Enid Bosworth Lorimer (born Enid Bosworth Nunn) 27 December 188715 July 1982), was an English-born stage, radio, television and film actress, director, producer, writer, teacher and theosophist. She worked in her native England and also in Australia.

She was a contemporary of Dame Sybil Thorndike and Dame Lilian Braithwaite.

Early life Lorimer was born on 27 November 1887, in London, United Kingdom. Her father was Harold Marcus Nunn and her mother was Helen Louise Fowler (née Bosworth) and she had a younger sister.

Brought up in comfortable and privileged circumstances, her early education was supervised by a governess. She later attended a boarding school in Folkestone, Kent, and a finishing school in Switzerland where she learned French and German.

In London, Lorimer trained under renowned teacher Elsie Fogerty, but when her father’s opposition to an acting career became am issue, she left home. She subsequently trained at Her Majesty's Theatre as a Shakespearean actress. Her first role was a walk-on part under Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree.

Career Lorimer's career as an actress lasted for some 70 years. She first took stage drama studies in the United Kingdom, and became an understudy to Phyllis Neilson-Terry. She joined the touring company of Laurence Irving and during the war years she worked in film production in Britain assisting Dame Ellen Terry. She arrived in Sydney, Australia in November 1923 to serve as Art Director at the Star Amphitheatre, Balmoral.

Lorimer produced the first impromptu radio play at 2GB in 1925. She was well known for her role as Ettie in the radio serial Dr. Mac with Lou Vernon, between 1940 and 1952.

She starred in numerous Australian television programmes, such as Motel, Spyforce, Homicide, Division 4 and Cop Shop, as well as many theatrical stage plays, 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, Lorimer was very active within the entertainment industry and would not entertain the prospect of retirement, despite self-admitted signs of "phasing out". Her final film appearance was in The Odd Angry Shot.

In her later years, she gradually retired 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, publishing 3 books. Many of her books were best-sellers in Australia.

During her lifetime, Lorimer also worked as a teacher and a theosophist.

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

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

Personal life Lorimer met fellow actor Henry Augustavus Wentworth Zerffi, a Londoner of Hungarian-Jewish extraction, while she was acting with Laurence Irving's touring company. They were married on 27 July 1912 at St Paul’s Presbyterian Church, in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. Zerffi served in the war, but upon his return, their marriage did not last. In 1926, severely affected by war injuries, Zerffi shot his mother, before committing suicide, prompting Lorimer to return to England in 1926.

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

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Type 1949 Strong Is the Seed (aka The Farrer Story) Feature film 1956 Find the Lady Miss Rees (uncredited) Feature film 1958 Carve Her Name With Pride Madame Renaud (uncredited) Feature film 1959 Witness in the Dark Mrs. Temple Feature film 1964 The Sicilians Old Lady Feature film

Television Year Title Role Type 1953 The Golden Head Dame Martha Holloway TV film 1953 Seven Little Australians Mrs. Fitzroy-Brown 1 episode 1953 The Story of the Treasure Seekers The Lady 1 episode 1954 A Castle and Sixpence Mrs. Pigmarsh 1 episode 1955 Absent-Minded Anna Mrs. Graham TV film 1955 The Vice Madame Larvin / Mrs. Steel / Mrs. McPhail 3 episodes 1955 The Sleeping Beauty The Nurse TV film 1955 Count of Twelve Mrs. McPhail Episode: ’The Count of Twelve‘ 1956 The Errol Flynn Theatre Donya 1 episode 1957–1967 ITV Play of the Week Mookie / Rebecca Nurse / Ellen Carmichael 3 episodes 1956 Armchair Theatre Mrs. Danishev 1 episode 1957 Overseas Press Club - Exclusive Mrs. Klaus / Concierge 2 episodes 1957 O.S.S. Madame Mureaux 1 episode 1957 White Hunter Matron 1 episode 1958 Television World Theatre Woman of Troy 1 episode 1958 Charles And Mary Mrs. Lamb TV film 1958 Uncertain Mercy Frau Kowalski TV film 1959 World Theatre Brand's Mother 1 episode 1959 Antigone Eurydice TV film 1959 The Flying Doctor Emily Gudgeon 1 episode 1961 Corinth House Miss Malleson Teleplay 1961 Harlequinade Dame Maud Teleplay 1961 Traveller Without Luggage The Mother TV film 1962 The Last Man Out Madame Matilde 1 episode 1963 Harpers Went Out Evelyn Bentley 1 episode 1963 Man of the World Miss Bentley 1 episode 1963 The Queen and The Rebels Peasant Woman 1 episode 1963–1965 Hugh and I Auntie Maude 2 episodes 1964–1967 Play School Storyteller 34 episodes 1966 Theatre 625 Anna Semionovna 1 episode 1966 The Troubleshooters Mrs. Thornton 1 episode 1966 Jackanory Storyteller 14 episodes 1966 Meet the Wife Madame 1 episode 1966 The New Inferno The Company TV film 1967 The Wednesday Play Frau Cornelissen 1 episode 1967 Beggar My Neighbour Aunt Jess 1 episode 1967 The Avengers Nanny Roberts 1 episode 1967 Uncle Vanya Maria Wassiljewna Woynitsky TV film 1967 Les Misérables Baptistine Miniseries, 1 episode 1968–1974 Homicide Mrs. Lines / Mrs. Simpson / Mrs. James / 'Gran' Garret / Mrs. Jackson / Molly Bishop / Jane Foster 7 episodes 1968 Motel Bunty Creighton 2 episodes 1969 Riptide Dora Binney 1 episode 1969 Delta Hilda 1 episode 1969 Skippy Mrs. Kearney 1 episode 1970; 1974 Division 4 Aunt Bertha / Mrs. Mathews 2 episodes 1970 The Link Men 1 episode 1972 The Survivor Belle Leeming Teleplay 1972 Spyforce Miss Smith 1 episode 1972 Number 96 Mrs Harvey TV series 1972 The Hands of Cormac Joyce Mrs. Reece TV film 1973 Boney Mrs. Thompson 1 episode 1974 The Evil Touch Lavinia Pfeiffer 1 episode 1974 Matlock Police Mrs. Dawson 1 episode 1974 Human Target TV film 1975 Certain Women 1 episode 1975 Quality of Mercy Episode 2: "The Love Job" 1976 Luke's Kingdom Nanny Miniseries, 1 episode 1976 Is There Anybody There? TV film 1977 Mama's Gone A-Hunting Old Woman in Elevator (uncredited) TV film 1978 Loss of Innocence Gran Miniseries, 2 episodes 1978 Case for the Defence Mrs. Lattimer 1 episode 1978 The Young Doctors Amelia Frost 2 episodes

