.

She was a contemporary of Dame Sybil Thorndike and Dame Lilian Braithwaite.

Early life

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Lorimer was born[2] on 27 November 1887, in London, United Kingdom.[2] Her father was Harold Marcus Nunn and her mother was Helen Louise Fowler (née Bosworth) and she had a younger sister. [3]

Brought up in comfortable and privileged circumstances, her early education was supervised by a governess. She later attended a boarding school in Folkestone, Kent, and a finishing school in Switzerland[1] where she learned French and German.

In London, Lorimer trained under renowned teacher Elsie Fogerty, but when her father’s opposition to an acting career became am issue, she left home. She subsequently trained at Her Majesty's Theatre as a Shakespearean actress. Her first role was a walk-on part under Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree.

Career

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Lorimer's career as an actress lasted for some 70 years.[4][5] She first took stage drama studies in the United Kingdom, and became an understudy to Phyllis Neilson-Terry. She joined the touring company of Laurence Irving and during the war years she worked in film production in Britain assisting Dame Ellen Terry.[6] She arrived in Sydney, Australia in November 1923 to serve as Art Director at the Star Amphitheatre, Balmoral.[7]

Lorimer produced the first impromptu radio play at 2GB in 1925. She was well known for her role as Ettie in the radio serial Dr. Mac with Lou Vernon, between 1940 and 1952.[1]

She starred in numerous Australian television programmes, such as Motel, Spyforce, Homicide, Division 4 and Cop Shop, as well as many theatrical stage plays,[8] and in 1966 she appeared as a narrator in fourteen episodes of the BBC children's television programme Jackanory. Up until her 85th birthday in 1973, Lorimer was very active within the entertainment industry and would not entertain the prospect of retirement, despite self-admitted signs of "phasing out".[9] Her final film appearance was in The Odd Angry Shot.[10]

In her later years, she gradually retired from acting and instead started writing children's books, such as the series Shelley (which was based on her granddaughter), under the pseudonym of Ellen Bosworth, publishing 3 books.[6] Many of her books were best-sellers in Australia.[11]

During her lifetime, Lorimer also worked as a teacher and a theosophist.[12]

Recognition

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Lorimer was awarded the Chips Rafferty Memorial Award in 1981[13] and the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her service towards the performing arts on 14 June 1982.[14]

Enid Lorimer Circuit, in the Canberra suburb of Chisholm, is named in her honour.[15]

Personal life

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Lorimer met fellow actor Henry Augustavus Wentworth Zerffi, a Londoner of Hungarian-Jewish extraction, while she was acting with Laurence Irving's touring company. They were married on 27 July 1912 at St Paul’s Presbyterian Church, in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. Zerffi served in the war, but upon his return, their marriage did not last. In 1926, severely affected by war injuries, Zerffi shot his mother, before committing suicide, prompting Lorimer to return to England in 1926.[16]

Death

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Lorimer died on 15 July 1982 at a private hospital[17] in Wahroonga, New South Wales.[18][19] A private funeral was held for her; only six people attended.[18]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Type
1949 Strong Is the Seed (aka The Farrer Story) Feature film
1956 Find the Lady Miss Rees (uncredited) Feature film
1958 Carve Her Name With Pride Madame Renaud (uncredited) Feature film
1959 Witness in the Dark Mrs. Temple Feature film
1964 The Sicilians Old Lady Feature film

