Cicely Courtneidge - Revision history

Kurt at 12:51, 16 March 2023

2023-03-16T12:51:39Z

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	~~{{Short description\|British actor (1893 - 1980)}}~~
	~~{{Use dmy dates\|date=March 2020}}~~
	{{Infobox person		{{Infobox person
	\| honorific_prefix = [[~~w:Dame\|~~Dame]]		\| honorific_prefix = [[Dame]]
	~~\| name = Cicely Courtneidge~~
	\| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals\|country=GBR\|size=100%\|DBE}}		\| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals\|country=GBR\|size=100%\|DBE}}
	\| image = Cicely Courtneidge.jpg		\| image = Cicely Courtneidge.jpg
	\| caption =		\| caption =
	\| birthname = Esmerelda Cicely Courtneidge		\| birthname = Esmerelda Cicely Courtneidge
	\| birth_date = {{birth date\|1893\|4\|1\|df=y}}		\| birth_date = {{birth date\|1893\|04\|01\|df=y}}
	\| birth_place = [[w:Sydney\|Sydney]], [[w:New South Wales\|New South Wales]], Australia		\| birth_place = [[Sydney\|Sydney]], [[New South Wales\|New South Wales]], Australia
	\| death_date = {{death date and age\|1980\|4\|26\|1893\|4\|1\|df=y}}		\| death_date = {{death date and age\|1980\|04\|26\|1893\|04\|01\|df=y}}
	\| death_place = [[~~w:Putney\|~~Putney]], [[~~w:London\|~~London]], England		\| death_place = [[Putney]], [[London]], England
	\| occupation = Actress, comedian, singer		\| occupation = Actress, comedian, singer
	\| spouse = {{marriage\|[[Jack Hulbert]]\|1916\|1978\|end=d}}		\| spouse = {{marriage\|[[Jack Hulbert]]\|1916\|1978\|end=d}}
	\| parents = {{Plainlist\|		\| parents = {{Plainlist\|
	* [[~~w:Robert Courtneidge\|~~Robert Courtneidge]]		* [[Robert Courtneidge]]
	* Rosaline May Adams}}		* Rosaline May Adams}}
	}}		}}
	<!-- Cicely-courtneidge-mousmé-1911.jpg Courtneidge in ''The Mousmé'', 1911-->		<!-- Cicely-courtneidge-mousmé-1911.jpg Courtneidge in ''The Mousmé'', 1911-->
	'''Dame Esmerelda Cicely Courtneidge''', {{post-nominals\|country=GBR\|size=100%\|DBE}} (1 April 1893 – 26 April 1980) was an Australian-born British actress, comedian and singer. The daughter of the producer and playwright [[~~w:Robert Courtneidge\|~~Robert Courtneidge]], she was appearing in his productions in the [[w:West End theatre\|West End]] by the age of 16, and was quickly promoted from minor to major roles in his [[~~w:Edwardian musical comedies\|~~Edwardian musical comedies]].		'''Dame Esmerelda Cicely Courtneidge''', {{post-nominals\|country=GBR\|size=100%\|DBE}} (1 April 1893 – 26 April 1980) was an Australian-born British actress, comedian and singer. The daughter of the producer and playwright [[Robert Courtneidge]], she was appearing in his productions in the [[West End theatre\|West End]] by the age of 16, and was quickly promoted from minor to major roles in his [[Edwardian musical comedies]].

	After the outbreak of the [[~~w:First World War\|~~First World War]], her father had a series of failures and temporarily withdrew from production. No other producers offered the young Courtneidge leading roles in musical comedies, and she turned instead to the [[w:music hall\|music hall]], learning her craft as a comedian. In 1916 she married the actor and dancer [[Jack Hulbert]], with whom she formed a professional as well as a matrimonial partnership that lasted until his death 62 years later. They acted together on stage and screen, initially in a series of [[w:revue\|revue]]s, with Hulbert frequently producing as well as performing.		After the outbreak of the [[First World War]], her father had a series of failures and temporarily withdrew from production. No other producers offered the young Courtneidge leading roles in musical comedies, and she turned instead to the [[music hall\|music hall]], learning her craft as a comedian. In 1916 she married the actor and dancer [[Jack Hulbert]], with whom she formed a professional as well as a matrimonial partnership that lasted until his death 62 years later. They acted together on stage and screen, initially in a series of [[revue\|revue]]s, with Hulbert frequently producing as well as performing.

	Courtneidge appeared in 12 British films in the 1930s, and one in Hollywood, finding this work to be very lucrative. She and Hulbert also recorded for [[w:Columbia Graphophone Company\|Columbia]] and [[w:HMV\|HMV]], returning to the stage in the late 1930s. During the [[w:Second World War\|Second World War]], Courtneidge entertained the armed forces and raised funds for the troops. She then had a long run in ''[[w:Under the Counter (musical)\|Under the Counter]]'', a comedy in which she received glowing notices. Notable among her other successes was Courtneidge's performance in [[w:Ivor Novello\|Ivor Novello]]'s musical ''[[w:Gay's the Word (musical)\|Gay's the Word]]'' in 1951–52. During the rest of the decade, she focused on revues and straight plays.		Courtneidge appeared in 12 British films in the 1930s, and one in Hollywood, finding this work to be very lucrative. She and Hulbert also recorded for [[Columbia Graphophone Company\|Columbia]] and [[HMV\|HMV]], returning to the stage in the late 1930s. During the [[Second World War\|Second World War]], Courtneidge entertained the armed forces and raised funds for the troops. She then had a long run in ''[[Under the Counter (musical)\|Under the Counter]]'', a comedy in which she received glowing notices. Notable among her other successes was Courtneidge's performance in [[Ivor Novello\|Ivor Novello]]'s musical ''[[Gay's the Word (musical)\|Gay's the Word]]'' in 1951–52. During the rest of the decade, she focused on revues and straight plays.

	After the mid-1960s, Courtneidge concentrated on the non-musical theatre, appearing in the West End and on tour in a range of plays, both serious and comic. While appearing in her last West End run in 1971, she celebrated 70 years on the stage. Afterwards, she continued to work for a further five years before retiring.		After the mid-1960s, Courtneidge concentrated on the non-musical theatre, appearing in the West End and on tour in a range of plays, both serious and comic. While appearing in her last West End run in 1971, she celebrated 70 years on the stage. Afterwards, she continued to work for a further five years before retiring.
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	===Later years===		===Later years===
	[[File:Cicely Courtneidge Allan Warren.jpg\|thumb\|upright\|Courtneidge in 1975, by [[Allan Warren]]]]		[[File:Cicely Courtneidge Allan Warren.jpg\|thumb\|upright\|Courtneidge in 1975, by [[Allan Warren]]]]
	In the early 1960s, Courtneidge appeared in a succession of plays in London and the provinces, including ''The Bride Comes Back'', and also in pantomime and a re-creation of old music hall (''Fielding's Music Hall'', 1964). In 1962, she gave what she considered her finest film performance, in a role wholly unlike her usual parts; in ''[[The L-Shaped Room]]'' she played an elderly lesbian, living in a drab London flat with her cat, recalling her career as an actress and forlornly trying to keep in touch with former friends.<ref name=dnb/><ref>Crowther, Bosley. [https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9D0DE4D9153CE63ABC4051DFB3668388679EDE "Movie ~~Review:~~ ''The L-Shaped Room'' (1962)"]. ''The New York Times'', 28 May 1963</ref> ''The Times'' described her performance as a triumph.<ref name=times2/> In 1962 and 1963, she and Hulbert starred alongside [[Vic Oliver]], in the BBC radio sitcom, ''Discord in Three Flats'' (1962).		In the early 1960s, Courtneidge appeared in a succession of plays in London and the provinces, including ''The Bride Comes Back'', and also in pantomime and a re-creation of old music hall (''Fielding's Music Hall'', 1964). In 1962, she gave what she considered her finest film performance, in a role wholly unlike her usual parts; in ''[[The L-Shaped Room]]'' she played an elderly lesbian, living in a drab London flat with her cat, recalling her career as an actress and forlornly trying to keep in touch with former friends.<ref name=dnb/><ref>Crowther, Bosley. [https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9D0DE4D9153CE63ABC4051DFB3668388679EDE "Movie Revie ''The L-Shaped Room'' (1962)"]. ''The New York Times'', 28 May 1963</ref> ''The Times'' described her performance as a triumph.<ref name=times2/> In 1962 and 1963, she and Hulbert starred alongside [[Vic Oliver]], in the BBC radio sitcom, ''Discord in Three Flats'' (1962).

