Australian Performing Arts (PROMPT) Collection
Dame Judith Anderson (1898-1992)
Biographical notes
Frances Margaret Anderson-Anderson was born in Adelaide, 10 February 1898. At an early age she was attracted to the stage inspired in part by witnessing a performance by Nellie Melba. Frances failed at music but was successful with elocution and drama lessons and won several competitions. Soon she was performing ingenue roles for amateur theatre companies in Adelaide and Sydney.
In 1915, at the age of seventeen, she made her professional debut at the Theatre Royal, Sydney under the name of Francee Anderson playing the role of Stephanie in A royal divorce. The company was headed by Julius Knight the enormously popular English actor who frequently toured to Australia to play romantic and swash-buckling roles for J. C. Williamson. Judith Anderson later credited Julius Knight with providing the basis of her acting skills. The Knight company included some American actors and Francee Anderson was sufficiently influenced by them to try her luck in the United States rather than the more traditional drawcard of London. She travelled to California with a letter of introduction to Cecil B. De Mille. However Hollywood showed no interest and she went on to New York. More rejections followed including one by the famous David Belasco. After a period of illness and near poverty she gained work at the Fourteenth Street Theatre in New York with the Emma Bunting Stock Company in 1918-19. She toured with other stock companies until September 1922 when she made her Broadway debut in On the stairs using the name Frances Anderson. Twelve months later she had changed her name to Judith Anderson. Her first major success on Broadway was in 1924 in The cobra. She was a well-established young star by the time she returned to Australia in 1927 for a tour of three plays, including The Cobra.
Her long career was centred on the American stage although she appeared with the Old Vic Company in London and on three occasions toured to Australia. She excelled in playing strong women gripped by powerful emotions, whether in plays by Eugene ONeill, in highly charged contemporary dramas and historical period pieces, or later, in the mid 1930s, in Shakespearean roles including Lady Macbeth opposite Laurence Olivier and Gertrude in Hamlet opposite John Gielgud.
In 1947 she starred in a new version of Euripides tragedy Medea, a role which she seemed to have been born to play according to the New York times. She toured in this role to Germany in 1951 and to France and Australia in 1955. In 1971 she realised a long held ambition to play the role of Hamlet which she did on a national tour of the United States at the age of 73.
Her career embraced radio and, later, television notably the popular soap opera Santa Barbara (1984). She made her movie debut in 1930, beginning a career in film which spanned over fifty years and included roles such as Mrs. Danvers in Rebecca (1940), directed by Alfred Hitchcock, Big Mama in Tennessee Williams Cat on a hot tin roof (1958), the Sioux squaw in A man called horse (1970), and the Vulcan Princess in Star Trek lll (1982). She made one Australian film Inn of the damned directed by Terry Bourke in 1973.
Judith Anderson settled in the United States and lived in California. She married twice. She was created a Dame of the British Empire in 1960. A Broadway theatre was named in her honour in 1984. She died on January 3rd, 1992 in Santa Barbara, California.
Documentation in the National Librarys PROMPT Collection
As part of its activity in collecting materials relating to prominent Australians, programs and ephemera documenting all aspects of Dame Judith Andersons career on stage both in Australia and overseas are being added to the PROMPT collection. Material on her career in film and television is not generally collected, although a few items directly related to her stage roles have been acquired.
Notes concerning the holdings list
Status of the list
The list is based on the imperfect holdings held in the collection and information found here is therefore incomplete. The list will be updated as the Librarys gaps for this artist are filled.
Chronological arrangements of tours
The Anderson material in the PROMPT Collection is in chronological order of her overseas career and this list reflects this arrangement.
Entries identify the city and the venue. All the information is taken from programs, flyers and ephemera. In some instances film programs are included because they include her stage characterisations depicted on film, eg, Macbeth.
Access to the Anderson material in the PROMPT Collection
Material from the PROMPT collection is available for use through the Petherick Reading Room, Ground Floor. Readers should complete an electronic call slip for the following catalogue record:
Access to other Anderson material in the Library
This lists some of the related print materials as well as some of the important non-print materials.
Biographical files
A file on Anderson is available
through the National Librarys OPAC and retrieved through the
Newspaper/Microform Reading Room.
