Betty Chancellor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Betty Chancellor
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| Born |
Lilias Betty Chancellor
9 January 1910 8 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin
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| Died | 27 April 1984 (aged 74) Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin
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| Burial place | St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Spouse(s) | Denis Johnston |
Betty Chancellor (born 9 January 1910 – died 27 April 1984) was a talented Irish actress. She became well-known for her stage performances, especially at the famous Gate Theatre in Dublin.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Betty Chancellor was born in Dublin, Ireland, on 9 January 1910. Her father, John William Chancellor, was a clockmaker, jeweler, and photographer. Her mother was Cicely Chancellor. Betty had an older sister named Joyce Fanny, who also became an actress.
Betty went to Nightingale Hall and Alexandra College for her education. After school, she trained to become a secretary.
A Star on Stage
First Steps in Acting
Betty's first time on stage was in 1914. She played a fairy in a special show at the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin. She returned to the Gaiety in 1922, playing Gwennie in a play called The Man from Blankley's. After this, she studied acting with a famous Irish actor named Frank Fay.
In the 1920s, Betty performed in plays by the Dublin Drama League at the Abbey Theatre.
Rising at the Gate Theatre
Betty's acting career really took off when she joined the Gate Theatre. By the early 1930s, she was one of the main actresses there. She performed alongside many famous actors.
In October 1931, Betty played Naomi in a play called Jud Süss with Orson Welles. She also made her debut in London in 1931. She played Biddy Henley in The new gossoon at the Apollo Theatre.
Some of her most memorable roles included:
- Toots in Youth's the season (1932)
- Laura in Carmilla (1932), based on a famous story
- Ophelia in Shakespeare's Hamlet (1932)
- Cicely in The Importance of Being Earnest (1933)
In 1935, she toured with the Gate company. She played Stella in Yahoo in London. In 1937, she starred with James Mason in the Gate's play Pride and Prejudice.
Acting in London
By the late 1930s, Betty spent more time acting in London. After her role as Baby Furze in the 1938 play Spring meeting, she was even called a "Star of the Future" by a newspaper! In 1940, she acted with famous stars like Alec Guinness and Peggy Ashcroft in a play called Cousin Muriel. This play was directed by John Gielgud.
Return to Dublin and Family Life
In 1941, Betty returned to the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin. She acted with Hilton Edwards in a play by George Bernard Shaw called Caesar and Cleopatra. This show celebrated the Gaiety Theatre's 75th anniversary.
Later, Betty married Denis Johnston in March 1945. She began to act less often to focus on raising their sons. She also started to have hearing problems, which had begun when she was a teenager.
In 1947, she appeared in a play called The moon in the Yellow River in London. In 1948, her family moved to the United States. There, she played the main role in Shaw's Candida in 1950.
Later Years
In 1969, Betty and her family moved back to Ireland. They settled in Dalkey, a town in County Dublin.
Betty Chancellor passed away in Dún Laoghaire on 27 April 1984. She is buried at St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.
