Harrow's forgotten star of the silent screen

BY DAVID BROWN

dbrown@london.newsquest.co.uk

In a shady corner of Harrow cemetery is a plot that shall be forever Hollywood.

An overgrown grave marked by a nondescript stone is a sad legacy for a man who was once one of BritainÍs greatest stars but who was largely forgotten by his fans and the film industry by the time of his death.

Seventy years ago George Arliss became the first Briton to win an Oscar for best male actor. In the 1930Ís he was the darling of Hollywood. Bette Davis said: ñHis small dark eyes held an ancient sadness; but his taut triangular mouth seemed always to be repressing an irrepressible mirth.î

But the popularity of costume dramas waned and with them his career on the silver screen. When he died in 1946 his family, upset by the way he had been abandoned by his fans and colleagues, held a private funeral before burying him close to his parents in Harrow Weald Cemetery off Clamp Hill.

Weeds now cover his plot and the lopsided gravestone risks being engulfed in the adjoining hedge. It is an ignoble end.

Few, if any, people ever visit the grave, said Harrow cemeteries superintendent registrar David Evans.

George is buried in part of the cemetery known as the Rackham Section which is officially part of the All Saints Church in Uxbridge Road, Harrow Weald.

ñWe didnÍt even know the grave was here until we were approached about 15 years ago by someone saying they thought it was in the Harrow Weald cemetery,î said Mr Evans.

ñWe spent ages checking all the records but couldnÍt find anything because officially it is not in the cemetery. Then, by chance, I mentioned it to an elderly lady who visited the cemetery regularly and she said she though it might be in the Rackham section and I was able to locate it.î

George was born in London in 1868, the third son of Rebecca and William Arliss Andrews, a printer and publisher who styled himself the Duke of Bloomsbury. His parents retired to Wealdstone Cottage in High Road, Harrow Weald, by which time George had already started his stage career with an appearance at the Elephant and Castle aged 19. He married Florence Montgomery in All Saints Church, Uxbridge Road, Harrow Weald in 1899.

For many years he served his acting apprenticeship in the provinces before starring on the West End stages in 1900. But almost as soon as he had arrived back in London he was off again ,, this time accompanying Mrs Patrick Campbell to New York.

George was established as a distinguished stage actor when he was lured to Hollywood in 1920 by studios desperate for stars with good speaking voices to appear in the new ñtalkiesî. Warner Brothers billed him as ñthe First Gentleman of the Talking Screenî.

He became famous for his portrayals of historic luminaries in films such as Old English (1930), Alexander Hamilton (1931), The House of Rothschild (1934), and Cardinal Richelieu (1935).

HalliwellÍs Filmgoers and Video Viewers Companion described George as ñpresenting a gallery of kings, statesmen, rajahs, eccentric millionaires and rather unconvincing hobosî.

His greatest year was 1929/30 when he was nominated for a best male actor Oscar for The Green Goddess and won the award for his role in the film version of Disraeli. His film The House of Rothschild secured a nomination for Best Film in 1934.

With his new found wealth he bought a home for his sister, Mildred, in College Road, Harrow Weald, and ensured his parentÍs grave was marked with a solid granite pillar.

ñGeorge Arliss was successful because films were transforming from silent to talkies and studios needed people who had a good clear accents like the British,î said studios consultant Paul Welsh.

But by the late 1930s the popularity of costume dramas had ended. The next time George hit the headlines was being fined £4,500 for tax evasion after failing to declare £13,000 in American and Canadian securities.

ñTastes changed and many of the stars of the day were no longer needed. Many of the films were not particularly good and there has never been a popular revival,î said Mr Walsh.

He returned to England, completed his second autobiography, George Arliss By Myself ,,and enrolled as the founder member of the Disraeli Society in 1944. Two years later he died.

æDo you know any more about George Arliss ,, call David Brown on 020 8

BY DAVID BROWN

dbrown@london.newsquest.co.uk

In a shady corner of Harrow cemetery is a plot that shall be forever Hollywood.

An overgrown grave marked by a nondescript stone is a sad legacy for a man who was once one of BritainÍs greatest stars but who was largely forgotten by his fans and the film industry by the time of his death.

Seventy years ago George Arliss became the first Briton to win an Oscar for best male actor. In the 1930s he was the darling of Hollywood. Bette Davis said: ñHis small dark eyes held an ancient sadness; but his taut triangular mouth seemed always to be repressing an irrepressible mirth.î

But the popularity of costume dramas waned and with them his career on the silver screen. When he died in 1946 his family, upset by the way he had been abandoned by his fans and colleagues, held a private funeral before burying him close to his parents in Harrow Weald Cemetery off Clamp Hill.

Weeds now cover his plot and the lopsided gravestone risks being engulfed in the adjoining hedge. It is an ignoble end.

Few, if any, people ever visit the grave, said Harrow cemeteries superintendent registrar David Evans.

George is buried in part of the cemetery known as the Rackham Section, which is officially part of the All Saints Church in Uxbridge Road, Harrow Weald.

ñWe didnÍt even know the grave was here until we were approached about 15 years ago by someone saying they thought it was in the Harrow Weald cemetery,î said Mr Evans.

ñWe spent ages checking all the records but couldnÍt find anything because officially it is not in the cemetery. Then, by chance, I mentioned it to an elderly lady who visited the cemetery regularly and she said she thought it might be in the Rackham section and I was able to locate it.î

George was born in London in 1868, the third son of Rebecca and William Arliss Andrews, a printer and publisher who styled himself on the Duke of Bloomsbury. His parents retired to Wealdstone Cottage in High Road, Harrow Weald, by which time George had already started his stage career with an appearance at the Elephant and Castle aged 19. He married Florence Montgomery in All Saints Church, Uxbridge Road, Harrow Weald in 1899.