	In 1964, Courtneidge accepted the role of Madame Arcati in the London production of ''[[High Spirits (musical)\|High Spirits]]'', a musical adaptation of [[Noël Coward]]'s ''[[Blithe Spirit (play)\|Blithe Spirit]]''. This was an unhappy episode in her career. Coward himself co-directed, and the two clashed constantly in rehearsal.{{#tag:ref\|Courtneidge later said, "Everyone ''does'' adore him – me included – but he's ''hell'' to work with, and I never want to do anything else with him. I'd have to be starving, I really would."<ref>Castle, p. 247</ref> After the opening night, Coward wrote in his diary, "Cis also got some well-deserved cracks for vulgarizing Madame Arcati, and serve her bloody well right."<ref>Coward, p. 579</ref>\|group= n}} The notices for the piece were dreadful, and those for Courtneidge's performance scarcely better: ''The Guardian'' wrote of "a woeful excess of underplay",<ref>Nightingale, Benedict. "High Spirits", ''The Guardian'', 21 October 1964, p. 9</ref> and ''The Observer'' commented, "The sight of Cicely Courtneidge hamming it until she drops in purple harem knickers with diamanté cycle clips isn't honestly hilarious enough to carry the evening."<ref>Gilliatt, Penelope. "Back to the big stuff", ''The Observer'', 8 November 1964, p. 25</ref>		In 1964, Courtneidge accepted the role of Madame Arcati in the London production of ''[[High Spirits (musical)\|High Spirits]]'', a musical adaptation of [[Noël Coward]]'s ''[[Blithe Spirit (play)\|Blithe Spirit]]''. This was an unhappy episode in her career. Coward himself co-directed, and the two clashed constantly in rehearsal.{{#tag:ref\|Courtneidge later said, "Everyone ''does'' adore him – me included – but he's ''hell'' to work with, and I never want to do anything else with him. I'd have to be starving, I really would."<ref>Castle, p. 247</ref> After the opening night, Coward wrote in his diary, "Cis also got some well-deserved cracks for vulgarizing Madame Arcati, and serve her bloody well right."<ref>Coward, p. 579</ref>\|group= n}} The notices for the piece were dreadful, and those for Courtneidge's performance scarcely better: ''The Guardian'' wrote of "a woeful excess of underplay",<ref>Nightingale, Benedict. "High Spirits", ''The Guardian'', 21 October 1964, p. 9</ref> and ''The Observer'' commented, "The sight of Cicely Courtneidge hamming it until she drops in purple harem knickers with diamanté cycle clips isn't honestly hilarious enough to carry the evening."<ref>Gilliatt, Penelope. "Back to the big stuff", ''The Observer'', 8 November 1964, p. 25</ref>

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External links

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	==External links==		==External links==
	~~{{Portal\|Biography}}~~
	~~{{commons category-inline}}~~
	*{{IMDb name\|0183877}}		*{{IMDb name\|0183877}}
	*{{screenonline name\|id=462553}}		*{{screenonline name\|id=462553}}
	*[http://www.bristol.ac.uk/theatre-collection/explore/theatre/cicely-courtneidge-and-jack-hulbert-archive/ Cicely Courtneidge and Jack Hulbert archive, University of Bristol Theatre Collection]		*[http://www.bristol.ac.uk/theatre-collection/explore/theatre/cicely-courtneidge-and-jack-hulbert-archive/ Cicely Courtneidge and Jack Hulbert archive, University of Bristol Theatre Collection]
	*[https://openlibrary.org/authors/OL5488063A Cicely Courtneidge] at [https://openlibrary.org Open Library]		*[https://openlibrary.org/authors/OL5488063A Cicely Courtneidge] at [https://openlibrary.org Open Library]

	~~{{Authority control}}~~

	{{DEFAULTSORT:Courtneidge, Cicely}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Courtneidge, Cicely}}

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1940s and 50s

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	===1940s and 50s===		===1940s and 50s===
	[[File:Jack Hulbert Allan Warren.jpg\|thumb\|upright\|~~left~~\|Hulbert in later life]]		[[File:Jack Hulbert Allan Warren.jpg\|thumb\|upright\|right\|Hulbert in later life]]

	During the Second World War, Courtneidge devoted much time to entertaining the armed forces. In 1941, she presented a nightly three-hour show, raising funds, and then formed a small company which she took to Gibraltar, Malta, north Africa, and Italy, performing for the services and hospitals.<ref name=dnb/> She also toured in ''Hulbert Follies'' (1941), and ''Full Swing'' (1942), which she and Hulbert then brought to the Palace Theatre.<ref>"The Theatres", ''The Times'', 13 April 1942, p. 8</ref> Together with other prominent performers including [[Robert Donat]] and [[Florence Desmond]], Courtneidge led professional opposition to a wartime proposal to allow theatres to open on Sundays. Instead, they proposed that only charity shows for the troops should be permitted on a Sunday.<ref>"Opposition to Sunday Theatres – Chorus Girls at the House of Commons", ''The Times'', 3 February 1943, p. 2</ref> The Hulberts appeared together in another musical, ''Something in the Air'' in 1943. The show received only moderate praise, although the performances of the two stars received good notices.<ref>"Palace Theatre – ''Something in the Air''", ''The Times'' 24 September 1943, p. 6, and [[Ivor Brown\|Brown, Ivor]], "Theatre and Life", ''The Observer'', 26 September 1943, p. 2</ref>		During the Second World War, Courtneidge devoted much time to entertaining the armed forces. In 1941, she presented a nightly three-hour show, raising funds, and then formed a small company which she took to Gibraltar, Malta, north Africa, and Italy, performing for the services and hospitals.<ref name=dnb/> She also toured in ''Hulbert Follies'' (1941), and ''Full Swing'' (1942), which she and Hulbert then brought to the Palace Theatre.<ref>"The Theatres", ''The Times'', 13 April 1942, p. 8</ref> Together with other prominent performers including [[Robert Donat]] and [[Florence Desmond]], Courtneidge led professional opposition to a wartime proposal to allow theatres to open on Sundays. Instead, they proposed that only charity shows for the troops should be permitted on a Sunday.<ref>"Opposition to Sunday Theatres – Chorus Girls at the House of Commons", ''The Times'', 3 February 1943, p. 2</ref> The Hulberts appeared together in another musical, ''Something in the Air'' in 1943. The show received only moderate praise, although the performances of the two stars received good notices.<ref>"Palace Theatre – ''Something in the Air''", ''The Times'' 24 September 1943, p. 6, and [[Ivor Brown\|Brown, Ivor]], "Theatre and Life", ''The Observer'', 26 September 1943, p. 2</ref>

