Robert Andrews (actor)

Robert Tobias "Bobbie" Andrews (20 February 1895 – 17 January 1976)[1][2] born Reginald Frank Andrews,[3] was a British stage and film actor. He is perhaps best known as the long-term companion of Ivor Novello.

Robert Andrews
Andrews in 1921
Born20 February 1895
Camden Town, England
Died1976 (aged 80–81)
Kensington, England
Partner(s)Ivor Novello (1916–51, Novello's death)

Early life

Andrews was born in Camden Town, the son of Walter Andrews (1861–1935), a horse bus inspector, and his wife Ada Harriet, née Judd (1864–1946). He was the younger brother of actress Maidie Andrews.[4][5]

Career

Andrews began his stage acting career at age eleven.[6] He made his first stage appearance in the play Shore Acres in 1906.[7] His child actor contemporaries included Noël Coward and Philip Tonge.[8] Coward referred to Andrews as Tonge's "only serious rival" among the "boy actors" of the London theater.[8]

In 1907, at the age of twelve, Andrews appeared in Horace Annesley's comedy Her Son as "Min, the eight-year-old child of Crystal and Gasgoyne,"[9] a role for which he received significant acclaim. Andrews' "finished and sympathetic performance" was described as "the success of [Her Son's] première,"[10] "a genuine and surprising triumph"[9] that caused "quite a sensation."[11] In 1911, he briefly worked in Chicago, acting in the play The Backsliders, before returning to London theatre.[7]

His stage career continued into adulthood with performances as Marcel in the 1920 production of The Children's Carnival, Maurice Avery in the 1920 production of Columbine, and Tyltyl in the 1921 production of The Betrothal.[12] In 1921, he appeared as Charles Deburau in the play Deburau; Deburau also featured Andrews's lover Ivor Novello's debut performance.[12] Andrews starred in a number of Novello's theater productions, beginning with the play Fresh Fields in 1932.[6] Amongst his many character parts was the Prime Minister in Ivor Novello's musical play King's Rhapsody at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.[2]

While he was primarily a stage actor, Andrews also made several film appearances. In 1923, he acted in the silent film Fires of Innocence as Pen Arkwright. His co-star Joan Morgan later claimed that she did not remember anything about her time working on the film, except for Andrews. She described how, during a "love-scene," Andrews would not look at her because he claimed he didn't "feel a bit in the mood to see [her]."[13]

Personal life

Andrews first met Ivor Novello in 1916, while Novello was attending the opera with his friend Edward Marsh.[14] They eventually became lovers. He was also responsible for introducing Novello to Noël Coward in 1916, at Coward's request.[8] Andrews and Novello both had relations with other men over the course of their long-term relationship, but Andrews remained Novello's primary companion until Novello's death in 1951.[15]

Death

Andrews died at his family home, 37 St Mary's Mansions, Kensington.[1]

Stage credits
Year Production Role Theatre Notes
1906 Shore Acres Bob Waldorf Theatre Debut role
1907 Her Son Min Playhouse Theatre
1908 Ib and Little Christina Little Ib Adelphi Theatre
1908 The Last of the De Mullins Johnny Seagrave Theatre Royal Haymarket
1920 Pygmalion Freddy Eynsford-Hill Aldwych Theatre Reprised his role in the 1920 production at the Duke of York's Theatre
1920 The Children's Carnival Marcel Kingsway Theatre
1920 Columbine Maurice Avery Princes Theatre
1921 The Betrothal Tyltyl Gaiety Theatre
1921 Deburau Charles Deburau Ambassadors Theatre
1922 Secrets John Carlton Comedy Theatre
1924 The Eternal Spring Pat Royalty Theatre
1925 Hay Fever Simon Bliss Ambassadors Theatre Written by Noël Coward
1926 Martinique Stephane Seguneau Shaftesbury Theatre
1927 Chance Acquaintance Lawrite Bennett Criterion Theatre Written by John Van Druten
1932 So Far and No Father Victor Melbourne Ambassadors Theatre
1932 Once a Husband Bobbie Fanning Theatre Royal Haymarket
1933 Fresh Fields Tim Crabbe Criterion Theatre Written by Ivor Novello
1934 Murder in Mayfair Bill Sherry Globe Written by Ivor Novello
1935 Full House John Theatre Royal Haymarket Written by Ivor Novello

Filmography
Year Title Role
1920 Colonel Newcombe, the Perfect Gentleman Col.Newcombe
1920 The Sword of Damocles Jack Moray
1920 A Gamble in Lives Harry Riggs
1923 Fires of Innocence Pen Arkwright
1923 Rogues of the Turf Arthur Somerton
1924 The Warrens of Virginia Arthur Warren
1929 The Burgomaster of Stilemonde Lt. Otto Hilmer
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References
  1. Principal Probate Registry. Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England. London, England © Crown copyright.
  2. John Snelson, 'Novello, Ivor (1893–1951)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 16 Nov 2007
  3. General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes. London, England: General Register Office. © Crown copyright.
  4. The Royal Magazine. C.A. Pearson. 1908.
  5. "Maidie Andrews – National Portrait Gallery". www.npg.org.uk. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  6. kevin (23 June 2014). "Coward & Novello". Operetta Research Center. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
  7. Parker, John (1916). Who's who in the Theatre. Pitman.
  8. Coward, Noël (10 October 2012). Present Indicative: The First Autobiography of Noël Coward. A&C Black. ISBN 9781408190777.
  9. The English Illustrated Magazine. Macmillan and Company. 1907.
  10. The Outlook: A Weekly Review of Politics, Art, Literature, and Finance. "The Outlook" Publishing Company. 1907.
  11. The Royal Magazine. C.A. Pearson. 1908.
  12. Wearing, J. P. (27 March 2014). The London Stage 1920–1929: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9780810893023.
  13. Cheshire, Ellen; Clarke, James (2 March 2017). Electric Pictures: A Guide to the Films, Film-Makers & Cinemas of Worthing & Shoreham. The History Press. ISBN 9780750982023.
  14. Cameron, Janet (15 November 2009). LGBT Brighton and Hove. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 9781445629230.
  15. Webb, Paul (2005). Ivor Novello: Portrait of a Star. Haus Books. ISBN 9781904950486.
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