Mary Ellis

Mary Ellis was an American actress and singer whose career was mostly spent in Britain. Born in Manhattan, New York City, she trained as a lyric soprano and made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1918, creating Genovieffa in the world premiere of Puccini's Suor Angelica. On Broadway she took the title role in Rudolf Friml's Rose-Marie in 1924, and she also played Shakespeare, including Kate in The Taming of the Shrew. After moving to England in 1930, she appeared in West End musicals and became known for starring in the first productions of Ivor Novello's Glamorous Night and The Dancing Years. She later acted in plays by Noël Coward, Terence Rattigan, and Shakespeare, and worked in radio, television, and film, including The 3 Worlds of Gulliver (1960). She made her final stage appearance in 1970 in Shaw's Mrs Warren's Profession.