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Enid Lorimer

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Enid Lorimer
Born
May Enid Bosworth Nunn

27 November 1887
London, United Kingdom
Died15 July 1982 (aged 94)
Wahroonga, New South Wales, Australia
Other namesEllen Bosworth (pen name)
CitizenshipAustralian
Occupations
  • Actress
  • producer
  • writer
  • teacher
  • theosophist
Years activeC. 1910-1979
SpouseCount Harold Augustavas Wentworth Zeffri. (died 1926)[1]
Children1 (adopted)
AwardsChips Rafferty Memorial Award
Websiteenidlorimer.com

Enid Bosworth Lorimer OAM (born May Enid Bosworth Nunn; 27 November 1887 – 15 July 1982), was an English-born stage, radio, television and film actress, director, producer, writer, teacher and theosophist. She worked in her native England and also in Australia.

She was a contemporary of Dame Sybil Thorndike and Dame Lilian Braithwaite.

Early life

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Lorimer was born[2] on 27 November 1887, in London, United Kingdom.[2] Her father was Harold Marcus Nunn and her mother was Helen Louise Fowler (née Bosworth) and she had a younger sister. [3]

Brought up in comfortable and privileged circumstances her early education was supervised by a governess. She later attended a boarding school in Folkestone, Kent, and a finishing school in Switzerland.[1]

In London. she trained under renowned teacher Elsie Fogerty, she subsequently trained at Her Majesty's Theatre as a Shakespearean actress.

Career

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Lorimer's career as an actress lasted for some 70 years.[4][5] She first took stage drama in the United Kingdom, and became an understudy to Phyllis Neilson-Terry, she joined the toiurding company of Laurence Irving and during the wars year's she worked on film production in Britain assisting Dame Ellen Terry.[6] she arrived for Sydney, Australia in November 1923 to serve as Art Director at the Star Amphitheatre, Balmoral.[7]

Lorimer produced the first impromptu radio play at 2GB in 1925; of the latter she was well known as an actress in the radio serial Dr. Mac with Lou Vernon as Ettie between 1940 and 1952.[1]

She starred in numerous Australian television programmes, such as Motel, Spyforce, Homicide, Division 4 and Cop Shop, as well as many theatrical stage plays,[8] and in 1966 she appeared as a narrator in fourteen episodes of the BBC children's television programme Jackanory. Up until her 85th birthday in 1973, she was very active within the entertainment circle and would not entertain the prospect of retirement, despite self-admitted signs of "phasing out".[9] Her final film appearance was in The Odd Angry Shot.[10] In her later years, she gradually declined from acting and instead started writing children's books, such as the series Shelley (which was based on her granddaughter), under the pseudonym of Ellen Bosworth publishing 3 books..[6] Many of her books were best-sellers in Australia.[11] During her lifetime, Lorimer also worked as a teacher and a theosophist.[12]

Recognition

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Lorimer was awarded the Chips Rafferty Memorial Award in 1981[13] and the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her service towards the performing arts on 14 June 1982.[14]

Enid Lorimer Circuit, in the Canberra suburb of Chisholm, is named in her honour.[15]

Death

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Lorimer died on 15 July 1982 at a private hospital[16] in Wahroonga, New South Wales.[17][18] A private funeral was held for her; only six people attended.[17]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Type
1949 Strong Is the Seed (aka 'The Farrer Story') Feature film
1956 Find the Lady Miss Rees (uncredited) Feature film
1958 Carve Her Name With Pride Madame Renaud (uncredited) Feature film
1959 Witness in the Dark Mrs. Temple Feature film
1964 The Sicilians Old Lady Feature film

