May Robson Performer, Writer - ( b. Apr 19, 1858 Melbourne, AUSTRALIA - d. Oct 20, 1942 Beverly Hills, California, USA ) Female

Born April 19, 1858 in Moama, New South Wales, Australia

Died October 20, 1942 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA (undisclosed causes)

Birth Name Mary Jeannette Robison

Height 5' 2" (1.57 m)

Mini Bio (1)

Born Mary Jeanette Robison. She was the youngest daughter of Henry Robison of Penrith, Cumberland, England and Julia Schelesinger of Liverpool, Lancashire, England. Her father died in 1860 and her mother remarried. In 1866/67 they were living in St Kilda, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and moved back to London, England in 1871. She ran away from home to marry Charles Leveson Gore in 1875 and in 1877 the young couple went to Fort Worth, Texas, USA to establish a cattle ranch. They survived for two years before moving to New York where her husband died about 1881.

In 1884 she took up acting to support her three children (only her son Edward Gore survived childhood). She played both leads and supporting roles on the road and on Broadway, and over several decades she became highly respected as a character actress. She appeared in a few silent films, then returned to the screen for good in 1926 and flourished in the subsequent sound era. She was usually cast as crusty, gruff, domineering society matron or grandmother. For her portrayal of Damon Runyon's Apple Annie in Frank Capra's Lady for a Day (1933), one of her rare starring roles, she received a Best Actress Oscar nomination. Ultimately she appeared in more than 60 films, the last of which was released the year of her death.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Tomm Wells

Dr. Augustus Homer Brown (29 May 1889 - 2 April 1920) ( his death)

Charles Leveson Gore (1 November 1875 - 1883) ( his death) ( 3 children) Edward Gore on December 2, 1876 James Beryl Gore in 1879. He died at age 3 on April 26, 1882 Nellie Candler Gore on April 28, 1880. She died on May 1, 1882

Gave birth to her 1st child at age 18, a son Edward Gore on December 2, 1876. Child's father was her 1st husband, Charles Gore/.

The earliest-born actress to receive an Oscar nomination.

Biography in "Actresses of a Certain Character: Forty Familiar Hollywood Faces from the Thirties to the Fifties" by Axel Nissen.

Although she was a prolific actress who appeared in many major movies and was once nominated for an Oscar, she does not have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

She was known as "The Grand Old Lady of the American Stage".

Her son Edward died on September 23, 1954 in Los Angeles, California at age 77.

Appeared in three Oscar Best Picture nominees: Lady for a Day (1933), A Star Is Born (1937) and Four Daughters (1938).

Gave birth to her 3rd child at age 22, a daughter Nellie Candler Gore on April 28, 1880. She died on May 1, 1882. Child's father was her husband, Charles Gore.

Gave birth to her 2nd child at age 21, a son James Beryl Gore in 1879. He died at age 3 on April 26, 1882. Child's father was her husband, Charles Gore.

Personal Quotes (1) "Both professions are so irregular that each always would feel sorry for the other, and then there would be perfect harmony." [1935, explaining her advice that actresses should marry doctors]