Enid Lorimer

May Enid Bosworth Nunn OAM (27 November 1887 – 15 July 1982), known professionally as Enid Lorimer and also known by the pseudonym of Ellen Bosworth, was a British-born Australian film, stage actress and director, radio and television actress, writer, teacher and theosophist. She was married to Count Wentworth Zerffi. She attended Herbert Trees theatre in London and trained as a Shakespearean actress, she was a contemporary of Dame Sybil Thorndike and Lilian Braithwaite. Miss Lorimer was also involved in silent film production in Britain during World War 1, working with the likes of Dame Ellen Terry.

Enid Lorimer

OAM
Born
May Enid Bosworth Nunn

27 November 1887
London, United Kingdom
Died15 July 1982 (aged 94)
Wahroonga, New South Wales, Australia
Other namesEllen Bosworth
CitizenshipAustralian
Occupation
  • Actress
  • producer
  • writer
  • teacher
  • theosophist
Spouse(s)Count Wentworth Zeffri.
Parent(s)Harold Marcus Nunn (father)
Helen Louis Fowler (mother)
Websiteenidlorimer.com

Early life

Lorimer was born[1] on 27 November 1887, in London, United Kingdom.[1] Her father was Harold Marcus Nunn and her mother was Helen Louise Fowler (née Bosworth).[2]

Her early education was supervised by a governess. She later attended a boarding school in Folkestone, Kent, and a finishing school in Switzerland.[3]

Career

Lorimer's career as an actress lasted for some 70 years.[4][5] She first took stage drama in the United Kingdom,[6] before leaving for Sydney, Australia in November 1923 to serve as Art Director at the Star Amphitheatre, Balmoral.[7] She starred in numerous Australian television programmes, such as Motel, Spyforce, Homicide, Division 4 and Cop Shop, as well as many theatrical stage plays,[8] and in 1966 she appeared as a narrator in fourteen episodes of the BBC children's television programme Jackanory. Up until her 85th birthday in 1973, she was very active within the entertainment circle and would not entertain the prospect of retirement, despite self-admitted signs of "phasing out".[9] Her final film appearance was in The Odd Angry Shot.[10] In her later years, she gradually declined from acting and instead started writing children's books, such as the series Shelley (which was based on her granddaughter), under the pseudonym of Ellen Bosworth.[6] Many of her books were best-sellers in Australia.[11] During her lifetime, Lorimer also worked as a teacher and a theosophist.[12]

Recognition

Lorimer was awarded the Chips Rafferty Memorial Award in 1981[13] and the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her service towards the performing arts on 14 June 1982.[14]

Enid Lorimer Circuit, in the Canberra suburb of Chisholm, is named in her honour.[15]

Death

Lorimer died on 15 July 1982 at a private hospital[16] in Wahroonga, New South Wales.[17][18] A private funeral was held for her; only six people attended.[17]

Partial filmography

References
  1. "Lorimer, Enid (1887–1982)". The Australian Women's Register. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  2. "Family Background". Enid Lorimer. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  3. Roe, Jill; Bettison, Margaret (2013). "Lorimer, Enid Bosworth (1887–1982)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  4. "From Irving to Jack Thompson". The West Australian. 13 March 1979.
  5. Dynes, Cecily (1984). The complete Australian and New Zealand book of names. Angus & Robertson Publishers. p. 234. ISBN 9780207148613.
  6. "Ellen Bosworth". Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  7. Roe, Jill (1980). Twentieth century Sydney: studies in urban & social history. Hale & Iremonger. p. 92. ISBN 9780908094615.
  8. "The drama of a lifetime". Television.au. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  9. Haynes, J.; Archibald, J. F. (1973). "That's what you say". The Bulletin. 95.
  10. "Theatre great dies aged 94". Melbourne Sun. 17 July 1982.
  11. "Enid begins her life anew". Sunday Times. 1 February 1976.
  12. Finch, Bloody Finch: The Life of Peter Finch. Holt, Rinehart & Winston. 1980. p. 38. ISBN 9780030417962.
  13. "Time of Hope and Regret". The Sydney Morning Herald. 3 September 1981.
  14. "LORIMER, Enid Bosworth". Australian Government It's An Honour. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  15. "Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. Periodic (National : 1977 - 2011) - 15 May 1987 - p2". Trove. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  16. "Enid Lorimer dies". The Sydney Morning Herald. 16 July 1982. p. 6.
  17. "A 70-year career in theatre". The Sydney Morning Herald. 17 July 1982. p. 7.
  18. "Erid Lorimer". The Times. 17 July 1982. p. 10.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.