Dudley Digges (born John Dudley Digges, 9 June 1879 â€" 24 October
1947) was an Irish stage actor, director, and producer as well as a
film actor. Although he gained his initial theatre training and acting
experience in Ireland, the vast majority of Digges' career was spent
in the United States, where over the span of 43 years he worked in
hundreds of stage productions and performed in over 50 films.Digges
was born in Ranelagh, Dublin in 1879, the child of James Digges and
Catherine Forsythe. He became acquainted with theatre directors
William and Frank Fay and took an interest in acting. He joined W. G.
Fay's Irish National Dramatic Company, along with others such as
Máire Nic Shiubhlaigh, James H. Cousins, Fred Ryan and Maire Quinn
(who became his wife). Their first production, Cathleen Ni Houlihan,
with Maud Gonne in the lead role, and Déirdre, was on 2 April 1902.
The company, which had no funds to speak of, acquired a couple of bare
rooms at 34 Lower Camden Street, which with the help of friends from
Irish-revival societies they turned into a small theatre. However,
this proved too small for the plays they were planning to stage. They
rehearsed at the Coffee Palace in Westmoreland Street and also used
the Molesworth Hall for productions.In 1903 the playwrights and most
of the actors and staff from these productions went on to form the
Irish National Theatre Society, which had its registered offices in
Camden Street. The society founded the Abbey Theatre.
1947) was an Irish stage actor, director, and producer as well as a
film actor. Although he gained his initial theatre training and acting
experience in Ireland, the vast majority of Digges' career was spent
in the United States, where over the span of 43 years he worked in
hundreds of stage productions and performed in over 50 films.Digges
was born in Ranelagh, Dublin in 1879, the child of James Digges and
Catherine Forsythe. He became acquainted with theatre directors
William and Frank Fay and took an interest in acting. He joined W. G.
Fay's Irish National Dramatic Company, along with others such as
Máire Nic Shiubhlaigh, James H. Cousins, Fred Ryan and Maire Quinn
(who became his wife). Their first production, Cathleen Ni Houlihan,
with Maud Gonne in the lead role, and Déirdre, was on 2 April 1902.
The company, which had no funds to speak of, acquired a couple of bare
rooms at 34 Lower Camden Street, which with the help of friends from
Irish-revival societies they turned into a small theatre. However,
this proved too small for the plays they were planning to stage. They
rehearsed at the Coffee Palace in Westmoreland Street and also used
the Molesworth Hall for productions.In 1903 the playwrights and most
of the actors and staff from these productions went on to form the
Irish National Theatre Society, which had its registered offices in
Camden Street. The society founded the Abbey Theatre.
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