Theatre

As actor Year Title Role Type 1913 Troilus and Cressida Helen Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford with RSC 1934 The Squall Dolores Mendez Criterion Theatre, Sydney 1940 The Importance of Being Earnest Independent Theatre, Sydney 1944; 1945 Uncle Harry Hester Killara Soldiers Memorial Hall, Sydney, St. John's Hall, Sydney, Theatre Royal, Sydney with Kuring-gai Theatre Guild & Metropolitan Players 1945 Suspect Killara Soldiers Memorial Hall, Sydney with Kuring-gai Theatre Guild & Metropolitan Players 1948 The Little Foxes Princess Theatre, Melbourne 1950; 1963 Harvey Theatre Royal, Adelaide, Theatre Royal Sydney, The Old Vic Theatre, London with J. C. Williamson's 1959 Brand Brand's Mother Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith with 59 Theatre Company 1960 A Passage to India Mrs Moore Comedy Theatre, London 1963 Uncle Vanya Marya Vassilyevna Voynitsky (Maman) Chichester Festival Theatre, The Old Vic, London, Theatre Royal, Newcastle upon Tyne with Royal National Theatre 1963–1964 Hamlet Extra National Theatre, London, The Old Vic, London 1964–1965 Hobson's Choice Mrs Hepworth National Theatre, London, The Old Vic, London 1964 The Dutch Courtesan Putifer National Theatre, London, The Old Vic, London, Chichester Festival Theatre

As director / playwright / producer Year Title Role Type 1933 Four One Act Plays Director St James' Hall, Sydney with Impressionist Theatre 1933 The Mills of God Producer Studio Theatre Club, Sydney 1933 Murder Playwright / producer Studio Theatre Club, Sydney 1933 The Morning After Christmas Eve Producer Studio Theatre Club, Sydney 1934 Restitution Director Studio Theatre Club, Sydney 1934 Repression Director Studio Theatre Club, Sydney 1934 Life Goes On! Director / playwright Studio Theatre Club, Sydney 1934; 1939 The Spartan Girl Director Studio Theatre Club, Sydney, St James' Hall, Sydney 1934 Proxy Director Studio Theatre Club, Sydney 1934 Judas Was a Gentleman Director Studio Theatre Club, Sydney 1934 The Second Rhapsody Director Studio Theatre Club, Sydney 1935 Wool Gathering Director Emerson Hall, Sydney with Studio Theatre Club 1936 Once in a Blue Moon Playwright Australian Hall, Sydney 1939 The Gigolo Husband Director Little Theatre, Sydney 1943 Counter Attack Producer New Theatre, Sydney 1945 The Doctor's Dilemma Producer Independent Theatre, Sydney 1946 Oscar Wilde Director Killara Soldiers Memorial Hall, Sydney, Independent Theatre, Sydney

Radio (partial)

As actor Year Title Role Type 1940–1952 Doctor Mac Ettie

As director Year Title Role Type 1946 Oscar Wilde Director Sydney Radio Theatre

References

22. Entry of Birth BXCC721078 - Registration District Paddington, County of Middlesex.

External links

Enid Lorimer at the Women Film Pioneers Project