Julia Neilson (1868-1957)

Julia Neilson (1868-1957)

Julia Neilson was born in London on 12th June, 1868. She was the daughter of Alexander Riche Neilson, a jeweler, and his wife Emily Davis. Her parents divorced shortly after Julia's birth leaving her mother to struggle to support her only child. Julia learned to speak French and German and her mother was eventually able to send her daughter to school in Wiesbaden in Germany for three years. Later, at the age of fifteen, she became a student at the Royal Academy of Music. She proved to be highly talented with a beautiful soprano voice and whilst at the academy she won the Llewellyn Thomas Gold Medal (1885), the Westmoreland Scholarship (1886) and the Sainton Dolby Prize (1886).

Although making great headway as a singer, she decided to try her hand as an actress and after appearing as an amateur in 1887 made her first professional appearance as 'Cynisca' in a morning performance of W.S. Gilbert's "Pymalion and Galatea" at the Lyceum Theatre on 21st March 1888. Two months later she took over the female lead, 'Galatea', opposite Lewis Waller in the same production at the Savoy. Having by now decided, on the advice of W.S. Gilbert himself, to give up music to concentrate on the stage, she next played 'Lady Hilda' in "Broken Hearts" at the Crystal Palace, then 'Selene' in "The Wicked World" back at the Savoy. Then, in November 1888, she joined Rutland Barrington's company at the St. James where she played a season as the heroine 'Ruth Redmayne' in "Brantinghame Hall".

Her reputation growing, she was next engaged by the great actor/producer Beerbohm Tree and toured with him in "Captain Swift", "The Red Lamp" and "The Merry Wives of Windsor". She would remain with Tree's company, based at the Haymarket, for the next five years and under his direction would find and perfect her true acting vocation, as a tragedienne. Her first role at the Haymarket was 'Julie de Noirville' in "A Mans Shadow" opening in September 1889.

Outside of the theatre her private life endured true tragedy with the death of her father early in 1889. But there was joy also when she met and married actor Fred Terry in the early part of 1890. Terry was born of a prestigious theatrical family being the son of actor Benjamin Terry and actress Sarah Ballard. He had four actress sisters, including the great Dame Ellen Terry and two brothers who were involved in theatre management. He was the uncle, by his sister Florence, of actress Olive Terry (Morris) and actor Jack Morris. When Julia's mother remarried a few years later, it was to the deceased Florence's widower spouse, solicitor William Morris. Thus Julia became step-sister to Olive and Jack who were already her neice and nephew by marriage.

Fred joined Julia at the Haymarket from April 1890 and the newlyweds first appeared on stage together as 'Marguerite' and 'Armand' in Sydney Grundy's translation of a french play "A Village Priest". The couple would remain with Tree's company until 1894, appearing in many more productions together including "Beau Austin", "Hamlet", "Peril", "A Woman of No Importance" and revivals of "Captain Swift", "The Red Lamp" and "The Merry Wives of Windsor" to name but a few. During that time Julia bore her first child, a daughter on 15th October 1892, Phyllis Neilson-Terry who would inevitably grow up to be an actress like her mother.

In June 1894, still together, they appeared in "Shall We Forgive Her?" at the Adelphi then for a time parted company in their professional careers. Julia returned to The Haymarket to play 'Lady Chiltern' in Oscar Wilde's new comedy "An Ideal Husband" (opening January 1895) whilst Fred Terry joined Comyns Carr at The Comedy. Julia gave birth to her second child, Dennis Neilson-Terry (also an actor) on 21st October 1895. Only two months later with her babe-in-arms she would rejoin her husband in sailing to the USA with John Hare's company. Julia's first appearance on stage in that country was as 'Agnes' in "The Notorious Mrs Ebbsmith" (Fred played 'Lucas Cleve') at Abbey's Theatre in New York.

On returning to England their professional careers again diverged, for a time at least. Julia spent the next two years at the St James, opening on 20th October 1896 as 'Princess Flavia' in "The Prisoner of Zenda", and going on to play numerous other notable roles there. Her husband rejoined her at the St. James in time to appear together in "The Tree of Knowledge" in October 1897 and they remained there together for much of the following year, most notably appearing in Shakespeares "Much Ado About Nothing" (as Beatrice and Don Pedro). In August 1898 they moved on together to play a season in "The Gipsy Earl" at the Adelphi after which their careers diverged again. After a short spell at the Garrick, Julia rejoined Beerbohm Tree, now at His Majesty's, first appearing as 'Constance' to his 'King John' in the play of the same name - also appearing in an early short silent movie recreating King John's death scene at the end of the play.

