Henrietta Watson facts for kids
Henrietta Watson (1873–1964) was a talented British actress. She was born in Dundee, Scotland, on March 11, 1873. Henrietta came from a family of performers. Her grandfather, J.B. Johnston, was a famous actor. After her father passed away, Henrietta began acting, just like her four brothers and two sisters.
Early Acting Life
Henrietta Watson started acting very young. Her first time on stage was when she was only seven years old! She played the "son" of Lady Isabel Carlyle in a play called East Lynne. This play was based on a popular book written by Ellen Wood in 1861.
By the time Henrietta was 16, she had gained a lot of experience. She was skilled enough to play "second lead" roles in comedies and modern dramas. A "second lead" is a very important character, almost as important as the main star. As she grew older, she was given even bigger parts. Sometimes, she even worked as an understudy for the leading lady. An understudy learns a role so they can perform it if the main actor cannot.
Touring Britain
Henrietta spent a year traveling around Britain. She was the "ingenue" in a funny play called Our Flat. An ingenue is a young, innocent, and charming female character. One of her more challenging roles was playing Nellie Denver in a play called The Silver King. This role required a lot of emotion.
She was performing as Stephanie in a play called A Royal Divorce at the new Olympic Theatre in London. While she was there, she received an exciting offer: a six-month acting job in Australia!
Adventures in Australia
Henrietta Watson traveled to Australia in 1892. She joined the Mrs. Bernard Beere Company. With this group, she performed in a play called “As in a Looking Glass.” When the company returned to Britain, Henrietta was asked to stay in Australia for three more months. During this time, she appeared in a play called The Lost Paradise.
She also played the character "Kate" in a three-act comedy called The Churchwarden. This performance took place at the Princess Theatre (Melbourne) in 1893. Henrietta visited Australia again in 1899. On this trip, she played the role of Countess de Winter in a play called “The King’s Musketeers.”