Television

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Year Title Role Type
1953 The Golden Head Dame Martha Holloway TV film
1953 Seven Little Australians Mrs. Fitzroy-Brown 1 episode
1953 The Story of the Treasure Seekers The Lady 1 episode
1954 A Castle and Sixpence Mrs. Pigmarsh 1 episode
1955 Absent-Minded Anna Mrs. Graham TV film
1955 The Vice Madame Larvin / Mrs. Steel / Mrs. McPhail 3 episodes
1955 The Sleeping Beauty The Nurse TV film
1955 Count of Twelve Mrs. McPhail Episode: ’The Count of Twelve‘
1956 The Errol Flynn Theatre Donya 1 episode
1957–1967 ITV Play of the Week Mookie / Rebecca Nurse / Ellen Carmichael 3 episodes
1956 Armchair Theatre Mrs. Danishev 1 episode
1957 Overseas Press Club - Exclusive Mrs. Klaus / Concierge 2 episodes
1957 O.S.S. Madame Mureaux 1 episode
1957 White Hunter Matron 1 episode
1958 Television World Theatre Woman of Troy 1 episode
1958 Charles And Mary Mrs. Lamb TV film
1958 Uncertain Mercy Frau Kowalski TV film
1959 World Theatre Brand's Mother 1 episode
1959 Antigone Eurydice TV film
1959 The Flying Doctor Emily Gudgeon 1 episode
1961 Corinth House Miss Malleson Teleplay
1961 Harlequinade Dame Maud Teleplay
1961 Traveller Without Luggage The Mother TV film
1962 The Last Man Out Madame Matilde 1 episode
1963 Harpers Went Out Evelyn Bentley 1 episode
1963 Man of the World Miss Bentley 1 episode
1963 The Queen and The Rebels Peasant Woman 1 episode
1963–1965 Hugh and I Auntie Maude 2 episodes
1964–1967 Play School Storyteller 34 episodes
1966 Theatre 625 Anna Semionovna 1 episode
1966 The Troubleshooters Mrs. Thornton 1 episode
1966 Jackanory Storyteller 14 episodes
1966 Meet the Wife Madame 1 episode
1966 The New Inferno The Company TV film
1967 The Wednesday Play Frau Cornelissen 1 episode
1967 Beggar My Neighbour Aunt Jess 1 episode
1967 The Avengers Nanny Roberts 1 episode
1967 Uncle Vanya Maria Wassiljewna Woynitsky TV film
1967 Les Misérables Baptistine Miniseries, 1 episode
1968–1974 Homicide Mrs. Lines / Mrs. Simpson / Mrs. James / 'Gran' Garret / Mrs. Jackson / Molly Bishop / Jane Foster 7 episodes
1968 Motel Bunty Creighton 2 episodes
1969 Riptide Dora Binney 1 episode
1969 Delta Hilda 1 episode
1969 Skippy Mrs. Kearney 1 episode
1970; 1974 Division 4 Aunt Bertha / Mrs. Mathews 2 episodes
1970 The Link Men 1 episode
1972 The Survivor Belle Leeming Teleplay
1972 Spyforce Miss Smith 1 episode
1972 Number 96 Mrs Harvey TV series
1972 The Hands of Cormac Joyce Mrs. Reece TV film
1973 Boney Mrs. Thompson 1 episode
1974 The Evil Touch Lavinia Pfeiffer 1 episode
1974 Matlock Police Mrs. Dawson 1 episode
1974 Human Target TV film
1975 Certain Women 1 episode
1975 Quality of Mercy Episode 2: "The Love Job"
1976 Luke's Kingdom Nanny Miniseries, 1 episode
1976 Is There Anybody There? TV film
1977 Mama's Gone A-Hunting Old Woman in Elevator (uncredited) TV film
1978 Loss of Innocence Gran Miniseries, 2 episodes
1978 Case for the Defence Mrs. Lattimer 1 episode
1978 The Young Doctors Amelia Frost 2 episodes

Theatre

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As actor

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Year Title Role Type
1913 Troilus and Cressida Helen Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford with RSC
1934 The Squall Dolores Mendez Criterion Theatre, Sydney
1940 The Importance of Being Earnest Independent Theatre, Sydney
1944; 1945 Uncle Harry Hester Killara Soldiers Memorial Hall, Sydney, St. John's Hall, Sydney, Theatre Royal, Sydney with Kuring-gai Theatre Guild & Metropolitan Players
1945 Suspect Killara Soldiers Memorial Hall, Sydney with Kuring-gai Theatre Guild & Metropolitan Players
1948 The Little Foxes Princess Theatre, Melbourne
1950; 1963 Harvey Theatre Royal, Adelaide, Theatre Royal Sydney, The Old Vic Theatre, London with J. C. Williamson's
1959 Brand Brand's Mother Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith with 59 Theatre Company
1960 A Passage to India Mrs Moore Comedy Theatre, London
1963 Uncle Vanya Marya Vassilyevna Voynitsky (Maman) Chichester Festival Theatre, The Old Vic, London, Theatre Royal, Newcastle upon Tyne with Royal National Theatre
1963–1964 Hamlet Extra National Theatre, London, The Old Vic, London
1964–1965 Hobson's Choice Mrs Hepworth National Theatre, London, The Old Vic, London
1964 The Dutch Courtesan Putifer National Theatre, London, The Old Vic, London, Chichester Festival Theatre

