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Viva Birkett

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Occupation
  
Stage Actress

Years active
  
1906 - 1930

Name
  
Viva Birkett


Viva Birkett

Full Name
  
Valentine Viola Birkett

Born
  
14 February 1887 (
1887-02-14
)
Exeter, England, United Kingdom

Died
  
June 27, 1934, London, United Kingdom

Spouse
  
Philip Merivale (m. 1912–1934)

Marriage location
  
St Marylebone Parish Church, London, United Kingdom

Children
  
John Merivale, Philip Merivale, Rosamund Merivale, Valentine Merivale

Parents
  
William Henry Birkett, Myra M. Birkett

Similar People
  
Philip Merivale, Gladys Cooper, John Merivale, Vivien Leigh, Jeremy Hanley

Viva Birkett (14 February 1887 – 27 June 1934) was a British stage actress active on both sides of the Atlantic over the early decades of the twentieth century.

Contents

Early life and career

Valentine (originally recorded as Valentina) Viola Birkett was born on Saint Valentine's Day, 1887 at the historic coastal town of Exeter in the south west of England. She was the daughter of William Henry and Myra Martha Birkett, both natives of Exeter, where her father worked as a woollen merchant. Viva studied acting under the American thespian Kate Bateman (1843–1917) and made her London stage debut on 28 June 1906 as a guest performer at the Lyric Theatre in a revival of Monsieur Beaucaire and her New York debut at the Hudson Theatre on 30 August of that same year playing Helen Plugenet in Hypocrites. For the remainder of her career she would continue to perform in London and New York and tour with companies headed by George Arliss, Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and Henry Jowett. Her last Broadway appearance was in June 1930 playing the Princess of San Luca in Death Takes a Holiday.

Marriage and family

On 23 July 1912 Viva married British actor Philip Merivale at St Marylebone Parish Church in London. The couple became the parents of two daughters and two sons, Rosamund, Valentine, John and Philip.

Death

Viva Birkett died from cancer on 27 June 1934, less than a month after leaving New York to return to her home on Seymour Road in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. She was survived by her husband and children.

Selected performances

  • (1906) Monsieur Beaucaire adapted from the book by Booth Tarkington performed at the Lyric Theatre, London
  • (1906–07) Hypocrites by Henry Arthur Jones performed at the Hudson Theatre, New York
  • (1911) Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare performed at the His Majesty's Theatre, London.
  • (1911) Merry Wives of Windsor (Anne Page) by William Shakespeare performed at the His Majesty's Theatre, London.
  • (1911) MacBeth (Lady MacDuff) by William Shakespeare performed at the His Majesty's Theatre, London.
  • (1911–12) Peter Pan Mrs. Darling) by J. M. Barrie performed at the Duke of York's Theatre, London
  • (1915) As You Like It (Rosalind) by William Shakespeare performed at the Boston Opera House, Boston, Massachusetts
  • (1914) Trilby (Trilby O'Farrell) by George L. Du Maurier Motion Picture
  • (1914) Evidence by J. duRocher MacPherson performed at the Lyric Theatre, New York
  • (1916) Caroline by W. Somerset Maugham performed at the Empire Theatre, New York
  • (1919) The Mollusc (Mrs. Baker) by Hubert Henry Davies performed with the George Arliss Company
  • (1922) The Life of Lord Byron (Lady Jersey) by Alice Ramsey Motion Picture
  • (1922) A Prince of Lovers silent film
  • (1929–30) Death Takes a Holiday (Princess of San Luca) by Written by Alberto Casella; adapted by Walter Ferris performed at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York
  • Filmography

    Actress
    1922
    The Life of Lord Byron as
    Lady Jersey
    1914
    Trilby as
    Trilby O'Farrell

    References

    Viva Birkett Wikipedia


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