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Courtneidge and Hulbert partnership

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	===Courtneidge and Hulbert partnership===		===Courtneidge and Hulbert partnership===
	[[File:Jack-hulbert-1921.jpg\|thumb\|upright\|~~left~~\|[[Jack Hulbert]] in 1921]]		[[File:Jack-hulbert-1921.jpg\|thumb\|upright\|right\|[[Jack Hulbert]] in 1921]]
	Having discovered that she seemed more suited to comedy than romantic leads, Courtneidge continued to perform in variety and made her debut in [[pantomime]] in 1918.<ref name=gaye2/> She and Hulbert planned to work together in "light-hearted humour and [[Victorian burlesque\|burlesque]], in [[revue]] and musical comedy".<ref name=dnb/> Their first revue was ''Ring Up'', by [[Eric Blore]] and [[Ivy St. Helier]], at the [[Royalty Theatre]] in 1921; they received good notices, but the material was weak, and the show was not a great success.<ref>"''Ring Up'' at the Royalty", ''The Observer'', 4 September 1921, p. 12, and "''Ring Up''", ''The Times'', 5 November 1921, p. 6</ref> Courtneidge returned to variety, appearing at the [[London Coliseum]] in 1922.<ref>"The Coliseum", ''The Times'', 21 February 1922, p. 14</ref>		Having discovered that she seemed more suited to comedy than romantic leads, Courtneidge continued to perform in variety and made her debut in [[pantomime]] in 1918.<ref name=gaye2/> She and Hulbert planned to work together in "light-hearted humour and [[Victorian burlesque\|burlesque]], in [[revue]] and musical comedy".<ref name=dnb/> Their first revue was ''Ring Up'', by [[Eric Blore]] and [[Ivy St. Helier]], at the [[Royalty Theatre]] in 1921; they received good notices, but the material was weak, and the show was not a great success.<ref>"''Ring Up'' at the Royalty", ''The Observer'', 4 September 1921, p. 12, and "''Ring Up''", ''The Times'', 5 November 1921, p. 6</ref> Courtneidge returned to variety, appearing at the [[London Coliseum]] in 1922.<ref>"The Coliseum", ''The Times'', 21 February 1922, p. 14</ref>

Kurt: /* Early years */

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Early years

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	===Early years===		===Early years===
	[[File:Cicely-courtneidge-arcadians.jpg\|thumb\|upright\|~~left~~\|In ''[[The Arcadians (musical)\|The Arcadians]]'', 1909]]		[[File:Cicely-courtneidge-arcadians.jpg\|thumb\|upright\|right\|In ''[[The Arcadians (musical)\|The Arcadians]]'', 1909]]
	Courtneidge, the elder daughter and second of three children, was born in [[Sydney]] to a theatrical family,<ref name=green1>Green, Stanley. [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZWIRAljCR7oC&pg=PA86&dq=Courtneidge++%22Gay's+The+Word%22&hl=en#v=onepage&q=Courtneidge%20%20%22Gay's%20The%20Word%22&f=false "Cicely Courtneidge"]. ''Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre'' (books.google.com). Da Capo Press, 1980. {{ISBN\|0-306-80113-2}}. p. 86</ref> while her father was touring Australia with the [[J. C. Williamson]] company. The family returned to England in 1894. Her parents were the Scottish producer and actor [[Robert Courtneidge]] and his wife, Rosaline May (née Adams), who worked under the stage name Rosie Nott. Rosaline was the daughter of the singer and actress [[Cicely Nott]] and the sister of three other actresses, including [[Ada Blanche]], a well-known [[pantomime]] star.<ref name=dnb>Pepys-Whiteley, D. [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/30974 "Courtneidge, Dame (Esmerelda) Cicely (1893–1980)"], ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004; online edition, January 2011, accessed 8 August 2011 {{subscription}}</ref> In 1901, at the age of eight, Courtneidge made her stage debut as the fairy Peaseblossom in her father's production of ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]'' at the [[Prince's Theatre, Manchester]].<ref name=dnb/><ref name=who>[http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whowaswho/U153492 "Courtneidge, Dame Cicely"], ''Who Was Who'', A & C Black, 1920–2008; online edition, Oxford University Press, December 2007, accessed 8 August 2011 {{subscription}}</ref>		Courtneidge, the elder daughter and second of three children, was born in [[Sydney]] to a theatrical family,<ref name=green1>Green, Stanley. [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZWIRAljCR7oC&pg=PA86&dq=Courtneidge++%22Gay's+The+Word%22&hl=en#v=onepage&q=Courtneidge%20%20%22Gay's%20The%20Word%22&f=false "Cicely Courtneidge"]. ''Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre'' (books.google.com). Da Capo Press, 1980. {{ISBN\|0-306-80113-2}}. p. 86</ref> while her father was touring Australia with the [[J. C. Williamson]] company. The family returned to England in 1894. Her parents were the Scottish producer and actor [[Robert Courtneidge]] and his wife, Rosaline May (née Adams), who worked under the stage name Rosie Nott. Rosaline was the daughter of the singer and actress [[Cicely Nott]] and the sister of three other actresses, including [[Ada Blanche]], a well-known [[pantomime]] star.<ref name=dnb>Pepys-Whiteley, D. [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/30974 "Courtneidge, Dame (Esmerelda) Cicely (1893–1980)"], ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004; online edition, January 2011, accessed 8 August 2011 {{subscription}}</ref> In 1901, at the age of eight, Courtneidge made her stage debut as the fairy Peaseblossom in her father's production of ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]'' at the [[Prince's Theatre, Manchester]].<ref name=dnb/><ref name=who>[http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whowaswho/U153492 "Courtneidge, Dame Cicely"], ''Who Was Who'', A & C Black, 1920–2008; online edition, Oxford University Press, December 2007, accessed 8 August 2011 {{subscription}}</ref>

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	{{Use dmy dates\|date=March 2020}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=March 2020}}
	{{Infobox person		{{Infobox person
	\| honorific_prefix = [[Dame]]		\| honorific_prefix = [[w:Dame\|Dame]]
	\| name = Cicely Courtneidge		\| name = Cicely Courtneidge
	\| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals\|country=GBR\|size=100%\|DBE}}		\| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals\|country=GBR\|size=100%\|DBE}}
	\| image = Cicely~~-courtneidge-mousmé-1911~~.jpg		\| image = Cicely Courtneidge.jpg
	~~\| imagesize = 185px~~		\| caption =
	\| caption = ~~Courtneidge in ''The Mousmé'', 1911~~
	\| birthname = Esmerelda Cicely Courtneidge		\| birthname = Esmerelda Cicely Courtneidge
	\| birth_date = {{birth date\|1893\|4\|1\|df=y}}		\| birth_date = {{birth date\|1893\|4\|1\|df=y}}
	\| birth_place = [[Sydney]], [[New South Wales]], Australia		\| birth_place = [[w:Sydney]], [[w:New South Wales]], Australia
	\| death_date = {{death date and age\|1980\|4\|26\|1893\|4\|1\|df=y}}		\| death_date = {{death date and age\|1980\|4\|26\|1893\|4\|1\|df=y}}
	\| death_place = [[Putney]], [[London]], England		\| death_place = [[w:Putney]], [[w:London]], England
	\| occupation = Actress, comedian, singer		\| occupation = Actress, comedian, singer
	\| spouse = {{marriage\|[[Jack Hulbert]]\|1916\|1978\|end=d}}		\| spouse = {{marriage\|[[Jack Hulbert]]\|1916\|1978\|end=d}}
	\| parents = {{Plainlist\|		\| parents = {{Plainlist\|
	* [[Robert Courtneidge]]		* [[w:Robert Courtneidge\|Robert Courtneidge]]
	* Rosaline May Adams}}		* Rosaline May Adams}}
	}}		}}
			<!-- Cicely-courtneidge-mousmé-1911.jpg Courtneidge in ''The Mousmé'', 1911-->
	'''Dame Esmerelda Cicely Courtneidge''', {{post-nominals\|country=GBR\|size=100%\|DBE}} (1 April 1893 – 26 April 1980) was an Australian-born British actress, comedian and singer. The daughter of the producer and playwright [[Robert Courtneidge]], she was appearing in his productions in the [[West End theatre\|West End]] by the age of 16, and was quickly promoted from minor to major roles in his [[Edwardian musical comedies]].		'''Dame Esmerelda Cicely Courtneidge''', {{post-nominals\|country=GBR\|size=100%\|DBE}} (1 April 1893 – 26 April 1980) was an Australian-born British actress, comedian and singer. The daughter of the producer and playwright [[Robert Courtneidge]], she was appearing in his productions in the [[West End theatre\|West End]] by the age of 16, and was quickly promoted from minor to major roles in his [[Edwardian musical comedies]].

