Olive Morrell, born Olive Miller (1877–1937), was an English actress, singer and Gaiety Girl best known for her roles in Edwardian musical comedies.
Morrell was born in Highbury in 1877 [1] and grew up in Highgate, near London. A singing teacher introduced her to theatrical producer George Edwardes, which led to roles at the Gaiety Theatre, London. [2]
Morrell played roles in the Edwardian musical comedies A Greek Slave (1898–1899), [3] San Toy (1900), [4] A Country Girl (1902–1904), The Catch of the Season (1904–1906), Sergeant Brue (1904), Under a Panama (1904), [5] The Talk of the Town (1905), and The Spring Chicken (1905). [6] She appeared in a benefit performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's Trial by Jury in 1906. [7] [8]
As a Gaiety Girl, Morrell's appearance and gowns were at least as reviewed as her talents, and she was a popular subject for photo postcards. [9] In 1904, Morrell defended actresses from criticism by writer Marie Corelli, writing: "Actresses are not more extravagant than other people." [10]
She toured as a performer in musicals and pantomime in Australia for six months in the 1906–1907 season. [2] [11] The press interest in her appearance continued: "She is distinctly English, with her lovely complexion of milk and roses, a skin as fine as a baby's, straight delicate features, and good grey eyes", wrote one interviewer in a Melbourne newspaper, continuing to describe her teeth ("perfect"), her smile ("bewitching"), her eyebrows, her hair, her height, and her dress. [12] In the same 1906 interview, Morrell said:
"If any girl has any ability for the stage, I never blame her for going on. ... It is really the best thing a woman can do, and now there is a very much better class upon the stage. Managers have realized, I think, that a girl who is decently educated and nicely brought up is quicker to understand and learn, and also that she generally makes a better impression than the comparatively uneducated girl." [12]
Morrell married Australian politician Willie Kelly in 1908, in London. [13] [14] In 1909 the couple had a daughter, Mary Wentworth Kelly, and in 1911 they were living with four servants in Knightsbridge in London. [15] When they separated, Morrell moved back to England with their daughter. [16]
Morrell died in Hampstead in London in 1937. [17]
Olive Morrell, born Olive Miller (1877–1937), was an English actress, singer and Gaiety Girl best known for her roles in Edwardian musical comedies.
Morrell was born in Highbury in 1877 [1] and grew up in Highgate, near London. A singing teacher introduced her to theatrical producer George Edwardes, which led to roles at the Gaiety Theatre, London. [2]
Morrell played roles in the Edwardian musical comedies A Greek Slave (1898–1899), [3] San Toy (1900), [4] A Country Girl (1902–1904), The Catch of the Season (1904–1906), Sergeant Brue (1904), Under a Panama (1904), [5] The Talk of the Town (1905), and The Spring Chicken (1905). [6] She appeared in a benefit performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's Trial by Jury in 1906. [7] [8]
As a Gaiety Girl, Morrell's appearance and gowns were at least as reviewed as her talents, and she was a popular subject for photo postcards. [9] In 1904, Morrell defended actresses from criticism by writer Marie Corelli, writing: "Actresses are not more extravagant than other people." [10]
She toured as a performer in musicals and pantomime in Australia for six months in the 1906–1907 season. [2] [11] The press interest in her appearance continued: "She is distinctly English, with her lovely complexion of milk and roses, a skin as fine as a baby's, straight delicate features, and good grey eyes", wrote one interviewer in a Melbourne newspaper, continuing to describe her teeth ("perfect"), her smile ("bewitching"), her eyebrows, her hair, her height, and her dress. [12] In the same 1906 interview, Morrell said:
"If any girl has any ability for the stage, I never blame her for going on. ... It is really the best thing a woman can do, and now there is a very much better class upon the stage. Managers have realized, I think, that a girl who is decently educated and nicely brought up is quicker to understand and learn, and also that she generally makes a better impression than the comparatively uneducated girl." [12]
Morrell married Australian politician Willie Kelly in 1908, in London. [13] [14] In 1909 the couple had a daughter, Mary Wentworth Kelly, and in 1911 they were living with four servants in Knightsbridge in London. [15] When they separated, Morrell moved back to England with their daughter. [16]
Morrell died in Hampstead in London in 1937. [17]