Adrianne Allen | |
|---|---|
 Photo byDorothy Wilding, 1939 | |
| Born | (1907-02-07)7 February 1907 Manchester,Lancashire, England |
| Died | 14 September 1993(1993-09-14) (aged 86) Montreux, Switzerland |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Spouses | |
| Children | Daniel Massey Anna Massey |
Adrianne Allen (7 February 1907 – 14 September 1993) was an English stage actress.[1]
Most often seen in light comedy,[2] Allen played Sybil Chase in the originalWest End production ofPrivate Lives and Elizabeth Bennet in the 1935Broadway production ofPride and Prejudice. She appeared in several films and was the mother of actorsDaniel andAnna Massey.[3]
Allen was born inManchester on 7 February 1907 to John and Margaret Allen. After her education in France and Germany,[4] she trained as an actress at theRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art, where her 1926 graduation performance caught the attention ofBasil Dean, who cast her as Nina Vansittart in theNoël Coward playEasy Virtue, when it arrived to London from Broadway.[5][6]
In 1929, she marriedRaymond Massey, after he had cast her for a part in Noël Coward's playThe Rat Trap.[5] Her firstWest End appearance followed in July 1930, where she played the role of Sibyl in Noël Coward'sPrivate Lives.[4] She had two children with Raymond Massey,Daniel andAnna, who later became actors. The marriage ended in divorce in 1939.[4] Shortly after her divorce she married William Dwight Whitney, the lawyer who had handled the divorce.
During this time she appeared on Broadway, inCynara, and as Judy Linden inThe Shining Hour, and in several films, most notablyMerrily We Go to Hell. In 1942, she played "Doris" in the original London production ofTerence Rattigan's playFlare Path.[7]
She starred in more films, and appeared on Britishtelevision, before returning to Broadway in 1957, where she starred alongside her daughter inThe Reluctant Debutante.[5] Her acting career ended in 1958.[2]
Allen died from cancer on 14 September 1993 inMontreux, Switzerland.[8]
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