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(No difference)

en>Ser Amantio di Nicolao: /* External links */move to Category:20th-century English comedians

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External links: move to Category:20th-century English comedians

New page

{{Short description|British actor (1893 - 1980)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix = [[Dame]]
| name = Cicely Courtneidge
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|DBE}}
| image = Cicely-courtneidge-mousmé-1911.jpg
| imagesize = 185px
| caption = Courtneidge in ''The Mousmé'', 1911
| birthname = Esmerelda Cicely Courtneidge
| birth_date = {{birth date|1893|4|1|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Sydney]], [[New South Wales]], Australia
| death_date = {{death date and age|1980|4|26|1893|4|1|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Putney]], [[London]], England
| occupation = Actress, comedian, singer
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Jack Hulbert]]|1916|1978|end=d}}
| parents = {{Plainlist|
* [[Robert Courtneidge]]
* Rosaline May Adams}}
}}

'''Dame Esmerelda Cicely Courtneidge''', {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|DBE}} (1 April 1893 – 26 April 1980) was an Australian-born British actress, comedian and singer. The daughter of the producer and playwright [[Robert Courtneidge]], she was appearing in his productions in the [[West End theatre|West End]] by the age of 16, and was quickly promoted from minor to major roles in his [[Edwardian musical comedies]].

After the outbreak of the [[First World War]], her father had a series of failures and temporarily withdrew from production. No other producers offered the young Courtneidge leading roles in musical comedies, and she turned instead to the [[music hall]], learning her craft as a comedian. In 1916 she married the actor and dancer [[Jack Hulbert]], with whom she formed a professional as well as a matrimonial partnership that lasted until his death 62 years later. They acted together on stage and screen, initially in a series of [[revue]]s, with Hulbert frequently producing as well as performing.

Courtneidge appeared in 12 British films in the 1930s, and one in Hollywood, finding this work to be very lucrative. She and Hulbert also recorded for [[Columbia Graphophone Company|Columbia]] and [[HMV]], returning to the stage in the late 1930s. During the [[Second World War]], Courtneidge entertained the armed forces and raised funds for the troops. She then had a long run in ''[[Under the Counter (musical)|Under the Counter]]'', a comedy in which she received glowing notices. Notable among her other successes was Courtneidge's performance in [[Ivor Novello]]'s musical ''[[Gay's the Word (musical)|Gay's the Word]]'' in 1951–52. During the rest of the decade, she focused on revues and straight plays.

After the mid-1960s, Courtneidge concentrated on the non-musical theatre, appearing in the West End and on tour in a range of plays, both serious and comic. While appearing in her last West End run in 1971, she celebrated 70 years on the stage. Afterwards, she continued to work for a further five years before retiring.

==Life and career==

===Early years===
[[File:Cicely-courtneidge-arcadians.jpg|thumb|upright|left|In ''[[The Arcadians (musical)|The Arcadians]]'', 1909]]
Courtneidge, the elder daughter and second of three children, was born in [[Sydney]] to a theatrical family,<ref name=green1>Green, Stanley. [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZWIRAljCR7oC&pg=PA86&dq=Courtneidge++%22Gay's+The+Word%22&hl=en#v=onepage&q=Courtneidge%20%20%22Gay's%20The%20Word%22&f=false "Cicely Courtneidge"]. ''Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre'' (books.google.com). Da Capo Press, 1980. {{ISBN|0-306-80113-2}}. p. 86</ref> while her father was touring Australia with the [[J. C. Williamson]] company. The family returned to England in 1894. Her parents were the Scottish producer and actor [[Robert Courtneidge]] and his wife, Rosaline May (née Adams), who worked under the stage name Rosie Nott. Rosaline was the daughter of the singer and actress [[Cicely Nott]] and the sister of three other actresses, including [[Ada Blanche]], a well-known [[pantomime]] star.<ref name=dnb>Pepys-Whiteley, D. [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/30974 "Courtneidge, Dame (Esmerelda) Cicely (1893–1980)"], ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004; online edition, January 2011, accessed 8 August 2011 {{subscription}}</ref> In 1901, at the age of eight, Courtneidge made her stage debut as the fairy Peaseblossom in her father's production of ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]'' at the [[Prince's Theatre, Manchester]].<ref name=dnb/><ref name=who>[http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whowaswho/U153492 "Courtneidge, Dame Cicely"], ''Who Was Who'', A & C Black, 1920–2008; online edition, Oxford University Press, December 2007, accessed 8 August 2011 {{subscription}}</ref>

Courtneidge was educated in England and, for two teenage years, in Switzerland.{{#tag:ref|After beginning her acting career, she attended the [[Royal Academy of Music]] where she was, she said, one of the worst pianists ever to train there.<ref name=times2/>|group= n}} On returning from the latter, aged 15, she embarked on an acting career, with the approval and encouragement of her parents. Robert Courtneidge cast her in small ''[[Ingenue (stock character)|ingénue]]'' roles in his productions. Her London [[West End theatre|West End]] debut was at the [[Apollo Theatre]] in the [[comic opera]] ''[[Tom Jones (Edward German)|Tom Jones]]'' (1907), which had a libretto co-written by her father.<ref name=who/><ref>"Apollo Theatre", ''The Times'', 1 May 1907, p. 8</ref> Her first starring role was Eileen Cavanagh in the long-running [[Edwardian musical comedy]] ''[[The Arcadians (musical)|The Arcadians]]'', which she took over from [[Phyllis Dare]] in 1910.<ref name=dnb/>{{#tag:ref|From July 1909 she had played the smaller [[soubrette]] role of Crysea.<ref name=g1>Gaye, p. 491</ref>|group= n}} In the piece that followed, ''The Mousmé'' (1911), which also featured a book co-written by her father, she was cast in one of the two leading female roles alongside [[Florence Smithson]].<ref>''The Mousmé'', ''[[The Play Pictorial]]'', July 1911, p. 40</ref>

At this stage in Courtneidge's career, there was some feeling in theatrical circles that her elevation to star status was largely due to her being Robert Courtneidge's daughter.<ref name=dnb/> Reviewing ''The Mousmé'', ''[[The Observer]]'' wrote that the co-authors had "failed to supply any adequate dramatic ''raison d'être'' for the prominent character of Miyo, a fair-haired Japanese damsel, embodied by Miss Cicely Courtneidge with much sprightliness but far too much effort, facial and otherwise, of coy significance."<ref>"New Japanese Play", ''The Observer'', 10 September 1911, p. 8</ref> ''[[The Times]]'' liked her better and praised her "pretty impudence and roguery".<ref>"Shaftesbury Theatre – 'The Mousmé'", ''The Times'', 11 September 1911, p. 9</ref>

