Sir John Martin-Harvey (22 June 1863 – 14 May 1944), known before his knighthood in 1921 as John Martin Harvey, was an English stage actor-manager.

Biography

Early life

Born in Bath Street, Wivenhoe, Essex, he was the son of John Harvey, a yacht-designer and shipbuilder, and Margaret Diana Mary (née Goyder). His father expected him to follow his own profession, but Martin Harvey had his sights set on the stage. One of his father's clients was the dramatist W.S. Gilbert, and it was through Gilbert that young Martin Harvey met his first teacher, John Ryder.

thumb|left|John Martin-Harvey in 1899

thumb|right|John Martin-Harvey as Sidney Carton (1899)

"The Only Way"

Martin Harvey and his wife Angelita worked on an adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities, later involving playwright Freeman Wills and Irish clergyman Canon Frederick Langbridge. There was already a play called Sidney Carton, or a Tale of Two Cities and it was Angelita who came up with the title The Only Way.

First World War

During the First World War, Martin Harvey and his wife toured the country giving military recruitment lectures and raising money for the Red Cross and other charities, most notably the Nation's Fund for Nurses. The couple raised enough money to buy a building for the College of Nursing in 1920, which became a rest home for nurses.

Personal life

In 1889 he married Angelita Helena Maria de Silva Ferro, daughter of a Chilean consul and a fellow actor in Irving's company who used the stage name Miss N. de Silva. They had two children, Muriel Martin-Harvey and Michael Martin-Harvey, both successful actors. John Martin Harvey died at his home in East Sheen, Richmond, Surrey, aged 80.

Selected filmography

  • A Cigarette-Maker's Romance (1913)
  • The Broken Melody (1916)
  • The Breed of the Treshams (1920)
  • The Only Way (1927)
  • The Burgomaster of Stilemonde (1929)
  • The Lyons Mail (1931)

References

Bibliography

  • Busby, Brian: Character parts: who's really who in Canlit. Toronto: Knopf Canada, 2003
  • Butler, Nicholas: John Martin-Harvey: the biography of an actor-manager. Wivenhoe: Nicholas Butler, 1997.
  • Disher, Maurice Willson: The last romantic: the authorised biography of Sir John Martin-Harvey. London: Hutchinson, 1948
  • Edgar, George: Martin Harvey: some pages of his life. London: Grant Richards, 1912.
  • Martin-Harvey, John, Sir: The book of Martin Harvey. London: Henry Walker, 1930.
  • Martin-Harvey, John, Sir: The autobiography of Sir John Martin-Harvey. London: Sampson Low, 1933.
  • John Martin-Harvey on Flickr
  • University of Bristol Theatre Collection, University of Bristol
  • John Martin-Harvey. Watercolors, 1884-1885, held by the Billy Rose Theatre Division, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
  • John Martin-Harvey fonds (R1803) at Library and Archives Canada. Fonds consists of correspondence from the Rt. Hon. W.L. Mackenzie King to Sir John Martin-Harvey discussing tours of Canada, theatre and politics.