Irene Rooke
Encyclopedia
Irene Rooke was an English theater and motion picture actress from Bridport
, Dorset
, England
.
in 1896 and went directly on the stage. Unlike many novices, she achieved quick success as an actress.
In 1897 she performed the role of Ophelia
in Hamlet
. Gordon Craig
appeared in the title role. Rooke played the part of the Christian
maiden, Mercia, in The Sign of the Cross. The play was adapted from the historical drama written by
Wilson Barrett
. The production was staged at the 14th Street Theater in New York City
, in October 1898. The entire company was composed of actors from the Lyric Theatre (London)
.
Rooke was in an original production of Quality Street prior to creating the character of the charwoman in The Silver Box. The latter was the first John Galsworthy
play to be produced. It was staged in 1906. Rooke is remembered for depicting characters who were quiet but valiant, misunderstood but uncomplaining.
She acted the part of Kate Hardcastle in the Ben Greet
production of She Stoops To Conquer. Rooke's performance was well-received as was the character played by Julia Reynolds. They performed together on the Oberlin, Ohio
stage, in March 1908. The Greet Company presented A Midsummer Night's Dream
by William Shakespeare
to audiences in La Crosse, Wisconsin
, in 1909. Rooke trained under and toured with Greet. She also appeared in support of E.H. Sothern.
Her acting range was broad. She demonstrated this in 1913 while touring
Canada
with the company of Annie Horniman
. On this trip Rooke played parts like Paula Tanqueray, Major Barbara, and Alice in Alice Sit-By-The-Fire.
In the latter stages of her stage career she impressed critics most vividly with her rendition of the mother in Oliver Cromwell
. The theatrical production was adapted from the writing of
John Drinkwater. Rooke played an old woman who relished the cause of freedom, yet who loved poetry even more.
in
Lady Windermere's Fan
(1916). In the drama, The Street of Adventure (1921), she was cast with Lionelle Howard and Margot Drake.
Rooke appeared as Catherine de' Medici
in The Loves of Mary, Queen of Scots (1923). The sixteenth century historical drama featured Fay Compton
and Jack Cardiff
. She also featured in the 1927 film version of the popular stage play Hindle Wakes
, directed by Maurice Elvey
and starring Estelle Brody
and John Stuart
.
Her final films were released in 1932, both of them U.K. titles produced by G.B. Samuelson. Rooke depicted Lady Grathers in Threads and Mrs. Maynard in Collision.
.
Bridport
Bridport is a market town in Dorset, England. Located near the coast at the western end of Chesil Beach at the confluence of the River Brit and its Asker and Simene tributaries, it originally thrived as a fishing port and rope-making centre...
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Stage Actress
She was the daughter of a prominent London, England journalist. Rooke left boarding schoolBoarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
in 1896 and went directly on the stage. Unlike many novices, she achieved quick success as an actress.
In 1897 she performed the role of Ophelia
Ophelia
Ophelia is a fictional character in the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare. She is a young noblewoman of Denmark, the daughter of Polonius, sister of Laertes, and potential wife of Prince Hamlet.-Plot:...
in Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
. Gordon Craig
Gordon Craig
Gordon Craig may refer to:*Edward Gordon Craig , sometimes known as Gordon Craig, English modernist theatre practitioner*Gordon A. Craig , Scottish-American historian of German history and of diplomatic history...
appeared in the title role. Rooke played the part of the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
maiden, Mercia, in The Sign of the Cross. The play was adapted from the historical drama written by
Wilson Barrett
Wilson Barrett
Wilson Barrett was an English manager, actor, and playwright.With his company, Barrett is credited with attracting the largest crowds of English theatregoers ever because of his success with melodrama, an instance being his production of The Silver King at the Princess's Theatre of London.The...
. The production was staged at the 14th Street Theater in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, in October 1898. The entire company was composed of actors from the Lyric Theatre (London)
Lyric Theatre (London)
The Lyric Theatre is a West End theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster.Designed by architect C. J. Phipps, it was built by producer Henry Leslie with profits from the Alfred Cellier and B. C. Stephenson hit, Dorothy, which he transferred from the Prince of Wales Theatre to open...
.
Rooke was in an original production of Quality Street prior to creating the character of the charwoman in The Silver Box. The latter was the first John Galsworthy
John Galsworthy
John Galsworthy OM was an English novelist and playwright. Notable works include The Forsyte Saga and its sequels, A Modern Comedy and End of the Chapter...
play to be produced. It was staged in 1906. Rooke is remembered for depicting characters who were quiet but valiant, misunderstood but uncomplaining.