As director / playwright / producer

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Year Title Role Type
1933 Four One Act Plays Director St James' Hall, Sydney with Impressionist Theatre
1933 The Mills of God Producer Studio Theatre Club, Sydney
1933 Murder Playwright / producer Studio Theatre Club, Sydney
1933 The Morning After Christmas Eve Producer Studio Theatre Club, Sydney
1934 Restitution Director Studio Theatre Club, Sydney
1934 Repression Director Studio Theatre Club, Sydney
1934 Life Goes On! Director / playwright Studio Theatre Club, Sydney
1934; 1939 The Spartan Girl Director Studio Theatre Club, Sydney, St James' Hall, Sydney
1934 Proxy Director Studio Theatre Club, Sydney
1934 Judas Was a Gentleman Director Studio Theatre Club, Sydney
1934 The Second Rhapsody Director Studio Theatre Club, Sydney
1935 Wool Gathering Director Emerson Hall, Sydney with Studio Theatre Club
1936 Once in a Blue Moon Playwright Australian Hall, Sydney
1939 The Gigolo Husband Director Little Theatre, Sydney
1943 Counter Attack Producer New Theatre, Sydney
1945 The Doctor's Dilemma Producer Independent Theatre, Sydney
1946 Oscar Wilde Director Killara Soldiers Memorial Hall, Sydney, Independent Theatre, Sydney

[20][21]

Radio (partial)

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As actor

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Year Title Role Type
1940–1952 Doctor Mac Ettie

As director

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Year Title Role Type
1946 Oscar Wilde Director Sydney Radio Theatre

[20]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Roe, Jill; Bettison, Margaret (2013). "Lorimer, Enid Bosworth (1887–1982)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Lorimer, Enid (1887–1982)". The Australian Women's Register. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  3. ^ "Family Background". Enid Lorimer. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  4. ^ "From Irving to Jack Thompson". The West Australian. 13 March 1979.
  5. ^ Dynes, Cecily (1984). The complete Australian and New Zealand book of names. Angus & Robertson Publishers. p. 234. ISBN 9780207148613.
  6. ^ a b "Ellen Bosworth". Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  7. ^ Roe, Jill (1980). Twentieth century Sydney: studies in urban & social history. Hale & Iremonger. p. 92. ISBN 9780908094615.
  8. ^ "The drama of a lifetime". Television.au. 23 August 2009. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  9. ^ Haynes, J.; Archibald, J. F. (1973). "That's what you say". The Bulletin. Vol. 95.
  10. ^ "Theatre great dies aged 94". Melbourne Sun. 17 July 1982.
  11. ^ "Enid begins her life anew". Sunday Times. 1 February 1976.
  12. ^ Finch, Bloody Finch: The Life of Peter Finch. Holt, Rinehart & Winston. 1980. p. 38. ISBN 9780030417962.
  13. ^ "Time of Hope and Regret". The Sydney Morning Herald. 3 September 1981.
  14. ^ "LORIMER, Enid Bosworth". Australian Government It's An Honour. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  15. ^ "Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. Periodic (National : 1977 - 2011) - 15 May 1987 - p2". Trove. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  16. ^ "Enid Bosworth Lorimer (1887–1982)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. 15 January 2013.
  17. ^ "Enid Lorimer dies". The Sydney Morning Herald. 16 July 1982. p. 6.
  18. ^ a b "A 70-year career in theatre". The Sydney Morning Herald. 17 July 1982. p. 7.
  19. ^ "Erid Lorimer". The Times. 17 July 1982. p. 10.
  20. ^ a b "Enid Lorimer theatre credits". AusStage.
  21. ^ "Enid Lorimer UK theatre credits". Theatricalia.
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