Pictorial
Pictorial images of Anderson are
available through the National Librarys
Pictures Catalogue and
retrieved through the Pictorial Reading Room.
PROMPT Collection
Andersons Australian career
are included in the Librarys collection of PROMPT scrapbooks which are
available through the National Librarys OPAC and retrieved through the
Petherick Reading Room.
Other access
A search on the Librarys OPAC
[for external users http://ilms.nla.gov.au/webpac] will
retrieve other material.
Access to Anderson material in Australia on the Internet
- Performing Arts Collection of South Australia
http://www.pacsa.asn.au/
Access to Anderson material on the Internet
- University of California, Davidson Library, Santa Barbara
http://www.oac.cdlib.org/dynaweb/ead/ucsb/andersod/
Early Australian career
1915. Melbourne. Theatre Royal. Week commencing
November 1
A royal divorce. By W.G. Wills.
Francee Anderson (ie. Judith Anderson) as Stephanie de
Beauharnas. Julius Knight Company.
NLA. Program. 4 pages
folded. Located JC Williamson sequence of PROMPT collection
-R folder.
1916. Sydney. Theatre Royal. Commencing Saturday
June 10
The silver king. By Henry Arthur Jones and
Henry Herman.
Francee Anderson (ie. Judith Anderson) as
Susy, A Waitress. Julius Knight Company.
NLA. Cast list
and Synopsis located in PROMPT Scrapbook No. 8, v.2, Page 90.
1916. Sydney. Theatre Royal. For six nights
commencing Saturday June 17
The lion and the mouse.
By Charles Klein.
Francee Anderson (ie. Judith Anderson)
as Miss Nesbitt. Julius Knight Company.
NLA. Cast list and
Synopsis located in PROMPT Scrapbook No. 8, v.2, Page 91.
1916. Sydney. Theatre Royal. For six nights
commencing Saturday July 1
The sign of the cross. By
Wilson Barrett.
Francee Anderson (ie. Judith Anderson) as
Ancaria. Julius Knight Company.
NLA. Cast list and
Synopsis located in PROMPT Scrapbook No. 8, v.2, Page 92.
1916. Sydney. Theatre Royal. For twelve nights
commencing Saturday July 8
Under fire. By Roi Cooper
Megrue.
Francee Anderson (ie. Judith Anderson) as Jeanne.
Julius Knight Company.
NLA. Cast list and Synopsis located
in PROMPT Scrapbook No. 8, v.2, Page 97.
1916. Melbourne. Theatre Royal. Commencing
Saturday November 11
The silver king. By Henry
Arthur Jones and Henry Herman.
Francee Anderson (ie.
Judith Anderson) as Susy, A Waitress. Julius Knight Company.
NLA. Cast list and Synopsis located in PROMPT Scrapbook No. 8,
v.2, Page 110.
1916. Melbourne. Theatre Royal. Commencing
Saturday November 25
The sign of the cross. By
Wilson Barrett.
Francee Anderson (ie. Judith Anderson) as
Ancaria. Julius Knight Company.
NLA. Cast list and
Synopsis located in PROMPT Scrapbook No. 8, v.2, Page 113.
Overseas stage career
All programs and material listed here for Judith Andersons overseas career are located in the PROMPT collection under the name - ANDERSON, Judith.
1924. New York. Hudson Theatre. Week beginning
Monday July 28
Cobra. By Martin Brown.
JA as Elise Van Zile. Cast includes Louis Calhern. [Generally
considered the role in which Anderson established herself in the US.]
NLA. Program held. 24p. Wrappers.
1925. New York. Empire Theatre. “Week beginning Monday evening, September 21”
The Dove, By Willard Mack
JA as Dolores Romero, a Blue Ribbon Girl
NLA. Program held. 24 p.
1925. Chicago. Blackstone Theatre. “Beginning Sunday Evening, November 22”.
The Dove. By Willard Mack.
JA as Dolores Romero, a Blue Ribbon Girl
NLA. Program held. 12 p.
1931. New York. Maxine Elliotts Theatre.
Beginning Monday February 2
As you desire me.
By Luigi Pirandello adapted by Dmitri Ostrov.
