Gabrielle Ray

Gabrielle Ray (28 April 1883 - 21 May 1973), was an English stage actress, dancer and singer, best known for her roles in Edwardian musical comedies.

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, however, she never recovered the fame that she had enjoyed. She spent many of her later years in mental hospitals.

Biography

Ray was born Gabrielle Elizabeth Clifford Cook in Cheadle, Stockport, England.Edwardes, Robin. [http://www.wickedlady.com/gray/raygbio.htm "A Short Biography of Gabrielle Ray",] (1997)] She was the fourth child of William Austin Cook, a prosperous iron merchant and the Justice of the Peace for Cheshire, and his wife Anne Maria Elizabeth neé Holden. [Walsh, Josie. [http://www.gabrielleray.co.uk/ "About Gabrielle Ray",] " A Picture Postcards Tribute" (2006)] Gänzl, Kurt. [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/53572 "Ray, Gabrielle (1883–1973)",] Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 18 September 2008, doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/53572]

Early career

Ray first appeared on London's West End at the age of ten in the role of Eveleen in John Hollingshead'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, she played Cupid in "Little Red Riding Hood", Adrienne in "Proof", and Cissie in "The Silver King", among other plays and pantomimes. In 1899, she appeared in "Sinbad the Sailor" at the Hammersmith Lyric Opera House. Manager Ben Greet 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" (1901).Vaughan, Roger. [http://www.rogerco.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/gallery/ray-g.htm "Ray, Gabrielle: Acress 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. [http://www.dgillan.screaming.net/stage/th-main.html "Gabrielle Ray biography",] 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 of the day and leading photographers such as Cecil Beaton. [Henry Jaremko, [http://www.wickedlady.com/gray/ Gabrielle Ray website] ] Known across Europe for her looks, she was described as "the most statuesque beauty that ever appeared on the English stage... [gentlemen] from Alfred Vanderbilt to King Manuel of Portugal, worshipped at this beauty's feet."Gillan, Don. [http://www.dgillan.screaming.net/stage/th-fourgr.html "London's Four Greatest Beauties Broken Hearted",] "The San Antonio Light", 22 June 1913, reprinted at www.stagebeauty.net]

George Edwardes hired Ray to understudy Gertie Millar in "The Toreador" at the Gaiety Theatre, London in 1902, where she had the chance to play the role on many occasions. She then took over for Letty Lind in "The Girl from Kays" at the Apollo Theatre, earning good notices for her graceful, acrobatic dancing in particular. Next, she earned considerable fame playing Thisbe in the hit musical "The Orchid" (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's Theatre: "Lady Madcap" (1905, in which she performed a popular Parisian dance, "La Maxixe"), Lady Dorothy Congress in "The Little Cherub" (1906) [ Culme, John. [http://footlightnotes.tripod.com/ArchivePressText2008/20080712.html "Gabrielle Ray, Lily Elsie, Zena Dare and Grace Pindar play football in "The Little Cherub",] Footlight Notes, 12 July 2008] and So-Hie in "See See" (1906). The same year she also played Eglé in "Les merveilleuses".

In 1907, Ray played Frou Frou in Edwardes' adaptation of "The Merry Widow", which ran for 778 performances at Daly's Theatre. 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" (1909) at Daly's and Polly Polino in "Peggy" (1911) at the Gaiety.

Marriage and later years

Ray announced her retirement to marry the wealthy Eric Loder (1888–1966) in early 1912. Ray did not appear at the well-attended scheduled ceremony at St Edwards Roman Catholic Church in Windsor because of Loder's failure to sign the prenuptial contract, but the marriage took place soon afterwards. Loder strayed, however, and the couple divorced in 1914.

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" at the Gaiety Theatre and, in the following year, in the revue "Flying Colours" at the London Hippodrome. These were her last appearances on the West End, but for nearly a decade afterwards, she appeared occasionally in provincial variety tours and pantomimes, finally leaving the stage about 1924. For instance, she played Maid Marian in "The Babes in the Wood" at Prince's Theatre in Bradford at Christmas 1919 and was Mother Goose at the Theatre Royal, Manchester, at Christmas 1920.

Ray struggled with depression and alcohol abuse, as well as her famously eccentric character, and her health declined. In 1936, she suffered a complete mental breakdown and was then institutionalized for nearly forty years. Ray died at Holloway Sanatorium in Egham, Surrey, England, at the age of ninety.

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

* [http://www.collectorspost.com/Ray.htm Biography and photos of Ray]
* [http://www.wickedlady.com/cgi-bin/gal.cgi?gray,gray-gallery.template,0Site Photos of Ray]
* [http://www.dgillan.screaming.net/stage/th-frames.html?http&&&www.dgillan.screaming.net/stage/ray/ray-g.html Site with photos and biographical links]
* [http://www.gabrielleray.co.uk/ Numerous postcard photos of Ray]
* [http://www.fanpix.net/gallery/gabrielle-ray-pictures.htm Photos of Ray]
* [http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/person.asp?LinkID=mp52142 National Portrait Gallery photos of Ray in "Peggy"]