When her career next reunited with that of her husband it was to enter into management together. Their first co-production, at the Haymarket in August 1900, was "Sweet Nell of Old Drury" with Julia in the title role and Fred as 'King Charles II". They would continue successfully staging productions together for the next 30 years, most famously for their production of "The Scarlet Pimpernel" (first produced in 1903). Baroness Orczy's manuscript had been repeatedly turned down by publishers when Fred and Julia found it and recognised its potential for a stage production. Of course the story needed some revision to capture a theatre audience and they created an entirely new opening scene where the Pimpernel is introduced disguised as an old hag in a daring rescue at the gates of Paris. The play was first staged in Nottingham in October 1903, and brought to London a little over a year later, opening at the New Theatre on 5th January 1905. It earned scathing reviews from the critics, but despite those opinions the public loved it and it was a runaway success enjoying numerous revivals in the years that followed. Already admired for their romantic dramas, the Pimpernel was an ideal vehicle for the couple and Fred with his masculine good looks cut a dashing Sir Percy whilst Julia's statuesque figure and expressive voice were ideally suited the role of Lady Blakeney.

Julia was seen less on stage in the years that followed, often with extended periods of absence, as she devoted more of her time to managing productions. She visited America again with her husband in 1910 putting on "The Scarlet Pimpernel" and "Henty of Navarre" at the Knickerbocker Theatre in New York. Back in England, when she was unable to continue in her role as 'Marguerite de Valois' in the latter production her daughter Phyllis took over for one of her early adult roles. Julia toured regularly with her husband in the 1920's, mainly in romantic historical dramas, as well as appearing in her signature role of 'Lady Blakeney' in a benefit performance for King George's Actors Pension Fund at the Palace in May 1928.

Julia's son Dennis died of double-pneumonia in Bulowayo, Southern Rhodesia, in July 1932 and she was widowed a year later by the death of her husband of over forty years. She retired from the stage two years later at the end of her run as 'Josephine Popinot' in the revival of "Vintage Wine" at the Victoria Theatre. She was feted with a celebration luncheon honouring the fiftieth anniversary of her first professional stage appearance in March 1938. She made a breif return to the stage at the "Q" Theatre in November 1944 when she played 'Lady Rutven' in "The Widow of 40", a production in which her daughter Phyllis also appeared - there last time on stage together. Julia Neilson died in London on 27th May, 1957.

At the height of her fame Julia Neilson was a towering figure, both physically and in terms of her performances. She was one of the greatest tragediennes of her day, her physical stature would lend itself to nothing else. Shortly after her marriage to Fred Terry, Boyle Lawrence wrote this of her:

"Julia Neilson is one of our very small number of tragediennes. Her physical stature is well suited to this, the highest form of dramatic expression. Physical beauty is hers, cast in the heroic mould. As an actress she must have succeeded in this or not at all. Ill-treated clinging heroines cannot be quite so divinely tall; the arch sunshiny-showery , vivacious and merely pathetic type of English domestic drama could not in her have found an interpreter ..... All we wish to make clear is the point that Miss Neilson requires a big canvas, that there must be something broad and wide in a character for her to make it real and living."

After she married Fred Terry, she grew fond of appearing with him in the historical romances which were so very much his forte. They loved grand entrances and extravagant costumes, and were so accustomed to a world of imitation grandeur that it them it became wholly natural. Julia played all the great tragedies, but it was her romantic counterpart to the Scarlet Pimpernel, 'Lady Blakeney', for which she will always be remembered.

Theatrical Connections (family relationships to other stage performers)
Cousin of: Lily Hanbury, Hilda Hanbury, Hilda Jacobson, Nora Kerin, Eileen Kerin, Florence Jamieson
Spouse of: Fred Terry
Mother of: Phyllis Neilson-Terry, Dennis Neilson-Terry
Grandmother of: Hazel Terry
Daughter-in-law of: Benjamin Terry, Sarah Ballard
Mother-in-law of: Cecil King, Mary Glynne
Sister-in-law of: Kate Terry, Dame Ellen Terry, Marion Terry, Florence Terry
Step-Sister of: Olive Terry
Aunt (by marriage) of: Horace Terry, Beatrice Terry, Minnie Terry, Olive Terry (her step-sister), Kate Lewis, Mabel Terry Lewis, Edward Gordon Craig, Edith Craig

Movie Credits (source www.imdb.com)
1899 - King John (3 min short) [Constance]