Marie Studholme | |
|---|---|
 Studholmec. 1900 | |
| Born | Caroline Maria Lupton (1872-09-10)10 September 1872 |
| Died | 10 March 1930(1930-03-10) (aged 57) |
| Occupation(s) | Edwardian musical comedy actress and singer |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 1 |
Caroline Maria Lupton (10 September 1872 – 10 March 1930),[1] known professionally asMarie Studholme, was an English actress and singer of theVictorian andEdwardian eras, known for her supporting and sometimes starring roles inEdwardian musical comedy. Her attractive features made her one of the most popular postcard beauties of her day.
Studholme's theatre career spanned from 1891 to 1915. She was one of producerGeorge Edwardes' famousGaiety Girls and originated several roles in musical comedies. Studholme toured widely in the British provinces and abroad in shows that had enjoyed successful London productions, and she became extremely popular in the British provinces. She ended her career inmusic hall comedy sketches. After her retirement from the stage, she fostered a boy and adopted a girl.
Studholme was born inEccleshill,Bradford,West Yorkshire, England, the only child of Joseph Ludholme Lupton, an auctioneer, and his wife Emma Greaves.[1] She was raised inBaildon by her mother, her paternal grandparents and inShipley by her father's two half-sisters, one being Mrs. Frank Rhodes,[2] and educated atSalt Grammar School on theSaltaire mill estate.[3] She became interested in theatre while still at school.[1]
She joined her mother in London and started her stage career in 1891 at theLyric Theatre in London in the chorus ofEdmond Audran's operettaLa Cigale and, at the same theatre in early 1892, was in the chorus ofThe Mountebanks, where she met her future husband, actor Gilbert Porteous, who was playing the role of Beppo.[4]Charles Wyndham asked her to join his company at theCriterion Theatre in 1892. She appeared as Rhea Porter in themusical comedyMorocco Bound at theShaftesbury Theatre in 1893, where she came to the attention of the managerGeorge Edwardes, the leading promoter ofEdwardian musical comedy.[3] Edwardes's musicals, beginning at this time, would feature his popular chorus line of glamorous yet respectableGaiety Girls. Edwardes engaged Studholme to play the small role of Gladys Stourton, one of these Gaiety Girls, in the hit musicalA Gaiety Girl (1893) at thePrince of Wales Theatre,[5] and when the piece transferred toDaly's Theatre in 1894, she was promoted to the title role.[6]
After that, she played a series of roles for Edwardes in London and on tour. She understudiedLetty Lind as Daisy Vane inAn Artist's Model, eventually taking over the role and recreating it in the New York production in 1895.[7] In 1897 she toured the United States with Edwardes' Gaiety company. She also appeared onBroadway in a revival ofIn Town in 1897.[8] Studholme succeededMarie Tempest in 1899 in the title role ofSan Toy on tour in the British provinces. In 1900 she took over the role of Nora from Violet Lloyd inThe Messenger Boy at theGaiety Theatre, London, where she enjoyed great success with thewartime song hit, "When the boys come home once more".[1]
In 1901, she created the role of Dora Selby in the London production ofThe Toreador. She also created the role of Cicely Marchmont inThe School Girl in 1903. In 1904, she played Josephine Zaccary inThe Orchard, Part Two, in London[9] and the title role in a revival ofThe Geisha.[10] At Prince's Theatre, in Bristol, she appeared inSan Toy in 1903–1904 and inLady Madcap in 1905–1906.[11] The petite Studholme sometimes played juvenile roles, for example the title role inAlice in Wonderland in aWest End revival in 1906.[12] In 1906-1907 in Southampton, she appeared inMy Darling. She again took the title role in a 1906-07 revival ofLady Madcap[13] and then played Joy Blossom inMy Darling (1907).[9] She starred in the title role inMiss Hook of Holland on a long provincial tour from 1907 to 1910. She then played Paulette inMy Mimosa Maid.[14] Studholme toured in South Africa during 1910 to 1911.[1]
By 1913, Studholme was appearing inmusic hall comedy sketches, including one entitled "Her Ladyship", at the Wood Green Empire in London, and touring in variety shows. She had great success and popularity in the British provinces, and returned triumphantly to Bradford to perform at the opening of the town's Alhambra music-hall in 1914. Studholme retired from the stage in 1915.[1]
Amid the demands of a busy theatre schedule, Studholme found time in 1907 to studyJujitsu withYukio Tani.[15] She married Porteous in 1891,[16] and the marriage ended in divorce. She was married again on 4 September 1908 to Harold Giles Borrett, four years her junior, the son of Major-General Herbert Charles Borrett, who courted her under an assumed name.[1][17] Studholme had no children of her own. ShefosteredPeter Lupino and then around 1916 adopted Jill (Granddaughter of Eardley Norton, former Attorney General of Madras), who was four years younger than Lupino. Borrett was not fond of the children, but he suffered them as he was dependent on Studholme's considerable wealth. He never worked.[18]
Studholme loved animals and was often photographed with them.[19] She reportedly charged asixpence to autograph her postcards and gave the proceeds to animal and theatrical charities.[1] In 1904, Studholme brought and won a lawsuit against Edward Foley, a London dentist, who altered her photographic image for use in an advertisement without permission.[20] She converted toChristian Science and lived out her retirement inHampstead andLaleham where, in 1909, the young ArchitectEdward Maufe designed a weekend house for her. She called the house 'The Barn', possibly after the Dutch Barn in the musicalMiss Hook of Holland. Studholme Court, a council block, was later built on part of the site of the garden of Studholme's former Hampstead home, off the Finchley Road.[1]
Studholme died at her home in London in March 1930 from a short but virulent attack ofrheumatic fever, at the age of 57, and was buried in theSt Marylebone Cemetery inEast Finchley, survived by her second husband and children.[3] She left an estate valued at £58,303, which in 2024 is worth over £4.75 million.[1]
On 10 March 2012The Music Hall Guild of Great Britain and America erected a commemorativeblue plaque at Studholme's last home in Hampstead, and restored her memorial atSt. Marylebone Cemetery in East Finchley.[21]
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