[[File:Pearl-girl.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Advertisement for ''The Pearl Girl'', 1913]]
Courtneidge continued to star in her father's productions. In September 1913, she played the part of Lady Betty Biddulph in the musical comedy ''The Pearl Girl''.<ref name=pearl>"The Pearl Girl", ''The Times'', 26 September 1913, p. 7</ref> The cast included Ada Blanche; this was the third successive production in which aunt and niece had appeared together.<ref name=dnb/> Also in the cast, in the role of Robert Jaffray, was the 21-year-old [[Jack Hulbert]], making his professional debut after success as an amateur while a [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]] undergraduate.<ref name=pearl/> In June 1914, Courtneidge and Hulbert starred together in ''The Cinema Star'', an adaptation by Hulbert and [[Harry Graham (poet)|Harry Graham]] of ''Die Kino-Königin'', a 1913 German comic opera by [[Jean Gilbert]]. The piece was a hit for Courtneidge and her father, playing to full houses at the [[Shaftesbury Theatre]] until Britain and Germany went to war in August 1914; anti-German sentiment brought the run to an abrupt halt.<ref name=dnb/>

In 1914, Courtneidge and Hulbert became engaged to be married, but their plans were delayed by Robert Courtneidge's insistence that they should wait for two years before marrying. They complied with this injunction and did not marry until February 1916.<ref name=dnb/> Soon after the outbreak of war, Hulbert joined the army. Courtneidge continued to appear in her father's productions in the West End and on tour. These were revivals of ''The Arcadians'' and ''The Pearl Girl'' and three unsuccessful new shows, ''The Light Blues'', ''My Lady Frayle'' and ''Oh, Caesar!'' (all 1916).<ref name=gaye2>Gaye, p. 492</ref><ref name=times>"Obituary, Dame Cicely Courtneidge", ''The Times'', 28 April 1980, p. 16</ref>

The failures put her father temporarily out of business, and as no other producer invited her to star in musical comedy, she turned instead to [[music hall]] [[Variety show]]s.<ref name=times/> ''The Times'' later wrote that this was the first step in a new career as "a comedienne specializing in cameo character sketches".<ref name=times/> After an early variety engagement in Manchester, the critic of ''[[The Guardian|The Manchester Guardian]]'' wrote of her "pleasant voice and much charm of manner" in sketches and songs: "one may express a preference for Miss Courtneidge as the hospital sister, presented with all the bright graciousness which properly belongs to the character, over her more elaborate representation of the Flying Corps 'knut'."<ref>"Variety Theatres", ''The Manchester Guardian'', 7 August 1917, p. 8</ref>{{#tag:ref|A "knut", defined by the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' as "a fashionable or showy young man", was a popular term in early 20th century England, celebrated in [[Arthur Wimperis]]'s song about "Gilbert the Filbert, The Colonel of the Knuts."|group= n}}

Courtneidge later recalled of her first years on the halls, "When I started, my name was in such small print you could hardly read it. Music hall is the toughest thing in the world. ... I often used to get the bird, and I've had pennies thrown at me many a time."<ref name=times2>Waymark, Peter. "70 years on stage for Cicely Courtneidge", ''The Times'', 3 September 1971, p. 14</ref> Nevertheless, she mastered the genre, according to her biographer Derek Pepys-Whiteley:{{blockquote|There was about her a buoyancy and gaiety, an indefinable zest, which held the attention. With her tuneful voice, forceful humour, and vital personality, no one knew better how to get the right song across to an audience. [By] 1918 she had firmly established herself as a music-hall artiste, both in the provinces and in London.<ref name=dnb/>|}}

===Courtneidge and Hulbert partnership===
[[File:Jack-hulbert-1921.jpg|thumb|upright|left|[[Jack Hulbert]] in 1921]]
Having discovered that she seemed more suited to comedy than romantic leads, Courtneidge continued to perform in variety and made her debut in [[pantomime]] in 1918.<ref name=gaye2/> She and Hulbert planned to work together in "light-hearted humour and [[Victorian burlesque|burlesque]], in [[revue]] and musical comedy".<ref name=dnb/> Their first revue was ''Ring Up'', by [[Eric Blore]] and [[Ivy St. Helier]], at the [[Royalty Theatre]] in 1921; they received good notices, but the material was weak, and the show was not a great success.<ref>"''Ring Up'' at the Royalty", ''The Observer'', 4 September 1921, p. 12, and "''Ring Up''", ''The Times'', 5 November 1921, p. 6</ref> Courtneidge returned to variety, appearing at the [[London Coliseum]] in 1922.<ref>"The Coliseum", ''The Times'', 21 February 1922, p. 14</ref>

In 1923, Courtneidge and Hulbert appeared in ''The Little Revue'', produced by Hulbert. ''The Times'' wrote of the show, "there is no reason why it should not have a dozen successors, all as good."<ref>"New revue at Little Theatre", ''The Times'', 20 March 1924, p. 12</ref> There were, in fact, five successors, described by Pepys-Whiteley as "a series of uninterrupted successes throughout eight years, in which both partners had star parts."{{#tag:ref|The five successors were ''By-the-Way'' (1925–26), ''Lido Lady'' (1926–27), ''Clowns in Clover'' (1927–29), ''The House that Jack Built'' (1929–30), and ''Folly to be Wise'' (1931).<ref name=gaye2/>|group= n}} These shows played in the West End and on tour in the UK, and in 1925 the Hulberts made their [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] debut in their current revue, ''By-the-Way''.<ref name=gaye2/> ''[[The New York Times]]'' found the show "beguiling".<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1925/12/29/archives/revue-from-london-proves-beguiling-cicely-courtneidges-character.html?sq=Cicely+Courtneidge&scp=1&st=p "Revue from London proves beguiling; Cicely Courtneidge's Character Roles the Gems of 'By the Way' – Jack Hulbert Also Gifted"], ''The New York Times'', 29 December 1925</ref> The fourth in the series, ''Clowns in Clover'', contained one of Courtneidge's most celebrated sketches, "Double Damask", by [[Dion Titheradge]], in which her character, [[spoonerism|Mrs. Spooner]], and two shop assistants become entangled in tongue-twisters. When Courtneidge's 1932 recording of the sketch was reissued in 1972, ''[[Gramophone (magazine)|The Gramophone]]'' said, "it is an enduring classic comedy sketch as funny now as it was then".<ref name=Spooner>[http://www.gramophone.net/Issue/Page/August%201972/117/855306/ "Revue 1919–1929"], ''The Gramophone'', August 1972, p. 117</ref>{{#tag:ref|Courtneidge's character, Mrs. Spooner, is attempting to order "Two dozen double damask dinner napkins." After she has tied herself and the two shop assistants in tongue-twisting knots, she ends the sketch with the line, "Oh, blast! Give me twenty-four serviettes."<ref name=Spooner/> Courtneidge reprised the sketch on BBC television in the series ''[[Before the Fringe]]'' a few years before the recording's reissue.|group= n}}

In 1931 Courtneidge and Hulbert suffered a serious setback when they discovered that their financial manager had been speculating with their money, suffering heavy losses and putting their business into liquidation.<ref name=times/> Hulbert accepted responsibility for all the business's debts and undertook to repay every creditor.<ref name=dnb/> To achieve this, he and Courtneidge temporarily went their separate professional ways, reasoning that they could earn more as individual stars than as a double act.<ref name=times/> A boom in the film industry enabled both to earn large sums; Courtneidge appeared in 11 British films and one Hollywood film in the 1930s. She was amused to find that in eight weeks in a film studio she could earn more than she could in a year in the theatre.<ref name=times2/> She and Hulbert managed to work together on several films, including ''[[The Ghost Train (1931 film)|The Ghost Train]]'' (1931) and ''[[Jack's the Boy]]'' (1932).<ref name=times/>

