Person    | Male  Born 15/1/1893  Died 6/3/1951

Ivor Novello

Categories: Cinema, Music / songs, Theatre

Countries: Wales

Composer, singer and actor-manager. Born David Ivor Davies in Cardiff. Wrote 'Keep the Home Fires Burning', a big success in WW1. Appeared in over 20 movies. Worked at Gainsborough Film Studios. Briefly a writer in Hollywood where he wrote the dialogue for the 1932 'Tarzan the Ape Man' (the oft-misquoted "me Tarzan, you Jane"). An extremely good-looking gay man. Rumours are that even Winston Churchill could not resist his charms.

WW2 saw him in prison for misusing petrol coupons, where he met Mad Frankie Fraser. In 1913 he moved to the flat at 11 Aldwych, above the Strand Theatre, where he died. In 2005 the Strand Theatre was renamed the Novello Theatre. Played by Jeremy Northam in the 2001 film 'Gosforth Park'. Not part of the Novello family.

The Centre for International Film Research (CIFR) at the University of Southampton have an interesting post by Michael Williams about Novello in London. 

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Ivor Novello

Commemorated ati

Gainsborough Film Studios

Hackney owns up: "The plaque states that 'The Wicked Lady' was filmed at Gain...

Read More

Ivor Novello

Greater London Council Ivor Novello, 1893 - 1951, composer and actor manager...

Read More

Other Subjects

Rotherhithe Picture Research Library

Rotherhithe Picture Research Library

An educational charity, opened as part of Sands Films Studio, and situated in the same Grade II listed building. The library is home to thousands of old photographs, postcards and magazines. Pictur...

Building, Cinema, Museums / Libraries

1 memorial
Ronald Falk

Ronald Falk

Born Australia. Actor. We are really only guessing that this is the Ronald Falk on the list of donors for the Olivier statue. We published this item in October 2010. Our colleague, Andrew Behan, h...

Person, Benefactor, Cinema, Theatre, TV & Radio, Australia

1 memorial
Emlyn Williams

Emlyn Williams

Welsh dramatist and actor. Born Flintshire, North Wales. Died at home, Flat 3, 123 Dovehouse Street.

Person, Cinema, Theatre, TV & Radio, Wales

1 memorial
Lilian Harvey

Lilian Harvey

Film actor and singer. Born Helene Lilian Muriel Pape in Hornsey. Her father, a German businessman moved the family to Magdeburg. She studied at the dance and voice school of the Berlin Opera, taki...

Person, Cinema, Music / songs, France, Germany

1 memorial
Sir Derek Jacobi

Sir Derek Jacobi

Actor. Born Derek George Jacobi in Leytonstone. He was invited by Sir Laurence Olivier to be a founder member of the Royal National Theatre. Probably best known for playing the eponymous lead in th...

Person, Cinema, Theatre, TV & Radio

1 memorial