Jay, Harriett (1863–1932)

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Jay, Harriett (1863–1932)

English playwright and actress. Name variations: (pseudonym) Charles Marlowe. Born 1863 (some sources cite 1857) in London, England; died Dec 21, 1932; dau. of Richard Jay (engineer); sister of Mary Jay (who married writer Robert Buchanan).

Around age 2, adopted by older sister Mary and Robert Buchanan; made stage debut in the provinces (1879) and London debut as Lady Jane Grey in A Nine Day's Queen (1880); with Buchanan wrote such plays as Alone in London, Fascination, The Strange Adventures of Miss Brown, The Romance of a Shopwalker, A Wanderer from Venus, The Mariners of England and Two Little Maids from School; also wrote the play When Knights Were Bold (1907) which was revived often; novels include The Dark Colleen, Madge Dunraven, The Priest's Blessing, My Connaught Cousins, Through the Stage Door and The Queen of Connaught (which she also adapted for the stage); also wrote a biography of Buchanan.