During this period, Courtneidge and Hulbert made gramophone records for [[Columbia Graphophone Company|Columbia]] and [[HMV]]. Both made solo recordings, and Courtneidge recorded songs and sketches with other artists, including [[Leo Sheffield]],<ref>"Mrs. Bartholomew", HMV B4475</ref> and Ivor McLaren and Lawrence Green, with whom she recorded "Double Damask" in 1932.<ref>HMV B4134</ref> With Hulbert, she recorded such numbers as "Why has a cow got four legs".<ref>HMV B4475 on reverse of "Mrs Bartholomew"</ref> She also recorded [[Noel Gay]]'s "There's Something About a Soldier", which she sang in ''[[Soldiers of the King (film)|Soldiers of the King]]'' (1933).<ref>[http://www.bristol.ac.uk/theatre-collection/explore/theatre/cicely-courtneidge-and-jack-hulbert-archive "Cicely Courtneidge & Jack Hulbert Archive"], Theatre Collection, [[University of Bristol]], accessed 13 June 2018; and [https://www.discogs.com/Cicely-Courtneidge-The-Moment-I-Saw-You-Theres-Something-About-A-Soldier/release/7489091 "Cicely Courtneidge – 'The Moment I Saw You' / 'There's Something About a Soldier'"], Discogs.com, accessed 13 June 2018</ref> Courtneidge's solo discs include another of her most celebrated sketches, "Laughing Gas" (1931).<ref>HMV B3993</ref>

Courtneidge did not return to the theatre until October 1937, playing the dual roles of Mabel and her daughter Sally in the musical ''Hide and Seek'', co-starring with [[Bobby Howes]], produced by Hulbert.<ref>"''Hide and Seek'' – Mr. Hulbert's Team at the Hippodrome", ''[[The Manchester Guardian]]'', 5 October 1937, p. 10</ref> "We are very much amused," said ''The Times''.<ref>"London Hippodrome – ''Hide And Seek''", ''The Times'', 5 October 1937, p. 14</ref> Courtneidge and Hulbert were finally reunited as a stage act in ''Under Your Hat'', a spy story co-written by Hulbert, with music and lyrics by [[Vivian Ellis]]. According to Pepys-Whiteley, this was their favourite of all of their joint productions. It ran at the [[Palace Theatre, London|Palace Theatre]] until April 1940<ref name=dnb/> and was then [[Under Your Hat|filmed for the cinema]].<ref>"Picture Theatres", ''The Times'', 11 October 1940, p. 6</ref>

===1940s and 50s===
[[File:Jack Hulbert Allan Warren.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Hulbert in later life]]

During the Second World War, Courtneidge devoted much time to entertaining the armed forces. In 1941, she presented a nightly three-hour show, raising funds, and then formed a small company which she took to Gibraltar, Malta, north Africa, and Italy, performing for the services and hospitals.<ref name=dnb/> She also toured in ''Hulbert Follies'' (1941), and ''Full Swing'' (1942), which she and Hulbert then brought to the Palace Theatre.<ref>"The Theatres", ''The Times'', 13 April 1942, p. 8</ref> Together with other prominent performers including [[Robert Donat]] and [[Florence Desmond]], Courtneidge led professional opposition to a wartime proposal to allow theatres to open on Sundays. Instead, they proposed that only charity shows for the troops should be permitted on a Sunday.<ref>"Opposition to Sunday Theatres – Chorus Girls at the House of Commons", ''The Times'', 3 February 1943, p. 2</ref> The Hulberts appeared together in another musical, ''Something in the Air'' in 1943. The show received only moderate praise, although the performances of the two stars received good notices.<ref>"Palace Theatre – ''Something in the Air''", ''The Times'' 24 September 1943, p. 6, and [[Ivor Brown|Brown, Ivor]], "Theatre and Life", ''The Observer'', 26 September 1943, p. 2</ref>

At the end of the war, Courtneidge had a long run in ''[[Under the Counter (musical)|Under the Counter]]'', a comedy produced by Hulbert. Its theme was the [[black market]] in luxury goods and the heroine's shamelessness in manipulating it to her advantage. This struck a chord with British audiences after the privations of the war, and the play ran for two years. When Hulbert took the production to Broadway, the premise of the piece meant nothing to New York audiences, and it ran for only three weeks.<ref name=dnb/> Hulbert and Courtneidge then took the play to Australia, where it fared better. ''[[Australian Quarterly|The Australian Quarterly]]'' wrote:
{{blockquote|Cicely Courtneidge radiates the authentic glitter of [[Shaftesbury Avenue]]; she brings genuine starshine to [[Castlereagh Street, Sydney|Castlereagh Street]]. Her comedy mainly consists of being able to turn from glamour "girl" to pantomime dame with a flick of the tail or an inflexion of the voice. Her one-woman-show in ''Under the Counter'' is remarkable as a piece of acting virtuosity. She knows all the tricks in the trouper's basket, and she rings the changes from dry humour to dewy sentiment, from song to dance, from pathos to Hungarian hotcha, and from all moods to subtle mimicry as quick as a naughty wink.<ref>Rees, Leslie, and Coralie Clarke Rees. [https://www.jstor.org/stable/20631545 "Drama in Sydney"], ''The Australian Quarterly'', Vol. 20, No. 1 (March 1948), pp. 122–124 {{subscription}}</ref>}}
{{-}}
On their return to England, the Hulberts presented a new musical, ''[[Her Excellency (musical)|Her Excellency]]'' (1949), which did moderately well.<ref>Brown, Ivor. "At the Theatre", ''The Observer'', 26 June 1949, p. 6</ref> In 1950, Courtneidge was cast in one of her greatest successes, [[Ivor Novello]]'s musical ''[[Gay's the Word (musical)|Gay's the Word]]''. [[Ivor Brown]] wrote in ''The Observer'', "Miss Courtneidge is so indefatigably and abundantly herself that it is her show or nobody's."<ref>Brown, Ivor. "High Performance", ''The Observer'', 25 February 1951, p. 6</ref> After a pre-London tryout, the show opened in the West End in February 1951 and ran until May 1952.<ref>"Theatres", ''The Times'', 2 May 1952, p. 8</ref> In 1951 she was appointed [[Order of the British Empire|CBE]].<ref>"The New Year Honours", ''The Times'', 1 January 1951, p. 6</ref>

In the 1950s, Courtneidge's career turned from musicals to straight theatre and revue. In London and on tour she played in the revue ''Over the Moon'' (1953), and the plays ''The Joy of Living'' (1955), ''Star Maker'' (1956), ''[[The Bride and the Bachelor]]'' (1956), and ''Fool's Paradise'' (1959).<ref name=gaye2/>

===Later years===
[[File:Cicely Courtneidge Allan Warren.jpg|thumb|upright|Courtneidge in 1975, by [[Allan Warren]]]]
In the early 1960s, Courtneidge appeared in a succession of plays in London and the provinces, including ''The Bride Comes Back'', and also in pantomime and a re-creation of old music hall (''Fielding's Music Hall'', 1964). In 1962, she gave what she considered her finest film performance, in a role wholly unlike her usual parts; in ''[[The L-Shaped Room]]'' she played an elderly lesbian, living in a drab London flat with her cat, recalling her career as an actress and forlornly trying to keep in touch with former friends.<ref name=dnb/><ref>Crowther, Bosley. [https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9D0DE4D9153CE63ABC4051DFB3668388679EDE "Movie Review: ''The L-Shaped Room'' (1962)"]. ''The New York Times'', 28 May 1963</ref> ''The Times'' described her performance as a triumph.<ref name=times2/> In 1962 and 1963, she and Hulbert starred alongside [[Vic Oliver]], in the BBC radio sitcom, ''Discord in Three Flats'' (1962).

