Person    | Male  Born 17/12/1852  Died 2/7/1917

Herbert Beerbohm Tree

Categories: Theatre

Actor and theatre manager. Born at 2 Pembridge Villas. Max Beerbohm was his half-brother and cousin. Founded Her Majesty's Theatre in 1897 and ran it until his death. Founded the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1904. Married but fathered a number of illegitimate children including, with May Pinney Reed, the film director Carol Reed, and the father of actor Oliver Reed. Died at a nursing home at 15 Henrietta Street, Marylebone.

In 1899 he made the first film record of a Shakespeare play. In 1916 he was in Hollywood to film MacBeth for D. W. Griffith.  On a BBC radio programme, 'An Excellent Dumb Discourse', we learnt that Tree insisted on being filmed reciting whole long speeches, film that would never be used and was expensive. The production crew solved the problem by setting up two cameras, only one of which was, sparingly, using film.  It's a good story - hope it's true.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Herbert Beerbohm Tree

Commemorated ati

Herbert Beerbohm Tree

London County Council Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, 1853-1917, actor-manager liv...

Read More

Herbert Beerbohm Tree SW1

On this site lived Sir Herbert Tree, 1852-1917, actor manager.

Read More

Her Majesty's Theatre - H Tree

This theatre was founded in 1897 by Herbert Tree, actor, and directed by him ...

Read More

This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
Herbert Beerbohm Tree

Creations i

Globe Theatre plaque

This plaque was fixed to the wall of the brewery Barclay, Perkins & Co. ...

Read More

Other Subjects

Dame Marie Tempest

Dame Marie Tempest

Actress and singer. Born Mary Susan Etherington in London. She studied music in Paris and at the Royal Academy of Music, making her stage debut in 1885 in the operetta Boccaccio at the Comedy Theat...

Person, Cinema, Music / songs, Theatre, France

1 memorial
Laurence Olivier, Baron Olivier

Laurence Olivier, Baron Olivier

Born Dorking, Surrey, as Laurence Kerr Olivier. With his wife Vivien Leigh, he managed the St James's Theatre from 1950 to its closure in 1957. Founding Director of the National Theatre, 1963 - 197...

Person, Cinema, Seriously Famous, Theatre

3 memorials
Spotlight

Spotlight

Publishes casting directories.

Group, Cinema, Journalism / Publishing, Theatre, TV & Radio

1 memorial
Magic Circle

Magic Circle

Dedicated to promoting and advancing the art of magic. Founded at Pinoli's Restaurant in Wardour Street by twenty-three magicians on July 1st 1905.

Group, Theatre

2 memorials

Previously viewed

Sir Ambrose Crowley

Sir Ambrose Crowley

Ironmonger. Born in Stourbridge. He established iron works in County Durham, and was ahead of his time in the enlightened way in which he treated his employees. In 1705 he moved to Greenwich, to a ...

Person, Engineering

1 memorial