Playwright. Born Leicester. Came to London in 1951 as a student at RADA, where he met fellow student Kenneth Halliwell. Works include Entertaining Mr Sloane and Loot, in which he wrote the part of Inspector Truscott for his close friend Kenneth Williams. In 1962 Orton and his partner, Halliwell, were prosecuted for stealing and defacing books from the Islington Public Library. Jealous of his sexual adventures, Halliwell murdered Orton with a hammer and then committed suicide with sleeping pills, at 25 Noel Road.
Other Subjects
Gatti family
Swiss-Italian family. Restaurateurs, music hall, theatre and electricity supply entrepreneurs. Four generations of note, all born in Dongio, Val di Blenio, Ticino, Switzerland: Carlo; Agostino (18...
1 memorial
Royal Court Theatre
The current building designed by Walter Emden and Bertie Crewe, opened as the New Court Theatre. Many of George Bernard Shaw's early plays were produced here. It ceased to be a theatre in 1932, and...
1 memorial
Ann Oldfield
Actress. Possibly born in Pall Mall. Worked a lot for the Drury Lane company. Died at home in Grosvenor Street at 59 or 60, depending on source - perhaps the street has been renumbered.
1 memorial
Joseph William Comyns Carr
Born 47 Devonshire Street. Author, gallery director and theatre manager. In 1877 he became co-director of the Grosvenor Gallery in Bond Street, which promoted the work of the Pre-Raphaelite Brother...
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Samuel Beckett
Dramatist and author. Born Dublin as Samuel Barclay Beckett. Lived in Paris most of his life. His plays include: Waiting for Godot (1953) and Krapp's Last Tape (1958). Awarded the Nobel Prize in Li...
1 memorial