In 1964, Courtneidge accepted the role of Madame Arcati in the London production of ''[[High Spirits (musical)|High Spirits]]'', a musical adaptation of [[Noël Coward]]'s ''[[Blithe Spirit (play)|Blithe Spirit]]''. This was an unhappy episode in her career. Coward himself co-directed, and the two clashed constantly in rehearsal.{{#tag:ref|Courtneidge later said, "Everyone ''does'' adore him – me included – but he's ''hell'' to work with, and I never want to do anything else with him. I'd have to be starving, I really would."<ref>Castle, p. 247</ref> After the opening night, Coward wrote in his diary, "Cis also got some well-deserved cracks for vulgarizing Madame Arcati, and serve her bloody well right."<ref>Coward, p. 579</ref>|group= n}} The notices for the piece were dreadful, and those for Courtneidge's performance scarcely better: ''The Guardian'' wrote of "a woeful excess of underplay",<ref>Nightingale, Benedict. "High Spirits", ''The Guardian'', 21 October 1964, p. 9</ref> and ''The Observer'' commented, "The sight of Cicely Courtneidge hamming it until she drops in purple harem knickers with diamanté cycle clips isn't honestly hilarious enough to carry the evening."<ref>Gilliatt, Penelope. "Back to the big stuff", ''The Observer'', 8 November 1964, p. 25</ref>

The last London production in which the Hulberts appeared together was a well-reviewed revival of ''[[Dear Octopus (play)|Dear Octopus]]'' at the [[Haymarket Theatre]] in 1967 with [[Richard Todd]], [[Joyce Carey]] and [[Ursula Howells]].<ref>Bryden, Ronald. "Return of a Legend", ''The Observer'', 10 December 1967, p. 25</ref> Courtneidge, in the part originally made famous by [[Marie Tempest]], won uniformly excellent notices.<ref>Hope Wallace, Philip. "Dear Octopus", ''The Guardian'', 8 December 1967, p. 9, and Wade, David. "A not so happy family", ''The Times'', 8 December 1967, p. 13</ref> In 1969, Courtneidge turned to television, playing a working-class role as "Mum" in the first series of the [[London Weekend Television|LWT]] comedy ''[[On the Buses]]'', opposite [[Reg Varney]].<ref>Reynolds, Stanley. "London Weekend", ''The Guardian'', 3 March 1969, p. 8</ref> In about 1970, Courtneidge and Hulbert were engaged by the impresario [[Pieter Toerien]] to perform in [[John Chapman (screenwriter)|John Chapman]]'s ''Oh, Clarence!'' in [[Cape Town]], South Africa.<ref>[http://esat.sun.ac.za/index.php/Toerien-Rubin_Company "Toerien-Rubin Company"], ''Encyclopaedia of South African Theatre, Film, Media and Performance'', accessed 22 October 2014</ref>

Courtneidge's theatre work in the 1970s included tours of [[Agatha Christie]]'s ''[[The Hollow (play)|The Hollow]]'' and Peter Coke's ''Breath of Spring'', both with Hulbert.<ref>Watts, Janet. "The couple that cheers", ''The Guardian'', 19 March 1974, p. 12</ref> In 1971, Courtneidge starred in the farce ''Move Over, Mrs Markham'' at the [[Vaudeville Theatre]], playing "a prudish authoress from Norfolk, bemused by all the flying exits, unexpected entrances, and atmosphere of incipient carnality."<ref>Billington, Michael. "Move Over Mrs Markham", ''The Times'', 19 March 1971, p. 12</ref> During this, her last West End run, she celebrated 70 years on stage.<ref name=times2/> In 1972 she was appointed [[Order of the British Empire|DBE]].<ref>[http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/45554/supplements/8 Supplement to ''The London Gazette'']. 31 December 1971, p. 8.</ref> In 1976, she and Hulbert toured in a semi-autobiographical revue, ''Once More With Music''.<ref>[http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t270.e5803 "Courtneidge, Cicely"], ''Oxford Encyclopedia of Popular Music'', Oxford University Press, accessed 9 August 2011 {{subscription}}</ref>

One of her last appearances was in a royal gala performance at the [[Chichester Festival Theatre]] in June 1977, celebrating the [[Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II|Queen's Silver Jubilee]]. The performance was called ''God Save the Queen!'' and had an all-star cast, including [[Ingrid Bergman]], [[Wendy Hiller]], [[Flora Robson]] and [[Diana Rigg]].<ref>[http://www.gordonhoneycombe.com/Scrapbooks/ITN,%20January%201976%20-%20December%201977/170H%20Programme.jpg A page from ''God Save the Queen!'']. Chichester Festival Theatre programme, June 1977. Courtneidge performed a segment called "Princess Elizabeth Meets Prince Philip at Dartmouth, 1939", from ''The Little Princesses'', by Marion Crawford, Cassell, 1950</ref>

Hulbert died in 1978; Courtneidge died two years later, shortly after her 87th birthday, at a nursing home in [[Putney]], survived by her only child, a daughter. Courtneidge was cremated at the [[Golders Green Crematorium]].<ref name=dnb/>

==Filmography==
Items marked with an asterisk (*) featured both Courtneidge and Hulbert.
*1928: ''British Screen Tatler'' No.10 (Short)*
*1930: ''[[Elstree Calling]]''* – Herself
*1931: ''[[The Ghost Train (1931 film)|The Ghost Train]]''* – Miss Bourne
*1932: ''[[Jack's the Boy]]''* – Mrs. Bobday
*1932: ''[[Happy Ever After (1932 film)|Happy Ever After]]''* – Illustrated Ida
*1933: ''[[Soldiers of the King (film)|Soldiers of the King]]'' – Jenny Marvello / Maisie Marvello
*1933: ''[[Falling for You (film)|Falling for You]]''* – Minnie Tucker
*1934: ''[[Aunt Sally (film)|Aunt Sally]]'' – Sally Bird / Mademoiselle Zaza
*1935: ''[[Me and Marlborough]]'' – Kit Ross
*1935: ''[[The Perfect Gentleman (film)|The Perfect Gentleman]]'' – April Maye
*1935: ''[[Things Are Looking Up (film)|Things Are Looking Up]]'' – Cicely Fytte / Bertha Fytte
*1936: ''[[Everybody Dance (film)|Everybody Dance]]'' – Katharine 'Lady Kate' Levering
*1937: ''[[Take My Tip]]''* – Lady Hattie Pilkington
*1940: ''[[Under Your Hat]]''* – Kay Millett
*1955: ''[[Miss Tulip Stays the Night]]''* – Miss Tulip
*1960: ''[[The Spider's Web (1960 film)|The Spider's Web]]''* – Miss Peake
*1962: ''[[The L-Shaped Room]]'' – Mavis
*1965: ''[[Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines]]'' – Muriel – Colonel's Wife (uncredited)
*1966: ''[[The Wrong Box]]'' – Major Martha
*1972: ''[[Not Now Darling]]''* – Mrs. Harriet Frencham (final film role)