JA as
The Unknown One. [American premiere of the play]
NLA. Program held. 16p. Wrappers. Sepia photograph of JA on
cover.
1933.
Equity, (New York). Official
Organ of the Actors Equity Association. Vol Xlll, No.1. January, 1933.
Page 4. Full page photograph of JA beside a poster for the New Years Eve
Party for the benefit of the Actors Dinner Club.
1933.
The mask and the face. By
Luigi Chiarelli.
NLA holds: -
The stage, (New York). Volume 10, No.
9. June, 1933.
Contains -
- Cover portrait of JA in The mask and the face drawn by F.E. Wallace.
- Articles -Pages 7-9, A playgoers afterthoughts on the current Broadway season includes a photograph of JA in The mask and the face and discussion of the play : Pages 29-30 Theatre asides includes notes on JA : Pages 32-33 by Stephen Woolseley Exit laughing devoted to The mask and the face with large photo of scene from the play including JA : Pages 36-37 by Jerry Maxwell What the well dressed play is wearing includes photo of JA in The mask and the face.
1934. New York. Empire Theatre. Beginning Monday
January 7
The old maid. By Zoe Akins.
JA as Delia Lovell (Later Mrs James Ralston). Anderson
co-starred with Helen Menken. Play won Pulitzer Prize, 1935.
NLA. Program held. 32p. Wrappers. Biography of JA page 28.
1934. New York. Maxine Elliotts Theatre.
Beginning Monday January 29
Come of age. A
play in music and words by Clemence Dane and Richard Addinsell.
JA as A woman.
NLA. Program
held. 12p. Wrappers. Portrait of JA on cover, biography of JA page 10.
1936. New York. Empire Theatre. Beginning Monday
November 16
Hamlet. By William Shakespeare.
JA as Gertrude. With John Gielgud as Hamlet, Lillian Gish as
Ophelia, Arthur Byron as Polonius.
NLA. Program held.
36p. Wrappers. Biography of JA page 30.
1937. London. Old Vic Theatre. Tuesday November
23rd
Macbeth. By William Shakespeare.
JA as Lady Macbeth. With Laurence Olivier as Macbeth, Andrew
Cruikshank as Banquo, Ellis Irving as Macduff. Produced by Michael Saint-Denis,
Music by Darius Milhaud, Scenery and costumes by Motley.
NLA. Program held. 4 page fold out.
1937. London. New Theatre. Friday, December
24th
Macbeth. By William Shakespeare
JA as Lady Macbeth. With Laurence Olivier as Macbeth, Andrew
Cruikshank as Banquo, Ellis Iriving as Macduff. Produced by Michael
Saint-Denis, Music by Darius Milhaud, Scenery and costumes by
Motley
NLA. 2 programs held. Includes port. of
JA.
1939. New York. Morosco Theatre. Beginning Monday
April 3
Family portrait. By Lenore Coffee and
William Joyce Cowen.
JA as Mary. Produced by Margaret
Webster.
NLA. Program held. 12p. Wrappers. Biography of
JA page 10.
1941. New York. National Theatre. November
Macbeth. By William Shakespeare.
JA as
Lady Macbeth. With Maurice Evans as Macbeth. Produced by Margaret Webster.
Scenery by Samuel Leve, Costumes by Lemuel Ayers, Music by Lehman Engel.
NLA. Program held. [16p]. Wrappers. Souvenir program. No cast
list. Includes full page biography of JA with portrait and full length photo of
JA in role of Lady Macbeth. Eight photos of production which include JA.
1942. New York. National Theatre. Beginning
Monday January 19
Macbeth. Details as above.
NLA. Program held. 28p. Wrappers. Standard program format
published by Playbill. Cover photo of JA as Lady Macbeth and Maurice Evans as
Macbeth. Biography of JA page 24.
NLA. Program held.
1942. Chicago. Erlanger Theatre. “Two weeks beginning Monday April 27”
Macbeth. By William Shakespeare. Details as above.
JA as Lady Macbeth
Biography of JA on page 3.
NLA Program held. [14] p.
1943. Boston. Shubert Theatre. Two weeks
beginning Monday April 5
The three sisters. By Anton
Chekhov.
