Elsie Mackay was born Elsie Gertrude Mackay to wealthy parents Samuel Peter Mackay and Florence Gertrude Taylor in Western Australia. Her father remarried to the entertainer Fanny Dango, of the famous Rudge Sisters. Through relatives of her stepmother, Miss Millie Hylton and George Grossmith, she was introduced to the London stage, and eventually became an accomplished actress, touring the United States, England and Australia. She traveled with the Company of Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree.
In 1917, H.A. Spanuth of Commonwealth Pictures Corporation signed her to a three year contract. She had one role as a leading lady in "Nothing But the Truth" (1920) starring Taylor Holmes. At the time, she was the wife of actor Lionel Atwill. They married on February 7, 1920. Their home was The Inglenook. They shared the stage in several theatre performances together.
Her notable stage performances are:
A Well Remembered Voice
A Woman's Name
After the Girl
Another Man's Shoes
As You Like It
Camille
Clarence
Colonel Newcome
Deburau
Girl in the Film
Grumpy
Henry VIII
Poldekin
Pygmalion
The Cherry Orchard
The Comedian
The Merry Wives of Windsor
The New Gallantry
The Scarlet Letter
The Second Mrs. Tanqueray
The White-Faced Fool
Trilby
After marrying actor/author/director Max Montesole in 1933, they moved to her native Australia and had a stage and radio career until his death in 1942.
She then married former military man James Stanley Smith in 1957, who had a love for theatre and singing.
The 1963 Probate Register Index lists her as Elsie Gertrude Smith.
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/family/9SXF-SN2
_______________________
The internet is full of misinformation regarding her identity in relation to daredevil aviator, "The Honorable Elsie Mackay" who used the stage name of Poppy Wyndham in silent films. They were born 6 months apart from each other in the same year, and in different countries.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6808080/elsie-mackay
Samuel Nicholson Mackay from Highland, Scotland is Elsie Gertrude Mackay's great grandfather, her father is from Strathnaver, same as Lord Inchcape, so they are most certainly cousins.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/search?keyword=Elsie%20Mackay
In 1917, H.A. Spanuth of Commonwealth Pictures Corporation signed her to a three year contract. She had one role as a leading lady in "Nothing But the Truth" (1920) starring Taylor Holmes. At the time, she was the wife of actor Lionel Atwill. They married on February 7, 1920. Their home was The Inglenook. They shared the stage in several theatre performances together.
Her notable stage performances are:
A Well Remembered Voice
A Woman's Name
After the Girl
Another Man's Shoes
As You Like It
Camille
Clarence
Colonel Newcome
Deburau
Girl in the Film
Grumpy
Henry VIII
Poldekin
Pygmalion
The Cherry Orchard
The Comedian
The Merry Wives of Windsor
The New Gallantry
The Scarlet Letter
The Second Mrs. Tanqueray
The White-Faced Fool
Trilby
After marrying actor/author/director Max Montesole in 1933, they moved to her native Australia and had a stage and radio career until his death in 1942.
She then married former military man James Stanley Smith in 1957, who had a love for theatre and singing.
The 1963 Probate Register Index lists her as Elsie Gertrude Smith.
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/family/9SXF-SN2
_______________________
The internet is full of misinformation regarding her identity in relation to daredevil aviator, "The Honorable Elsie Mackay" who used the stage name of Poppy Wyndham in silent films. They were born 6 months apart from each other in the same year, and in different countries.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6808080/elsie-mackay
Samuel Nicholson Mackay from Highland, Scotland is Elsie Gertrude Mackay's great grandfather, her father is from Strathnaver, same as Lord Inchcape, so they are most certainly cousins.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/search?keyword=Elsie%20Mackay
Elsie Mackay was born Elsie Gertrude Mackay to wealthy parents Samuel Peter Mackay and Florence Gertrude Taylor in Western Australia. Her father remarried to the entertainer Fanny Dango, of the famous Rudge Sisters. Through relatives of her stepmother, Miss Millie Hylton and George Grossmith, she was introduced to the London stage, and eventually became an accomplished actress, touring the United States, England and Australia. She traveled with the Company of Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree.
In 1917, H.A. Spanuth of Commonwealth Pictures Corporation signed her to a three year contract. She had one role as a leading lady in "Nothing But the Truth" (1920) starring Taylor Holmes. At the time, she was the wife of actor Lionel Atwill. They married on February 7, 1920. Their home was The Inglenook. They shared the stage in several theatre performances together.
Her notable stage performances are:
A Well Remembered Voice
A Woman's Name
After the Girl
Another Man's Shoes
As You Like It
Camille
Clarence
Colonel Newcome
Deburau
Girl in the Film
Grumpy
Henry VIII
Poldekin
Pygmalion
The Cherry Orchard
The Comedian
The Merry Wives of Windsor
The New Gallantry
The Scarlet Letter
The Second Mrs. Tanqueray
The White-Faced Fool
Trilby
After marrying actor/author/director Max Montesole in 1933, they moved to her native Australia and had a stage and radio career until his death in 1942.
She then married former military man James Stanley Smith in 1957, who had a love for theatre and singing.
The 1963 Probate Register Index lists her as Elsie Gertrude Smith.
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/family/9SXF-SN2
_______________________
The internet is full of misinformation regarding her identity in relation to daredevil aviator, "The Honorable Elsie Mackay" who used the stage name of Poppy Wyndham in silent films. They were born 6 months apart from each other in the same year, and in different countries.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6808080/elsie-mackay
Samuel Nicholson Mackay from Highland, Scotland is Elsie Gertrude Mackay's great grandfather, her father is from Strathnaver, same as Lord Inchcape, so they are most certainly cousins.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/search?keyword=Elsie%20Mackay
In 1917, H.A. Spanuth of Commonwealth Pictures Corporation signed her to a three year contract. She had one role as a leading lady in "Nothing But the Truth" (1920) starring Taylor Holmes. At the time, she was the wife of actor Lionel Atwill. They married on February 7, 1920. Their home was The Inglenook. They shared the stage in several theatre performances together.
Her notable stage performances are:
A Well Remembered Voice
A Woman's Name
After the Girl
Another Man's Shoes
As You Like It
Camille
Clarence
Colonel Newcome
Deburau
Girl in the Film
Grumpy
Henry VIII
Poldekin
Pygmalion
The Cherry Orchard
The Comedian
The Merry Wives of Windsor
The New Gallantry
The Scarlet Letter
The Second Mrs. Tanqueray
The White-Faced Fool
Trilby
After marrying actor/author/director Max Montesole in 1933, they moved to her native Australia and had a stage and radio career until his death in 1942.
She then married former military man James Stanley Smith in 1957, who had a love for theatre and singing.
The 1963 Probate Register Index lists her as Elsie Gertrude Smith.
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/family/9SXF-SN2
_______________________
The internet is full of misinformation regarding her identity in relation to daredevil aviator, "The Honorable Elsie Mackay" who used the stage name of Poppy Wyndham in silent films. They were born 6 months apart from each other in the same year, and in different countries.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6808080/elsie-mackay
Samuel Nicholson Mackay from Highland, Scotland is Elsie Gertrude Mackay's great grandfather, her father is from Strathnaver, same as Lord Inchcape, so they are most certainly cousins.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/search?keyword=Elsie%20Mackay
Gravesite Details
Elsie shares a tomb with her father, stepmother and brother Peter.
Family Members
Siblings
Half Siblings
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