==Notes and references==
;Notes
{{Reflist|group=n|2}}
;References
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
* {{cite book|last=Castle |first=Charles |author-link = Charles Castle |year=1972 |title=Noël |location=London |publisher= W. H. Allen |isbn=0-491-00534-2}}
* {{cite book|last=Coward |first=Noël |editor-first=Graham |editor-last=Payn |editor2=Sheridan Morley |year=1982 |title=The Noël Coward Diaries |location=London |publisher=Methuen |isbn=0-297-78142-1 }}
* {{cite book|editor-last= Gaye|editor-first=Freda |year= 1967|title=Who's Who in the Theatre |edition=fourteenth|location=London |publisher=Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons |oclc=5997224 }}
* {{cite book|last= Morley|first= Sheridan|title= The Great Stage Stars|year= 1986|location= London|publisher= Angus & Robertson|isbn= 0-8160-1401-9|url-access= registration|url= https://archive.org/details/greatstagestarsd0000morl}}

==Memoirs of Courtneidge and Hulbert==
* {{cite book|last=Courtneidge|first= Cicely|year=1953 |title= Cicely|location=London |publisher= Hutchinson|oclc=559973615}}
* {{cite book|last=Hulbert|first= Jack|year=1975 |title= The Little Woman's Always's Right|location=London |publisher= W H Allen|isbn= 0-491-01653-0}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Biography}}
{{commons category-inline}}
*{{IMDb name|0183877}}
*{{screenonline name|id=462553}}
*[http://www.bristol.ac.uk/theatre-collection/explore/theatre/cicely-courtneidge-and-jack-hulbert-archive/ Cicely Courtneidge and Jack Hulbert archive, University of Bristol Theatre Collection]
*[https://openlibrary.org/authors/OL5488063A Cicely Courtneidge] at [https://openlibrary.org Open Library]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Courtneidge, Cicely}}
[[Category:Actresses awarded British damehoods]]
[[Category:Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:English women comedians]]
[[Category:English film actresses]]
[[Category:English musical theatre actresses]]
[[Category:Actresses from London]]
[[Category:1893 births]]
[[Category:1980 deaths]]
[[Category:Golders Green Crematorium]]
[[Category:20th-century English actresses]]
[[Category:English people of Scottish descent]]
[[Category:20th-century English singers]]
[[Category:British comedy actresses]]
[[Category:20th-century English comedians]]
[[Category:20th-century English women singers]]
[[Category:Australian emigrants to the United Kingdom]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:03, 6 October 2022
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	\| birthname = Esmerelda Cicely Courtneidge		\| birthname = Esmerelda Cicely Courtneidge
	\| birth_date = {{birth date\|1893\|4\|1\|df=y}}		\| birth_date = {{birth date\|1893\|4\|1\|df=y}}
	\| birth_place = [[w:Sydney]], [[w:New South Wales]], Australia		\| birth_place = [[w:Sydney\|Sydney]], [[w:New South Wales\|New South Wales]], Australia
	\| death_date = {{death date and age\|1980\|4\|26\|1893\|4\|1\|df=y}}		\| death_date = {{death date and age\|1980\|4\|26\|1893\|4\|1\|df=y}}
	\| death_place = [[w:Putney]], [[w:London]], England		\| death_place = [[w:Putney\|Putney]], [[w:London\|London]], England
	\| occupation = Actress, comedian, singer		\| occupation = Actress, comedian, singer
	\| spouse = {{marriage\|[[Jack Hulbert]]\|1916\|1978\|end=d}}		\| spouse = {{marriage\|[[Jack Hulbert]]\|1916\|1978\|end=d}}
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	<!-- Cicely-courtneidge-mousmé-1911.jpg Courtneidge in ''The Mousmé'', 1911-->		<!-- Cicely-courtneidge-mousmé-1911.jpg Courtneidge in ''The Mousmé'', 1911-->
	'''Dame Esmerelda Cicely Courtneidge''', {{post-nominals\|country=GBR\|size=100%\|DBE}} (1 April 1893 – 26 April 1980) was an Australian-born British actress, comedian and singer. The daughter of the producer and playwright [[Robert Courtneidge]], she was appearing in his productions in the [[West End theatre\|West End]] by the age of 16, and was quickly promoted from minor to major roles in his [[Edwardian musical comedies]].		'''Dame Esmerelda Cicely Courtneidge''', {{post-nominals\|country=GBR\|size=100%\|DBE}} (1 April 1893 – 26 April 1980) was an Australian-born British actress, comedian and singer. The daughter of the producer and playwright [[w:Robert Courtneidge\|Robert Courtneidge]], she was appearing in his productions in the [[w:West End theatre\|West End]] by the age of 16, and was quickly promoted from minor to major roles in his [[w:Edwardian musical comedies\|Edwardian musical comedies]].

	After the outbreak of the [[First World War]], her father had a series of failures and temporarily withdrew from production. No other producers offered the young Courtneidge leading roles in musical comedies, and she turned instead to the [[music hall]], learning her craft as a comedian. In 1916 she married the actor and dancer [[Jack Hulbert]], with whom she formed a professional as well as a matrimonial partnership that lasted until his death 62 years later. They acted together on stage and screen, initially in a series of [[revue]]s, with Hulbert frequently producing as well as performing.		After the outbreak of the [[w:First World War\|First World War]], her father had a series of failures and temporarily withdrew from production. No other producers offered the young Courtneidge leading roles in musical comedies, and she turned instead to the [[w:music hall\|music hall]], learning her craft as a comedian. In 1916 she married the actor and dancer [[Jack Hulbert]], with whom she formed a professional as well as a matrimonial partnership that lasted until his death 62 years later. They acted together on stage and screen, initially in a series of [[w:revue\|revue]]s, with Hulbert frequently producing as well as performing.

	Courtneidge appeared in 12 British films in the 1930s, and one in Hollywood, finding this work to be very lucrative. She and Hulbert also recorded for [[Columbia Graphophone Company\|Columbia]] and [[HMV]], returning to the stage in the late 1930s. During the [[Second World War]], Courtneidge entertained the armed forces and raised funds for the troops. She then had a long run in ''[[Under the Counter (musical)\|Under the Counter]]'', a comedy in which she received glowing notices. Notable among her other successes was Courtneidge's performance in [[Ivor Novello]]'s musical ''[[Gay's the Word (musical)\|Gay's the Word]]'' in 1951–52. During the rest of the decade, she focused on revues and straight plays.		Courtneidge appeared in 12 British films in the 1930s, and one in Hollywood, finding this work to be very lucrative. She and Hulbert also recorded for [[w:Columbia Graphophone Company\|Columbia]] and [[w:HMV\|HMV]], returning to the stage in the late 1930s. During the [[w:Second World War\|Second World War]], Courtneidge entertained the armed forces and raised funds for the troops. She then had a long run in ''[[w:Under the Counter (musical)\|Under the Counter]]'', a comedy in which she received glowing notices. Notable among her other successes was Courtneidge's performance in [[w:Ivor Novello\|Ivor Novello]]'s musical ''[[w:Gay's the Word (musical)\|Gay's the Word]]'' in 1951–52. During the rest of the decade, she focused on revues and straight plays.

	After the mid-1960s, Courtneidge concentrated on the non-musical theatre, appearing in the West End and on tour in a range of plays, both serious and comic. While appearing in her last West End run in 1971, she celebrated 70 years on the stage. Afterwards, she continued to work for a further five years before retiring.		After the mid-1960s, Courtneidge concentrated on the non-musical theatre, appearing in the West End and on tour in a range of plays, both serious and comic. While appearing in her last West End run in 1971, she celebrated 70 years on the stage. Afterwards, she continued to work for a further five years before retiring.