She acted the part of Kate Hardcastle in the Ben Greet
Ben Greet
Sir Philip Barling "Ben" Greet was a Shakespearean actor, director, and impresario.-Early life:The younger son of Captain William Greet RN and his wife, Sarah Barling, Greet was born on board HMS Crocodile, a Royal Navy recruiting ship tied up at the Tower of London. He was educated at the Royal...
production of She Stoops To Conquer. Rooke's performance was well-received as was the character played by Julia Reynolds. They performed together on the Oberlin, Ohio
Oberlin, Ohio
Oberlin is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States, to the south and west of Cleveland. Oberlin is perhaps best known for being the home of Oberlin College, a liberal arts college and music conservatory with approximately 3,000 students...
stage, in March 1908. The Greet Company presented A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a play that was written by William Shakespeare. It is believed to have been written between 1590 and 1596. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta...
by William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
to audiences in La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse is a city in and the county seat of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States. The city lies alongside the Mississippi River.The 2011 Census Bureau estimates the city had a population of 52,485...
, in 1909. Rooke trained under and toured with Greet. She also appeared in support of E.H. Sothern.
Her acting range was broad. She demonstrated this in 1913 while touring
Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
with the company of Annie Horniman
Annie Horniman
Annie Elizabeth Fredericka Horniman CH was an English theatre patron and manager. She established the Abbey Theatre in Dublin and founded the first regional repertory theatre company in Britain at the Gaiety Theatre in Manchester. She encouraged the work of new writers and playwrights, including...
. On this trip Rooke played parts like Paula Tanqueray, Major Barbara, and Alice in Alice Sit-By-The-Fire.
In the latter stages of her stage career she impressed critics most vividly with her rendition of the mother in Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
. The theatrical production was adapted from the writing of
John Drinkwater. Rooke played an old woman who relished the cause of freedom, yet who loved poetry even more.
Motion Pictures
Rooke was in films beginning with her role opposite Nigel PlayfairNigel Playfair
Sir Nigel Playfair was the actor-manager of the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, London, in the 1920s. He studied at University College, Oxford....
in
Lady Windermere's Fan
Lady Windermere's Fan
Lady Windermere's Fan, A Play About a Good Woman is a four act comedy by Oscar Wilde, first produced 22 February 1892 at the St James's Theatre in London. The play was first published in 1893...
(1916). In the drama, The Street of Adventure (1921), she was cast with Lionelle Howard and Margot Drake.
Rooke appeared as Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici was an Italian noblewoman who was Queen consort of France from 1547 until 1559, as the wife of King Henry II of France....
in The Loves of Mary, Queen of Scots (1923). The sixteenth century historical drama featured Fay Compton
Fay Compton
Fay Compton was an English actress from a notable acting lineage; her father was actor/manager Edward Compton; her mother, Virginia Bateman, was a distinguished member of the profession, as were her sister, the actress Viola Compton, and her uncles and aunts. Her grandfather was the 19th-century...
and Jack Cardiff
Jack Cardiff
Jack Cardiff, OBE, BSC was a British cinematographer, director and photographer.His career spanned the development of cinema, from silent film, through early experiments in Technicolor to filmmaking in the 21st century...
. She also featured in the 1927 film version of the popular stage play Hindle Wakes
Hindle Wakes (1927 film)
Hindle Wakes is a 1927 British silent film drama, directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Estelle Brody and John Stuart. The film is adapted from Stanley Houghton's 1912 stage play of the same name, and reunites Brody and Stuart following their hugely popular pairing in the previous year's...
, directed by Maurice Elvey
Maurice Elvey
Maurice Elvey was the most prolific film director in British history. He directed nearly 200 films between 1913 and 1957. During the silent film era he directed as many as twenty films per year....
and starring Estelle Brody
Estelle Brody
Estelle Brody was an American actress who became one of the biggest female stars of British silent film in the latter half of the 1920s...
and John Stuart
John Stuart (actor)
John Stuart, born John Alfred Louden Croall , was a Scottish actor, and a very popular leading man in British silent films in the 1920s. He appeared in two films directed by Alfred Hitchcock....
.
Her final films were released in 1932, both of them U.K. titles produced by G.B. Samuelson. Rooke depicted Lady Grathers in Threads and Mrs. Maynard in Collision.
Death
Irene Rooke died in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England, in 1958. She retired from the theater more than twenty years prior to her death. She was married to Milton RosmerMilton Rosmer
Milton Rosmer was a British actor, film director and screenwriter. He was born in Southport, Lancashire on 4 November 1881. He made his screen debut in the 1916 film The Mystery of a Hansom Cab and continued to act in film and television until 1956...
.