Terry, Ellen

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Terry, Ellen (1847–1928). Actress. Born into an acting family and brought up on the boards, Alice Ellen Terry left the stage for some years until concern for her children's future prompted a return in 1874 under Charles Reade. She joined Irving as his leading lady at the Lyceum theatre (1878), where her beauty and grace of movement enhanced his productions; appearing in Britain and America, their famous partnership lasted until 1902, though she had already commenced her ‘paper courtship’ with Shaw in the 1890s. Enormously popular, her vitality and stagecraft were underpinned by intelligence, yet all her successes, except in Shakespeare, were in sentimental melodrama. An unconventional approach to life was accompanied by humour, frankness, and generosity. When Terry became too old for many roles, and eyesight and memory began to fail, she turned to lecture-recitals here and abroad. She was created dame in 1925.

A. S. Hargreaves

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