Gertie Millar

Gertie Millar (later Countess of Dudley) (21 February 1879 – 25 April 1952) was one of the most famous English singer-actresses of the early 20th century, known for her performances in Edwardian musical comedies.

Beginning her career at age 13, Millar was a star of musical comedies for two decades. She married composer Lionel Monckton, who composed many of her shows and songs that she made famous. After Monckton died in 1924, Millar married the 2nd Earl of Dudley.

Life and career

Gertude Millar was born in Manningham, Yorkshire, England. Her father, John Millar, was a mill worker, and her mother, Elizabeth neé Miller, was a worsted-stuff worker and dressmaker.Gänzl, Kurt. [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/35022 "Millar, Gertrude (1879–1952)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press (2004)] , accessed 16 April 2008]

Early career

As a child, Millar performed in London pantomimes, beginning with "Babes in the Wood" at the St. James Theatre in Manchester, at the age of 13.Obituary in "Daily Telegraph", 26 Apri 1952] She started out as a singer and dancer in the music halls of Yorkshire. Later, she moved to London where she was soon earning good notices and better pay appearing in variety show bills. [http://www.collectorspost.com/Millar.htm Biography at Collectors Post.com] ] By 1897, she was playing the role of Phyllis Crosby in the musical drama "A Game of Cards" at Shodfriars Hall, Boston, England. Next she toured in "The New Barmaid" in the role of the lady journalist, Dora; in "The Silver Lining"; and as Sadie Pinkhose, the "other woman", "The Lady Detective". In 1899, she played Dandini in "Cinderella" at the Grand Theatre, Fulham."The Times" obituary, 26 April 1952, p. 8]

In the new century, she starred in a series of hit musical comedies produced by George Edwardes. First, in 1900, she played Isabel Blythe in the touring production of "The Messenger Boy". Edwardes' next show was "The Toreador" in 1901 at the Gaiety Theatre in London. Lionel Monckton, one of the show's composers, had seen Millar in "The Messenger Boy" and requested that she be given the role of the bridesmaid Cora in the new musical, singing "Keep Off the Grass". She made the song popular and earned a second song, "Captivating Cora", and a third, "I'm not a simple little girl". These hits, and her featured role in "A Country Girl" (1902), established Millar in London. The Gaiety Theatre closed for renovations in 1902, and the last show at the old theatre was "The Linkman; or, Gaiety Memories". Millar starred as Morgiana. She married Monckton in 1902, and he continued to write hit songs for her in subsequent shows.

Millar became one of the most photographed women of the Edwardian period. She had top billing as the Hon. Violet Anstruther in "The Orchid", the show that opened the new Gaiety (1903; introducing the songs "Little Mary", "Liza Ann", and "Come with me to the zoo"). She starred as Rosalie in "The Spring Chicken" (1905; singing "Alice sit by the fire" and "The Delights of London") and as Lally in "The New Aladdin" (1906). She next starred as Mitzi in "The Girls of Gottenberg" (1907; singing the duet "Two Little Sausages", with Edmund Payne, and the Wagnerian parody "Rhinegold"). Soon afterwards, Edwardes cast her as Franzi at the Hicks Theatre in the English-language production of "Ein Walzertraum" ("A Waltz Dream", 1908) by Oscar Straus. Although Millar was able to sell the light musical comedy songs composed for her at the Gaiety, Oscar Straus's music was too demanding for her small voice, and she was sent to New York to star in the Broadway production of "The Girls of Gottenberg".

Later years

After she returned to London, some of Millar's biggest successes were still in front of her. They included the title role of the hit Gaiety musical, "Our Miss Gibbs" (1909), with Millar introducing the songs "Moonstruck", "Yorkshire", and "Our farm", all written for her by Monckton. Monckton and Millar then moved to Edwardes' newest theatre, the Adelphi, where she played the title role, Prudence Pym, in another international hit, "The Quaker Girl" (1910). In this, she popularised the songs "The Quaker Girl", "The Little Grey Bonnet", and "Tony from America". After this, she returned to continental operetta, playing Lady Babby in Edwardes's English language version of Franz Lehar's "Zigeunerliebe" ("Gipsy Love", 1912) at Daly's Theatre. In this role, the musical demands were light and the show was a moderate success. She returned to the Adelphi to play Nancy Joyce in "The Dancing Mistress" (1912), and back at Daly's she played Kitty Kent in "The Marriage Market" (1913). This was followed by the role of Nan in a major revival of "A Country Girl" (1914). She also played Sallie Denbigh in "The House of Bondage", a 1914 film. [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0588401/ IMDB entry for Millar] ]

World War I brought a change in the tastes of the theatregoing public, her husband was in poor health, and Edwardes had died in 1915. After appearing in two Monckton revues ("Bric à Brac" (1915; she sang "Neville was a Devil") and "Airs and Graces" (1917)), two unsuccessful musical comedies ("Houp-La" (1916) and "Flora" (1918)) and some productions in the provinces, Millar left the stage in 1918.

Monckton died on 15 February 1924. Two months later, on 30 April, [ [http://www.dgillan.screaming.net/stage/th-fourgr.html Article claiming that Millar was estranged from Monckton as early as 1905] ] Millar married the 2nd Earl of Dudley. Before the war, he had been the Governor-General of Australia. Lord Dudley died in 1932.

Gertrude, Countess of Dudley, survived her second husband by two decades and died at her home in Chiddingfold, England, in 1952, aged 73. She left an estate valued at £52,354.

Notes

References

* [http://www.collectorspost.com/Millar.htm Biography of Millar with numerous photos of Millar]
* [http://www.dgillan.screaming.net/stage/th-frames.html?http&&&www.dgillan.screaming.net/stage/th-artic.html The Stage Beauty site, with links to a biography and photos of Millar]
* [http://www.musicals101.com/who25.htm Profile of Millar at the Musicals 101 website]
*Gänzl, Kurt. "The encyclopedia of the musical theatre", 2 vols. (1994)
*Gänzl, Kurt. "The British musical theatre", 2 vols. (1986)

External links

* [http://www.dgillan.screaming.net/stage/th-frames.html?http&&&www.dgillan.screaming.net/stage/millar/millar-g.html Review of Millar in "Our Miss Gibbs" and photos]
* [http://www.hobbyist.co.uk/postcards/earlybritishmusicals/index.htm Photos of Millar and description of the 2005 book, "Gertie Millar and the Edwardesian Legacy"]
* [http://www.operagloves.com/Classicstars/GertieMillar/gertiemillar.html Numerous photos of Millar]
* [http://www.peopleplayuk.org.uk/collections/object.php?object_id=1403 Profile of Millar at the People Play website]
* [http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/person.asp?linkID=mp52345 Photos of Millar]