For many years he served his acting apprenticeship in the provinces before starring on the West End stages in 1900. But almost as soon as he had arrived back in London he was off again ,, this time accompanying Mrs Patrick Campbell to New York.

George was established as a distinguished stage actor when he was lured to Hollywood in 1920 by studios desperate for stars with good speaking voices to appear in the new ñtalkiesî. Warner Brothers billed him as ñthe First Gentleman of the Talking Screenî.

He became famous for his portrayals of historic luminaries in films such as Old English (1930), Alexander Hamilton (1931), The House of Rothschild (1934), and Cardinal Richelieu (1935).

HalliwellÍs Filmgoers and Video Viewers Companion described George as ñpresenting a gallery of kings, statesmen, rajahs, eccentric millionaires and rather unconvincing hobosî.

His greatest year was 1929/30 when he was nominated for a best male actor Oscar for The Green Goddess and won the award for his role in the film version of Disraeli. His film, The House of Rothschild, secured a nomination for Best Film in 1934.

With his new found wealth he bought a home for his sister Mildred in College Road, Harrow Weald, and ensured his parentÍs grave was marked with a solid granite pillar.

ñGeorge Arliss was successful because films were transforming from silent to talkies and studios needed people who had a good clear accent, like the British,î said studios consultant Paul Welsh.

But by the late 1930s the popularity of costume dramas had ended. The next time George hit the headlines was for being fined £4,500 for tax evasion after failing to declare £13,000 in American and Canadian securities.

ñTastes changed and many of the stars of the day were no longer needed,' said Mr Walsh. 'Many of the films were not particularly good and there has never been a popular revival.'

George returned to England, completed his second autobiograhy, George Arliss By Myself, and enrolled as the founder member of the Disraeli Society in 1944.

Two years later he died.

æDo you know any more about George Arliss? If so call David Brown on 020 8203 4316.

BY DAVID BROWN

dbrown@london.newsquest.co.uk

In a shady corner of Harrow cemetery is a plot that shall be forever Hollywood.

An overgrown grave marked by a nondescript stone is a sad legacy for a man who was once one of BritainÍs greatest stars but who was largely forgotten by his fans and the film industry by the time of his death.

Seventy years ago George Arliss became the first Briton to win an Oscar for best male actor. In the 1930s he was the darling of Hollywood. Bette Davis said: ñHis small dark eyes held an ancient sadness; but his taut triangular mouth seemed always to be repressing an irrepressible mirth.î

But the popularity of costume dramas waned and with them his career on the silver screen. When he died in 1946 his family, upset by the way he had been abandoned by his fans and colleagues, held a private funeral before burying him close to his parents in Harrow Weald Cemetery off Clamp Hill.

Weeds now cover his plot and the lopsided gravestone risks being engulfed in the adjoining hedge. It is an ignoble end.

Few, if any, people ever visit the grave, said Harrow cemeteries superintendent registrar David Evans.

George is buried in part of the cemetery known as the Rackham Section, which is officially part of the All Saints Church in Uxbridge Road, Harrow Weald.

ñWe didnÍt even know the grave was here until we were approached about 15 years ago by someone saying they thought it was in the Harrow Weald cemetery,î said Mr Evans.

ñWe spent ages checking all the records but couldnÍt find anything because officially it is not in the cemetery. Then, by chance, I mentioned it to an elderly lady who visited the cemetery regularly and she said she thought it might be in the Rackham section and I was able to locate it.î

George was born in London in 1868, the third son of Rebecca and William Arliss Andrews, a printer and publisher who styled himself on the Duke of Bloomsbury. His parents retired to Wealdstone Cottage in High Road, Harrow Weald, by which time George had already started his stage career with an appearance at the Elephant and Castle aged 19. He married Florence Montgomery in All Saints Church, Uxbridge Road, Harrow Weald in 1899.

For many years he served his acting apprenticeship in the provinces before starring on the West End stages in 1900. But almost as soon as he had arrived back in London he was off again ,, this time accompanying Mrs Patrick Campbell to New York.

George was established as a distinguished stage actor when he was lured to Hollywood in 1920 by studios desperate for stars with good speaking voices to appear in the new ñtalkiesî. Warner Brothers billed him as ñthe First Gentleman of the Talking Screenî.

He became famous for his portrayals of historic luminaries in films such as Old English (1930), Alexander Hamilton (1931), The House of Rothschild (1934), and Cardinal Richelieu (1935).

HalliwellÍs Filmgoers and Video Viewers Companion described George as ñpresenting a gallery of kings, statesmen, rajahs, eccentric millionaires and rather unconvincing hobosî.

His greatest year was 1929/30 when he was nominated for a best male actor Oscar for The Green Goddess and won the award for his role in the film version of Disraeli. His film, The House of Rothschild, secured a nomination for Best Film in 1934.

With his new found wealth he bought a home for his sister Mildred in College Road, Harrow Weald, and ensured his parentÍs grave was marked with a solid granite pillar.

ñGeorge Arliss was successful because films were transforming from silent to talkies and studios needed people who had a good clear accent, like the British,î said studios consultant Paul Welsh.

But by the late 1930s the popularity of costume dramas had ended. The next time George hit the headlines was for being fined £4,500 for tax evasion after failing to declare £13,000 in American and Canadian securities.

ñTastes changed and many of the stars of the day were no longer needed,' said Mr Welsh. 'Many of the films were not particularly good and there has never been a popular revival.'

George returned to England, completed his second autobiograhy, George Arliss By Myself, and enrolled as the founder member of the Disraeli Society in 1944.

Two years later he died.

æDo you know any more about George Arliss? If so call David Brown on 020 8203 4316.