JA as Olga. With Katherine Cornell as Masha,
Gertrude Musgrove as Irina. Staged by Guthrie McClintic. Sets and costumes by
Motley.
NLA. Program held. 8p.
1943. Chicago. Erlanger Theatre. “Beginning Monday May 17”
The Three Sisters. By Anton Chekhov.
JA as Olga.
NLA. Program held. [13] p. Biography of JA page [3].
1947. New York. National Theatre. Beginning
Monday October 20
Medea. By Robinson Jeffers adapted
from Euripides.
JA as Medea. With John Gielgud as Jason,
Florence Reed as The Nurse. Staged by John Gielgud. Sets by Ben Edwards.
Costumes by Castillo.
NLA. Program held. 48p. Wrappers.
Cover photo of JA as Medea. Biography of JA page 42.
1948 . New York? Royale Theatre. “Week beginning Monday May 10”.
Medea. By Robinson Jeffers.
JA as Medea.
NLA. Program held. 32 p. Biography of JA page 24, cover photo of JA as Medea.
1948. California. Biltmore Theatre. “Beginning Monday September 27”
Medea. By Robinson Jeffers
JA as Medea
NLA. Program held. 32 p. Biography of JA page 19, cover photo of JA as Medea.
[1948] [Seattle] Metropolitan Theatre. 8 Days, Beginning October 29th to Nov. 6th
Medea. By Robinson Jeffers adapted from Euripides.
NLA. Advertising flyer held. 1 sheet. One side reproduction of photo by Avedon of JA as Medea. Reverse side has 3 paragraph quote by Brooks Atkinson from New York times October 21, 1947 headed Medea for moderns.
1949. New York. New York City Center of Music and
Drama. Week beginning Monday May 9
Medea. By Robinson Jeffers adapted
from Euripides.
JA as Medea. With Hilda Vaughn as The
Nurse, Henry Brandon as Jason. Staged by Mr McClintic. Sets by Ben Edwards.
Costumes by Castillo.
NLA. Program held. 24p. Wrappers. Biography of JA
page 16.
1952. New York. New York City Center of Music and Drama. “Week beginning Monday January 28”
Come of Age By Clemence Dane and Richard Addinsell
JA as ‘a woman’
NLA. Program held. 21 p. Biography of JA page 16.
(1953). (New York). (New Century Theatre). (14
February).
John Browns body. Original poem by
Stephen Vincent Benet. Adapted for the stage by Charles Laughton.
JA stars with Tyrone Power and Raymond Massey. Directed by
Charles Laughton. Music composed by Walter Schumann. Produced by Paul
Gregory.
NLA. Program held. 12p. Portrait and biography of
JA pages 2, 3. Eight photographs of JA on pages 8-9 including large photo of
her as Mary in Family portrait, as Gertrude in Hamlet, as
Medea in Medea, in Mourning becomes Electra, in Come of
Age, and as Mrs Danvers in movie Rebecca. Also photo of JA at
home and in New Guinea 1943.
[1957?] Hollywood. Huntington Hartford Theatre.
The Chalk Garden. By Enid Bagnold
JA as Miss Madrigal.
NLA. Program held. 55 p. Biography of JA on page 39.
1958. New York. Rockefeller Center. Radio City Music
Hall. Week beginning Thursday September 25, 1958
Cat on
a Hot Tin Roof. Based on a play by Tennessee Williams. Directed by
Richard Brooks. Produced by Lawrence Weingarten. An MGM release in
Metrocolor.
JA as Big Mama Pollitt, Elizabeth
Taylor as Margaret Pollitt, Paul Newman as Brick Pollitt, Burl Ives as
Big Daddy Pollitt, Jack Carson as Gooper Pollitt, Madeleine Sherwood as
Mae Pollitt.
NLA Program Showplace held 1 folded
sheet ([4] p.)
1958. New York? Ambassador Theatre.
Comes a Day By Speed Lamkin, also starring Arthur O’Connell. Directed by Robert Mulligan.
JA as Isabel Lawton
NLA. Program held. 44 p. Biography of JA on page 26.
1960. Grand Prize Films present George Schaefers
Production.