Television

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Year Title Role Type
1953 The Golden Head Dame Martha Holloway TV film
1953 Seven Little Australians Mrs. Fitzroy-Brown TV series, 1 episode
1953 The Story of the Treasure Seekers The Lady TV series, 1 episode
1954 A Castle and Sixpence Mrs. Pigmarsh TV series, 1 episode
1955 Absent-Minded Anna Mrs. Graham TV film
1955 The Vice Madame Larvin / Mrs. Steel / Mrs. McPhail TV series, 3 episodes
1955 The Sleeping Beauty The Nurse TV film
1955 Count of Twelve Mrs. McPhail TV series, episode: ’The Count of Twelve‘
1956 The Errol Flynn Theatre Donya TV series, 1 episode
1957-67 ITV Play of the Week Mookie / Rebecca Nurse / Ellen Carmichael TV series, 3 episodes
1956 Armchair Theatre Mrs. Danishev TV series, 1 episode
1957 Overseas Press Club - Exclusive Mrs. Klaus / Concierge TV series, 2 episodes
1957 O.S.S. Madame Mureaux TV series, 1 episode
1957 Matron TV series, 1 episode
1958 Television World Theatre Woman of Troy TV series, 1 episode
1958 Charles And Mary Mrs. Lamb TV film
1958 Uncertain Mercy Frau Kowalski TV film
1959 World Theatre Brand's Mother TV series, 1 episode
1959 Antigone Eurydice TV film
1959 The Flying Doctor Emily Gudgeon TV series, 1 episode
1961 Corinth House Miss Malleson Teleplay
1961 Harlequinade Dame Maud Teleplay
1961 Traveller Without Luggage The Mother TV film
1962 The Last Man Out Madame Matilde TV series, 1 episode
1963 Harpers Went Out Evelyn Bentley TV series, 1 episode
1963 Man of the World Miss Bentley TV series, 1 episode
1963 The Queen and The Rebels Peasant Woman TV series, 1 episode
1963-65 Hugh and I Auntie Maude TV series, 2 episodes
1964-67 Play School Storyteller TV series, 34 episodes
1966 Theatre 625 Anna Semionovna TV series, 1 episode
1966 The Troubleshooters Mrs. Thornton TV series, 1 episode
1966 Jackanory Storyteller TV series, 14 episodes
1966 Meet the Wife Madame TV series, 1 episode
1966 The New Inferno The Company TV film
1967 The Wednesday Play Frau Cornelissen TV series, 1 episode
1967 Beggar My Neighbour Aunt Jess TV series, 1 episode
1967 The Avengers Nanny Roberts TV series, 1 episode
1967 Uncle Vanya Maria Wassiljewna Woynitsky TV film
1967 Les Misérables Baptistine TV miniseries, 1 episode
1968-74 Homicide Mrs. Lines / Mrs. Simpson / Mrs. James / 'Gran' Garret / Mrs. Jackson / Molly Bishop / Jane Foster TV series, 7 episodes
1968 Motel Bunty Creighton TV series, 2 episodes
1969 Riptide Dora Binney TV series, 1 episode
1969 Delta Hilda TV series, 1 episode
1969 Skippy Mrs. Kearney TV series, 1 episode
1970; 1974 Division 4 Aunt Bertha / Mrs. Mathews TV series, 2 episodes
1970 The Link Men TV series, 1 episode
1972 The Survivor Belle Leeming Teleplay
1972 Kamahl Guest TV series, 1 episode
1972 Spyforce Miss Smith TV series, 1 episode
1972 Number 96 Mrs Harvey TV series
1972 The Hands of Cormac Joyce Mrs. Reece TV film
1973 Boney Mrs. Thompson TV series, 1 episode
1974 The Evil Touch Lavinia Pfeiffer TV series, 1 episode
1974 Matlock Police Mrs. Dawson TV series, 1 episode
1974 Human Target TV film
1975 Certain Women TV series, 1 episode
1975 Quality of Mercy TV series, episode 2: "The Love Job"
1976 Luke's Kingdom Nanny TV miniseries, 1 episode
1976 Is There Anybody There? TV film
1977 Mama's Gone A-Hunting Old Woman in Elevator (uncredited) TV film
1978 Loss of Innocence Gran TV miniseries, 2 episodes
1978 Case for the Defence Mrs. Lattimer TV series, 1 episode
1978 The Young Doctors Amelia Frost TV series, 2 episodes
1980; 1981 Parkinson In Australia Guest TV series, 2 episodes

References

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  1. ^ a b c Roe, Jill; Bettison, Margaret (2013). "Lorimer, Enid Bosworth (1887–1982)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Lorimer, Enid (1887–1982)". The Australian Women's Register. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  3. ^ "Family Background". Enid Lorimer. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  4. ^ "From Irving to Jack Thompson". The West Australian. 13 March 1979.
  5. ^ Dynes, Cecily (1984). The complete Australian and New Zealand book of names. Angus & Robertson Publishers. p. 234. ISBN 9780207148613.
  6. ^ a b "Ellen Bosworth". Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  7. ^ Roe, Jill (1980). Twentieth century Sydney: studies in urban & social history. Hale & Iremonger. p. 92. ISBN 9780908094615.
  8. ^ "The drama of a lifetime". Television.au. 23 August 2009. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  9. ^ Haynes, J.; Archibald, J. F. (1973). "That's what you say". The Bulletin. Vol. 95.
  10. ^ "Theatre great dies aged 94". Melbourne Sun. 17 July 1982.
  11. ^ "Enid begins her life anew". Sunday Times. 1 February 1976.
  12. ^ Finch, Bloody Finch: The Life of Peter Finch. Holt, Rinehart & Winston. 1980. p. 38. ISBN 9780030417962.
  13. ^ "Time of Hope and Regret". The Sydney Morning Herald. 3 September 1981.
  14. ^ "LORIMER, Enid Bosworth". Australian Government It's An Honour. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  15. ^ "Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. Periodic (National : 1977 - 2011) - 15 May 1987 - p2". Trove. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  16. ^ "Enid Lorimer dies". The Sydney Morning Herald. 16 July 1982. p. 6.
  17. ^ a b "A 70-year career in theatre". The Sydney Morning Herald. 17 July 1982. p. 7.
  18. ^ "Erid Lorimer". The Times. 17 July 1982. p. 10.
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