Macbeth by William Shakespeare. A lion
International Production released in Australia by British Empire Films.
JA as Lady Macbeth. With Maurice Evans as Macbeth, Michael
Hordern as Banquo and Australian actor Trader Faulkner as Seyton. Directed by
George Schaefer. Music by Richard Addinsell. An MGM Film made in England.
NLA. Program held. 6 p. JA included in five photographs.
1960. Edinburgh International Festival. Royal Lyceum
Theatre. The Old. Vic. Co. One week commencing Monday 22nd August
1960
The Seagull. By Anton Chekhov.
JA as Irina Arkadin. With Tom Courtenay as Konstantin
Treplyev, Cyril Luckham as Peter Sorin, Tony Britton as Boris Trigorin.
Directed by John Fernald. Scenery by Paul Mayo. Costumes by Beatrice Dawson.
NLA. Program held. [12] p.
1960. London. Old Vic Company. Old Vic Theatre.
Thursday September 1 to Saturday October 1 only
The
Seagull. By Anton Chekhov.
JA as Irina Arkadin.
With Tom Courtenay as Konstantin Treplyev, Cyril Luckham as Peter Sorin, Tony
Britton as Boris Trigorin. Directed by John Fernald. Scenery by Paul Mayo.
Costumes by Beatrice Dawson.
NLA. Program held. 8p.
Includes portrait of JA.
1961. San Francisco. Geary Theatre. Beginning
Monday November 6
Dame Judith Anderson in the major scenes from
Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Tower beyond tragedy by
Robinson Jeffers, and Medea by Robinson Jeffers. With William
Roerick.
Included JA as Lady Macbeth in Macbeth Act 1, Scenes 5,7 :
Act 11 Scenes 1,2 : Act V Scene 1. : JA as Clytemnestra in Tower beyond
tragedy, Scene at The Palace gate : JA as Medea in scene at Medeas House,
Corinth.
NLA Program held. Single sheet, double
sided. Autographed by JA.
[1965]. California. Valley Music Theatre.
Medea. Freely adapted from the “Medea” of Euripides by Robinson Jeffers.
JA as Medea
NLA. Program held. 16 p. Biography and photographs of JA page 2.
1970. Santa Barbara, California. Lobero Theatre.
September 24,25,26.
Hamlet. By William
Shakespeare.
JA as Hamlet. With Laurence Hugo as Claudius,
Don McHenry as Polonius, Ludi Claire as Gertrude, Jeanne Bartlett as Ophelia.
Directed by William Ball. Scenery & Costumes by Robert Fletcher. Produced
by Paul Gregory and the American Conservatory Theatre.
NLA. Program held. 16p. insert in an issue of This week in
Santa Barbara, Vol XVl, No 28. Wrappers. Portrait of JA on cover. Program
insert contains portrait and biography of JA titled First lady of the
theatre.
1970? [No place or theatre or date given. Assumed
touring production]
Hamlet. By William Shakespeare.
JA as Hamlet. Cast and production team same as above.
NLA. Program held. 10p. Wrappers purple. Portrait of JA on
cover. Photographs with JA include 4 in rehearsal, 13 in performance.
Back wrapper has quotes on the production from 10 American critics.
1971. New York. Carnegie Hall. January 14, 15.
Hamlet. By William Shakespeare.
JA as
Hamlet. Cast and production team as above.
NLA. Program
held. 36p. Includes biography of JA.
Combined advertising flyer/booking
form held. Single sheet, double sided. Montage of JAs face as Hamlet by
Howard Warshaw featured.
Tours to Australia
1927. NB. Programs listed for the 1927 tour are located in the JC Williamson sequence of the PROMPT collection and filed under the title of the play.
1927. Sydney. Criterion Theatre. Week commencing
Saturday January 8
Cobra. By Martin Brown.
JA as Elise Van Zile. With Olga Lee, Henry Daniell, Michael
Hogan, Sibyl Jane and Leslie Victor. Produced by George Parker.
NLA. Program held. 32p. Wrappers. Article about JA titled
The Cobra woman at home pages 7,10. Portrait of JA page 9. Also
held is a duplicate copy of the cast list extracted from the program.
1927. Sydney. Criterion Theatre. Week commencing
Saturday March 5
Tea for three. By Roi Cooper
Megrue.
JA as The Wife. With Leon Gordon, Wallis Clark,
Olga Lee and John Bedouin. Produced by George D. Parker.
NLA. Cast list held as pages 16-17 removed from full
program.
1927. Melbourne. Theatre Royal. Commencing
Saturday April 2
Tea for three. By Roi Cooper
Megrue.
JA as The Wife. Cast and production team as above.
NLA. Program held. 44p. Photograph of JA page 5.
Publicity notes on JA pages 32,38.
1927. Melbourne. Kings Theatre. Commencing
Saturday April 30
The green hat. By Michael Arlen.
JA as Iris. Cast includes Wallis Clark, Olga Lee and
George Baxter. Staged by Leon Gordon.
NLA. Program held.
32p. Wrappers. Portrait of JA page 5. Interview with JA page 14.
1955-1956
Medea. By Robinson Jeffers. Adapted from
Euripides.
Production
Australian tour presented by The
Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust in conjunction with J.C.Williamson
Theatres Ltd. On behalf of The Education in Music and Dramatic Arts
Society.
Directed by Hugh Hunt. Scenery and Costumes by William Constable.
Described as - The first production of the Australian Drama
Company
Itinerary
Canberra. Albert Hall. October 5-6.
1955
Sydney. Elizabethan Theatre, Newtown. October 11-November 5
Brisbane. His Majestys Theatre. November 8 -23
Adelaide. Theatre
Royal. November 25-December 10
Hobart. Theatre Royal. December 12-December
17
Melbourne. Comedy Theatre. December 20 - January 14 1956
Perth.
January 17 January 28
Cast
(As listed in programs. Cast performed roles
for compete tour unless otherwise noted.)
Medea - Judith Anderson
Nurse - Doris Fitton
Tutor - Alistair
Roberts
First Woman Ailsa Grahame
Second Woman - Zoe
Caldwell
Third Woman - Jacklyn Kelleher
Creon - John Alden
Jason -
Clement Mc Callin
Aegeus - James Bailey
Slave Peter Kenna
Two women attendants -
Marie Tomasetti (C,S,A,B,M,H) / Kate Allen (C) /
Betty Ross (B) / Phillipa Baker (S) / Noreen Lower (A) / Judith Thompson (M) /
Gay Benjamin (H)
Two children -
Peter Cohen (C,S,A,B,M,H) / Robert Rosen
(C,S) / Paul Beck (B) / John Rosenburg (A) / Rene Seiber (M) / Ken Sheen
(H)
Four soldiers
Gordon Petrie (C,S,B,M,A,H) / Malcolm
Robertson (C,S,A,B,H) / John Ludbrook (S) / Keith Goddard (S) / John Frawley
(M) / John Barrie (B) Leo ODonnell (M) / Brenton Williams (A) / Lionel
Jones (B) / Bill Menz (A) / Peter Aanensen (M) / Harald Brokenshire (C) /
Christopher Power (C) / Geoff Benjamin (H) / Derry Scott (H)
Programs
Programs for the 1955/56 tour are located
in the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust sequence of the PROMPT collection
and filed under M. Some duplicate copies held in the JC Williamson
sequence of the PROMPT collection filed under title.
NLA programs held for
Canberra. Program for October 5. Four leaves folded with red
ribbon centre tie. Cover - In the presence of Their Excellencies the
Governor General and Lady Slim
Sydney. 24p.
Wrappers. Portrait and biography of JA page 5.
Brisbane.
22p. As above.
Adelaide. 16p. As above.
Hobart. 4p [photocopy of
cover and cast list held in NLA. Original program held in State Library of
Tasmania]
Melbourne. 26p. As above.
[Perth. Program not held in NLA]
1966
Fourth Adelaide Festival of
the Arts. Elder Hall. March 11,14,16,18.
Recital of excerpts from Macbeth and
Medea.
NLA general program for 1966
Adelaide Festival held. JA details page 24 with photo of JA as Medea.
Located in PROMPT collection under A - Adelaide Festival folder,
arranged chronologically.
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